Peter Dimond (right) as coach of Group 18 (Tweed) rugby league in 1973
Brothers won their first premiership in nine years when they beat Norths 6-2 in a gripping, tryless match at Lang Park, played in front of a record crowd of 37,000.
Fans arrived at the ground an hour before the C Grade grand final at noon, with queues of more than 100 metres at most turnstiles.
Noel Cavanagh landed three penalty goals for Brothers, while Peter Lobegeiger kicked one for Norths. The scorer was 2-2 at halftime.
In a spine tingling finish, Norths went within centimetres of scoring a try, close to the goal posts, after the full time siren. Brothers’ prop, Dennis Manteit saved the day for his side, defusing a Lobegeiger bomb.
Lobegeiger and Easts’ Test second rower, Geoff Connell tied for ‘The Courier-Mail’ Best and Fairest Award for the 1967 season, winning $100 each.
Brothers’ five eighth, Barry Dowling was the most dangerous attacking player on the field on a day when defence dominated. Manteit claimed the trophy as best defensive player on the day.
Norths’ coach, Bob Bax said he had never been a good loser, but he was proud of Norths, even going as far as to say it was their finest hour, given their courage in defence when Brothers dominated possession.
“We were never mastered, and we never gave in,” he said.
Bax and Brothers’ coach, Brian Davies had predicted the match would be decided on penalties.
Brothers had reached the grand final thanks to a 12-8 win over Valleys in the preliminary final, with fullback, Barry Kenning kicking a 50 metre field goal five minutes from full time for Brothers. Kenning went on to become kicking coach at the Brisbane Broncos.
Meanwhile, Valleys club announced they had raised $1,000 for their Miss Australian candidate, Jan Hansen.
.In Sydney, three player were sent off in a Kangaroo tour trial between City and Country.
One dismissal made front page news. It involved Sydney centre, Peter Dimond and his Country rival, John Cootes.
Cootes just happened to be a Catholic priest, so that altercation was manna from heaven for headline writers.
Cootes was on the ground when struck by Dimond, who, at that stage had played 10 Tests for Australia. He never played for his country again, while Cootes went on to play seven Tests, although he was overlooked for the 1967-68 Kangaroo tour of England and France.
Also dismissed were rival forwards, Arthur Beetson (City) and John Armstrong (Country), with Country winning 16-12.
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I am a Brothers fanatic and we had John Gleason 5/8 who went on Tour with the Kangaroo Test team but the zooms broke his jaw. As well as him Barry Dowling was the best 5/8 never to rep his country. He could make defence look like fools trying to tackle him. With short kicking game, brilliant. He would make today’s defence look like boys. Graham Lena was a top 5/8 as well.Wayne Abdy was kept out of Qld team by Col Weiss who came from the country to play lock and 5/8 to give Brothers along with Brian Fitzsimmons, the best striker in Australia they had to pick him from Qld. Col Weiss was reserve for Aust. In the 1970 test against Great Britain. He came on 12 minutes left in first half and easily topped the tackle count.
The crowd was allowed to sit over the fence Milton Rd end.
Jim Murphy was good in play, good at punching Poms. I saw Tommy Bishop and Roger the dodger Millward at their best.
We won first test but lost the second and third. Artie was sent off in second test or third but I would put money on second test.It’s where Arthur got the half a game Artie. Thanks for the work you do. If Tony White hadn’t been killed in a truck accident in 1974 he would have been in Qld and Aust. teams.
He put Ross Strudwick out of the Brisbane side to play the zooms. He along with Geoff Richardson got special mention for the games they played.
I think Brisbane beat Great Britain. Anyway love what you do for Queensland and Brisbane