DIARY UPDATE: WEEK 41 2021

DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER

WEEK 41 2021

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

Toulouse Olympique and Workington earn promotion from the Championship and League One respectively, in Britain/Euro Rugby League. Great news for French Rugby League. Eloi Pelissier, a Toulouse player we met through our eldest son, Damien, is emotional, reflecting on Catalans’ effort in reaching the Super Grand Final, and now Toulouse’s promotion, after their win over Featherstone Rovers from West Yorkshire. Workington, from Cumbria, beat South Yorkshire side, Doncaster, to win promotion from League One. Winger, Brad Holroyd is a prolific try scorer for Workington and has represented England Knights under-19s (an England ‘second team’, effectively) against Serbia. Former Wigan front rower, Cardiff born, Ben Flower has been appointed coach of Llanelli based, ‘West Wales’, in League One.

At Stafford Tavern, bar staff have to wear masks, while patrons are free to go about life as normal.

Watch ‘The Newsreader’, a show set in 1986, and the cast is quite multi-cultural. I don’t think it was the case in 1986, that newsrooms were multi-cultural, but hey, it is an ABC production.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12

Brothers’ stalwart, Graham ‘Bruno’ Brennan reflects on a visit to Western Queensland in 1973, and a match he attended at Cunnamulla. “There were wild scenes, on and off the field,” Brennan says. Bruno’s good mate, Jim Batzloff, was captain-coach of Charleville All Whites, while former Brothers’ star, Nev Harman was playing at Augathella. ‘Bruno’ caught up with ‘The Bat’ (Batzloff) for drinks at Charleville’s famous Hotel Corones.

Learn of the passing of former Brisbane Wests and Tweed Heads Seagulls’ prop, John McDonald. I played against John during his time at Seagulls in the early 1970s, and in more recent times, caught up with him at Men of League Foundation lunches. A lovely fellow, a real gentleman. I also played against John’s brother, Peter in the mid-1970s, when I was contracted to Brisbane Brothers, and Peter played for Wests.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13

David Wright reckons the 1978 Nerang Roosters could have won the Brisbane competition. The Roosters were boosted by an influx of former Brisbane players, most notably a group of disgruntled Brothers’ boys, headed by former Test prop, Wright, but also including State reps., Ian Dauth and Bob Cock; formidable Ayr product, John Short and former Manly-Warringah five eighth, Chris Ryan. Dauth said he had a three-year deal with Brothers, extending to the end of 1978, but president, Frank Dolan tore the contract up in front of him, saying the club could only afford match payments. Wright says Short was unlucky not to play for Queensland. Brothers finished equal fourth under coach, John Lohman in 1977 (when I played reserve grade), but finished second last in ’78, under the coaching of Reg Cannon, who was handed a sadly depleted side. Tugun were one of Nerang’s big rivals in ’78. The story goes that one of Tugun’s best players was notorious for going out and getting on the drink in the build-up to games, so ahead of the big games, Tugun arranged with a sympathetic local police officer to lock up the player for the night, so he was fresh for the game. Surely that can’t be right. A video has been released on that great Nerang side, with former ABC journalist, Max Uechtritz chiefly responsible. Evidently the great Clive Churchill coached the Gold Coast rep. side in ’78. I didn’t return from nine months in Europe until June, 1978, and had a lot of catching up to do on the rugby league front.

Tricia Nagle, a follower of this website, was present at the launch of Rugby League Week, and other magazines from the Australian Consolidated Press stable, one of them ‘Modern Golf’. The Rugby League Week offices boasted what was referred to as ‘The Dungeon Bar, where players would come for a drink on a hot day.

“We’re In the NRL’, says Dolphins’ CEO, Tony Murphy on Linked-in, ahead of a media conference to announce they will be part of the 2023 premiership. Wayne Bennett is immediately linked to the new franchise and is expected to be coach. It wouldn’t surprise me if the NRL insisted that he be coach! It’s hilarious watching Dolphins’ Chairman, Bob Jones looking elated at the Dolphins’ presser.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14

Rugby League ‘Immortal’, Norm ‘Sticks’ Provan has died on the Sunshine Coast, aged 89. Another former great, Bob McCarthy says Norm was the benchmark for forwards in the 1960s, and could easily handle the modern game. A Riverina product, Provan featured in 10 Sydney Grand Finals with St George, four as captain-coach, winning all 10. He played 18 Tests for Australia and 25 times for New South Wales. Also learn of the passing of New Zealand’s oldest International, Ray Cranch, 98. Cranch fought with the New Zealand Armed Forces in Italy during World War II. A product of the Mt Albert club in Auckland, Cranch toured Britain and France with the 1951-52 Kiwis.

