AUGUST 1977
Queensland lock, John Ribot scored four tries in Valleys’ crushing 42-15 win over Norths at Lang Park, the result keeping alive the Diehards’ feint hopes of qualifying for the 1977 Brisbane Rugby League finals.
While Ribot was turning heads with his try scoring feats, it was Valleys’ skipper, Ross Strudwick who caught the eye of The Courier-Mail’s chief league writer, Jack Reardon, a former Australian centre.
“‘Struddy’ was my man of the match, a player whose skill opened up so many scoring opportunities,” Reardon wrote. “‘Struddy’ also landed seven goals and a field goal for a personal tall of 15 points. Valleys played well, but were flattered by some very shaky Norths’ defence.”
Strudwick, who represented Australia in 1975, was in his fifth season with Valleys, and, with his wife, Narelle, was running ‘Strudwick’s Sportsworld’ at Sunnybank.
Brothers moved into equal third on the premiership ladder with a 13-12 win over premiers, Wests at Corbett park, Grange. Wests scored two tries to one, the difference coming from the boot of Brothers’ winger, Ian Dauth, who kicked five goals from seven shots.
Lightweight centre, Paul Beauchamp’s defence for Brothers’ was first class, with his copybook tackling bringing down much bigger opponents, back in the day when low tackles were made by the first man in.
Brothers scored the first try in the 58th minute when former Test prop, David Wright and tall backrower, Bob Cock combined to send speedy lock, Greg Thomas over in the corner, with Dauth converting. That gave Brothers an 11-2 lead. Wests hit back two minutes later, with prop, Pat Kelly setting up Norm Carr for a try, with former Test winger, Wayne Stewart converting. Peter Kelly was the other try scorer for the Panthers.
Centre, Peter Leis scored the only try when Redcliffe defeated Easts 7-2 at Redcliffe Showgrounds, with Redcliffe skipper, Ian ‘Bunny’ Pearce in outstanding form. Easts’ hooker, Johnny Lang, on the comeback trail from injury, had his best game of the season.
Redcliffe were missing star fullback, Tony Obst, who had been banned for three weeks for a high shot on Brothers’ Test centre, Mark Thomas. Redcliffe advocate, Martin Frost, argued Obst had aimed at the ball, but the judiciary took little notice, given they had a front page photograph from ‘The Courier-Mail’ which showed direct contact with the head.
In the Saturday Lang Park match, Wynnum-Manly kept alive their finals’ hopes, with a 20-17 win over Souths Magpies. Wynnum five eighth, Jim Frederiksen and Souths’ fullback, Mitch Brennan scored two tries each in an entertaining clash. Prop, Rod McDougall and hooker, John Dowling were the best of the Wynnum forwards, while Darryl Van de Velde showed some deft touches for the Magpies.
Souths’ skipper, Greg Veivers played, after the BRL judiciary found him not guilty of a late tackle charge from the preceding week’s match against Norths. Veivers, who had captained Australia earlier in the year, said he was ‘many yards away’ from the incident, reported by a touch judge.
“I am unhappy about that incident,” Veivers said. “And also unhappy about Brisbane Referees generally, this season. I think they are very inconsistent and not helping the game at all.”
Some things never change.
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Steve do you remember Donney Lind who played for Valleys in the Sixtys do you know when he retired