DIARY UPDATE: WEEK 37 2021

DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER

WEEK 37 2021

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

At Townsville’s Commonwealth Hotel, a Peter Fitzsimons’ look-a-like proves just as much a know-all – sorry, fountain of knowledge – as the man himself, when he provides the correct answer to a question from a quiz show on the television in the public bar. The question? Who was Australia’s oldest Prime Minister, at the time of his appointment? Answer: Sir John McEwan. Well done, old mate. Another question: Who won the Olympic Marathon in Rome in 1960? Answer? Abebe Bikila from Ethiopia. I asked another drinker that one, and he said Ron Clarke. Reason I asked that obscure question was the fact I had read something about Bikila that morning. My wife, Marie and I are in Townsville, ahead of our return flight to Brisbane, after spending time with our eldest son, Damien and his wife Emma, and daughters, Parker and Evan, at Ayr, to the south. I dropped off our hire car at Meteor, Townsville and was driven back to our accommodation by a Wellington born, Palmerston North born Kiwi, who has never been to the South Island. He lived in Sydney (Guildford and Glebe) before a trip north to the Daintree 25 years ago. He got as far as Townsville, and stayed.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Ferry from Townsville to Magnetic Island, then a bus to Picnic Bay, where we dine at the pub. Another Bus to Arcadia, and where we walk to the point jutting out into Geoffrey Bay, where there are lots of rock wallabies, many of them looking inbred. Four Spanish lasses paddle by, above the snorkel trail, telling us they saw a shark and a stingray. Two drinks at Arcadia Tavern, where curlews rule. At Nelly Bay, we watch the yachties – people from vessels like Moana (Hervey Bay), Big Time Operator (Geelong) and Capricornia. Smoke from the Burdekin Valley cane fires can be seen, as our ferry returns to Townsville, where there is a school formal at the Entertainment Centre. Police are quizzing male youths outside Reef HQ Aquarium. There is a house at the Townsville suburb of Belgian Gardens, which displays a sign reading ‘Lock Up Crims, Not Our Houses’.

Former Scotland Rugby Union and Great Britain rugby league forward, Charlie Renilson turns 83. I worked with Charlie’s son, Simon (a photographer) at News Ltd.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Half hour wait, for maxi cab to take us to airport, and the vehicle is filthy. Female driver from Adelaide has no idea about big weekend coming up in Townsville, when the Springboks play the All Blacks. If it’s not AFL, Adelaide people don’t want to know. Qantas check-in lass is abrupt. Likewise, the security guy. In the lounge, two chaps near us, one Irish, talk ever so loudly. The Aussie talks about ‘glory days’ at Cunnamulla, and about some bloke who has made his name in Botswana. There is a Townsville Blackhawks’ Rugby League official on our flight, which goes over Samford, our future home.

Former West Indian pace bowler, Michael Holding retires as a cricket commentator. He will be missed. His laid-back style is a joy.  I covered the 1984 Test at the Gabba when Holding took 6/21 in the first innings.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Former Queensland batsman, Andrew Courtice once heard about his axing from the side through the now defunct afternoon newspaper, the ‘Telegraph’. It may have been one of my stories, and, if so, it was likely ‘leaked’ by chairman of selectors, Ernie Toovey. These days, they text blokes to tell them they have been dumped. I don’t think they bothered in the old days. The team was announced, and if your name was there, good luck. If not – stiff bikkies.

Our youngest son, Lliam secures 12 seats for the NRL Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium, plus a two-hour food and drink package in a private area at nearby Newstead Brewery. He booked with Craig Brown from NRL Experience.

Learn of the passing of Queensland tourism icon, Jim Kennedy, who sponsored our Queensland Journalists Rugby League side in the late seventies, thanks to Telegraph photographer, Brian Church, who was good mates with Jim.