Radio 2GB/4BC’s Ray Hadley reminisces of about former Roosters’ forward, Dick Dunn, and the gentleman he was. I concur. I met Dick a number of times at NSWRL Headquarters in Phillip Street, particularly when covering judiciary hearings.

I wasn’t aware (until today, after a chat with the lady herself) that former Brisbane Rugby League chairman, Kevin Brasch’s wife, Tilly grew up in Townsville, and spent a lot of time on the Atherton Tablelands. Tilly and Kevin’s daughter, Jacoba Brasch is ‘The Honourable Justice Brasch from the Federal Court and Family Court of Australia.’ Kevin says former officials, Dick ‘Tosser’ Turner and Kevin Benson deserve much of the credit for the Dolphins’ climb to NRL status. “They seem to have been overlooked in all the ‘hoopla’ surrounding the NRL decision,” Kevin says.

Former Brothers’ winger, Peter Skerman says former Brisbane Easts’ premiership winning forward, the late, Ron ‘Darky’ Lewis, provided goods and materials for light houses in the Torres Strait. ‘Skermo’ managed a pub on Thursday Island. Lewis was raised in Broadmeadow, Newcastle. He married a Stanthorpe girl, and was captain-coach of Stanthorpe in the mid-1970s.

The ‘Tweed Valley Weekly’ runs a story about Murwillumbah Brothers’ Rugby League Club, highlighting familiar names (to me anyway) such as Kevin ‘Smokey’ Dawson, Ted Conlon, Tom Butcher, Peter Smith and Jim Sheridan. The article emphasises the 1961 and 1962 Tweed First Grade Premiership triumphs. My father, Jon Ricketts, was treasurer in 1961. In the same issue of the ‘Tweed Valley Weekly’ there is a story about Murwillumbah Vulcans Australian Rules club. No Aussie Rules in the Tweed back in my time with Brothers. They WERE the good old days.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15

Learn of the passing of former Murwillumbah High School First X1 teammate, Colin Douglas, son of Tweed cricket legend, Bill Douglas. Many good judges reckon Bill should have played Sheffield Shield cricket for either Queensland or New South Wales, but he was happy to stay on the Tweed. Colin’s brother-in-law is Pat Roche, a former teammate of mine at the Brothers’ Rugby League Club in Murwillumbah. Another brother-in-law is Rod Jenkins, who also played in our high school First XI.

Members of London Broncos 1997 side hold a reunion. I understand former Mount Isa lad, Russell Bawden was one of the main organisers. Former Queensland fullback, Errol Stock, who had a stint with Bradford in England, along with fellow Rockhampton boy, Garth Budge, has been named in Rockhampton Norths’ Team of the Century.

Watch movie, ‘Becoming Bond’, about the Australia’s ‘James Bond, George Lazenby – very good.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Charleville is renamed ‘Kurtville’ in honour of local boy, Kurt Capewell, who played second row in Penrith’s 14-12 win over South Sydney in the NRL Grand Final. Capewell, who has signed with Brisbane Broncos for the 2022 season, returns to Charleville this weekend. At my local ‘bottl’o’, the lady behind the counter tells a customer to leave, and not to return until he is wearing a mask.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17

Former Test winger, Johnny King phones ‘Macca’ (Ian McNamara) on the ABC, about Norm Provan, emphasising Norm’s training regime. ‘Macca’ says a blanket was taken around for Norm at Jubilee Oval, Kogarah at his last home game. ‘Macca’, just a child back then, threw in sixpence.

Marie and I drive to Green Mountain to stay at O’Reilly’s Guest House, passing through the village of Canungra, which is clothed in pink, as part of a fund-raising effort for cancer research. As we check in, a call comes through to guest house reception, that someone has been injured, on the West Canungra Circuit. A helicopter is likely required. Marie and I walk the Border Track to just beyond Mount Bithongabel, where we enjoy views of the Tweed Valley, and, according to the map, pass briefly into New South Wales, the first time I have been in my home state since Covid. Marie has been to Lismore on one occasion, for a family matter. State Emergency Service people, ambulance and police officers are everywhere, on our return to the Lodge. We cook steak on a BBQ in one of the picnic areas near the Lodge.

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