BOOK REVIEWS

‘BOWIE’ by Murray Barnett

There should have been a book written about Kerry Boustead back in the 1990s, at the end of his marvellous football career, and following his role in the establishment of the North Queensland Cowboys.

But, better late than never.

Murray Barnett from ‘The Creative Writer’, has spent three years interviewing Kerry, family members, friends, teammates, rivals and ‘journos’, such as yours truly.

The result is ‘Bowie’, with the former Test winger’s favourite photo on the cover – a shot of him eluding French Halfback, Ivan Greseque at the SCG in the First Test of the 1981 series, which was also Wally Lewis’s debut for Australia.

Kerry played 25 Tests for his country; toured Britain and France with the 1978 and ’82 ‘Roos; played nine times for Queensland (six at Origin level) and six times for New South Wales, as well as representing Oceania against Europe in 1984. At club level he played for Innisfail; Sydney Easts, Manly-Warringah and North Sydney, as well as Hull Kingston Rovers in England.

I was particularly interested in what Kerry had to say about the 1982 Kangaroo tour of Britain and France, given I covered the British leg for the now defunct Brisbane ‘Telegraph’ newspaper.

Boustead revealed that he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to go on the tour, given coach, Frank Stanton’s spartan like approach to fitness. Boustead, who had experienced Stanton’s gruelling regime on the 1978 Kangaroo tour, feared things might even be worse this time, as Stanton looked to avenge the 2-0 series loss to France. There also was the foul weather often associated with autumn and early winter in the northern hemisphere, and the fact Boustead had recently married.

There was never any doubt Boustead would be selected, and when his name was read out, he was ready to do his duty. He played in the first ever Test against Papua New Guinea – in Port Moresby – with the other half of the touring party playing against Western Australia in Perth.

When the two groups united for the flight to Manchester, some of the old stagers were shocked to learn that the supply of alcohol on the aircraft would be restricted, as a result of attempts at breaking drinking records on the 1978 trip. Rookie tourist, Wayne ‘Junior’ Pearce became the poster boy for fitness, his example prompting others to lift their game, on the field, and in the gym, although his efforts did not have a major impact on Wally Lewis, who fell behind in the fitness stakes, giving Stanton the excuse he needed to drop him for Brett Kenny. Boustead said he was not surprised when Wally failed to make the First Test side.

Boustead’s ‘roomie’ on the 1982 trip was Riverina product, Greg Brentnall from Canterbury-Bankstown, who was a gentlemanly type with a professional attitude to fitness. In 1978, Boustead had shared a room with another Canterbury lad, Forbes’ boy, Chris Anderson, who loved a late night and hi-jinx.

Early in the tour, Stanton called a meeting, where he emphasised there would not be the heavy drinking of 1978, and rammed home the importance of a healthy diet. Greasy fish and chips were to be a rarity.

Despite Stanton’s hard-line approach, there were plenty of hi-jinks, with fire crackers let off in team hotels, once or twice in lifts!! The Emergency Services had to be called several times. I can vouch for that, as I had to trudge down the fire escape to the cold street below, at last three times, as fire alarms sounded.

In one of the craziest examples of ‘Tom Foolery’, Eric ‘Guru’ Grothe put a firecracker on the end of Mark Murray’s bed, setting the sheets on fire. ‘Muppet’ (Murray) put the sheers in the bath tub, but the smoke set off the alarms.

After winning the First Test in Hull, the players had a night on the town, and Boustead and skipper, Krilich had a verbal stoush in a back alley, with Krilich calling Boustead a little prick and vowing to ‘take him out.” Krilich ran at Boustead, who drove his shoulder into Krilich’s stomach, stood up and flipped his skipper over the top of him. Krilich landed flat on his back and was so slow to get to his feet, Boustead thought he may have seriously injured him. No more verbal stoushes.

In France, the Australians did their best to stay on side of the referees, even to the extent of turning the other cheek when they were on the receiving end of violent acts from opponents. But with 10 minutes to go in the Second Test, and the result beyond doubt, Stanton gave the signal to square up, which the players, led by Craig Young, were only too willing to do.

When the French realised what was happening, they kicked the ball back to the Australians, who yelled for Brentnall to kick it straight back. So the Test finished with kicking duels.

Ian Schubert, who had toured Britain and France with Australia’s World Cup squad in 1975, and then with the Kangaroos in 1978, was self appointed captain of the Emus, the ‘second stringers’, who mainly played the mid-week games against club, county or provincial sides.

I don’t think it was a role that Schubert relished, as he wanted to be in the top sides, after also failing to play a Test on the ’78 tour.

My former Courier-Mail colleague, Robert ‘Crash’ Craddock published something of a review of Murray Barnett’s book, describing it as “a compelling tale”.

The book is available at: the-creativewriter.com.au/bowie

Two other people of my acquaintance have also released books in recent times.

Former ABC Sports commentator, Gerry Collins, like me a ‘member’ of the Media Wall of Fame at Suncorp Stadium, has written of his time in France as a mature aged university student, while former Uni lecturer, Peter Long has written a novel about Ned Kelly Gang member, Steve Hart.

A FORTUITOUS FORAY INTO FRANCE

by Gerry Collins

Gerry, a Newcastle boy raised on both rugby codes, took up an international university exchange opportunity at the age of 63, in the French Atlantic port of La Rochelle.

Collins details his adventures in La Rochelle, where he became immersed in the local history, and found himself swapping roles from being a sports broadcaster to a sports fan, following La Rochelle’s Rugby Union side in Division 2, where they came up against the likes of Carcassonne and Albi, two cities which also boast rugby league clubs. Gerry covered overseas league and union tours for the ABC, and played both codes in Newcastle, and rugby union in Canberra.

His book is published by Brolga, and distributed by Simon and Schuster.

STEVE HART: The Last Kelly Standing

A novel by Peter Long.

The Kelly Gang reign was believed to have come to a bloody end following a gunfight at the Glenrowan Inn in Victoria in 1880, but rumours emerged that Dan Kelly and Steve Hart had been whisked out of the district by family and supporters, and, over time many legends emerged about their adventures.

Former University lecture, Peter Long has written a novel, based on Hart’s escapades.

I met Peter on a European river cruise in 2019, and we have kept in touch, usually catching up at Norths Leagues, Bishop Park, where he is a member. He has a great sense of humour, as well as a love of history, so you can be assured the book is a good read.

The Steve Hart book is published by Hawkeye Books.