The first patches of purple appear on Jacaranda trees.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Seagulls’ legends, Paul Green, Gene Miles, Craig Greenhill, Chris McKenna, Luke Dalziel-Don, Graham Curtis, Earl Morgan (son of Lionel), Ken Churchill and Paul Green’s dad, Ned, are my interview subjects at Wynnum-Manly’s 70th anniversary lunch at their leagues club. Former Channel 9 sports presenter, Chris Bombolas, is MC. Colin Scott is a late scratching. Paul Green talks about coach, John Lang’s curfews on the Australian Super League Team’s tour of England in 1997. ‘Greeny’ and several teammates reckoned that as long as Andrew Ettingshausen was still out enjoying a drink, they were ok too, because ‘ET’ could do no wrong. Craig Greenhill played at Cronulla with Green and ‘ET’, but also had stints with Hull and Castleford in England, where not all games were televised, unlike in Australia. “You always had more cuts and bruises after a non-TV game,” Greenhill said. (Not as many camera angles to catch people out). Wynnum Colts’ coach, former Canberra Raiders’ and Wigan star, Michael Dobson sells raffle tickets. After the lunch, I provide a lift for a member of the audience, Glen Downie, all the way to Valleys Football Club at Grange. From there, he bravely walked to the Stafford Tavern for a couple more cleansing ales.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Sky Sports Rugby League commentator, Jon Wells reckons Richie Myler is the best signing in the last 10 years for Leeds Rhinos. Tom ‘Turbo’ Trbojevic wins the inaugural Bob Fulton Award as Radio 2GB/4BC’s Player of the Year. David ‘Thirsty’ Morrow, ex ABC, now 2GB, has been on radio for 50 years. He started with 2KM in Kempsey. ‘Thirsty’ mentions that one of his good mates is Dubbo legend, Tony Kelly from the CYMS Rugby League club. David says Dubbo Council, of which Kelly was G-M at one stage, was known as ‘The Vatican’ many years ago, because you had to be a Catholic to get a job. Makes a change from having to be a Mason. Only joking.

Parramatta are so brave in their 8-6 loss to Penrith in a NRL sudden death semi-final. The difference proved to be a Nathan Cleary penalty goal just before halftime. Coach, Brad Arthur is not happy with some of the Bunker’s rulings. Referee, Ashley Klein was at the centre of a storm for the number of stoppages he called, some of them because Penrith trainers yelled for play to stop, in one case, before an initial assessment of the player had been made. One trainer was banned for the rest of the season, and Penrith fined $25,000. One of my pet hates in rugby league is the voluntary tackle, which now seems to be OK by our referees. In 1967, Toowoomba escaped with a 14-all in a Bulimba Cup match against Ipswich, after Ipswich fullback, John Nutley was penalised by referee, Henry Albert for a voluntary tackle. Toowoomba skipper, Barry Teys kicked the goal from 35 metres out.

It is refreshing to see the whole team – in this case the Wallabies – singing the national anthem before a Test match. Channel 9 commentator, former dual rugby international, Sonny Bill Williams says the two rugby codes are a way out of poverty for Polynesians. I hope a good education is seen as a better big picture solution for the Polynesian community, rather than a rugby career.

My former Brisbane Brothers’ rugby league teammate, Graham Herlihy has been appointed defence coach at Brisbane Souths Rugby Union. The attack coach is former Wallaby, Chris Latham, while Todd Dammers, a former Nudgee College coach, is THE coach.

Charleville Regional Manager of ATSILS (Aboriginal Torres Strait Islanders Legal Service), Laurie Parker helps out with commentary duties at the under-11s, Mulga Cup Rugby League Carnival in the western Queensland town.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

My wife attends Bush Care at Grange Forest, along with 34 other volunteers. No morning tea, because of Covid. Marie and I have afternoon drinks at Happy Valley Brewery, Stafford, where no-one seems to worry too much about wearing masks.

Widnes, the English rugby league club I support, finish the year with a 26-16 win at Swinton in the Championship, the division below Super League. London Broncos continue to battle on, which is great to see. There are good stories from the club, such as Rob Oakley, having graduated to the London Academy from the Eastern Rhinos Club in Colchester. There are many other clubs outside league’s traditional northern heartland, including Medway (Kent) and Brixton (London). One of the great supporters of rugby league in the English capital was ‘Chariots of Fire’ author, the late Colin Welland.

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