FLASHBACK: September 1972

SEPTEMBER 1972

Reports emerged of a Wests Panthers’ player having laid a $500 bet on his side to beat Easts in the 1972 Brisbane Rugby League major semi-final at Lang Park, a match which attracted a crowd of 25,000, a record for a club game, outside the Grand Final. Easts beat the hot favourites 27-18, with the Tigers’ international winger, Jeff Denman (an Ipswich product) scoring two tries, while fullback, Howard Fullerton kicked seven goals from 10 shots.

The Courier-Mail’s Lawrie Kavanagh broke the betting story, 24 hours later, writing that some punters claimed Wests had not tried.

“That’s pretty ridiculous, when you know just how much money we had on ourselves,” one disappointed player told Kavanagh. “One player had half a grand on us. Do you think we wouldn’t be trying for money like that?” (In today’s money, that $500 would be worth about $3,500).

Wests’ coach, Norm Pope said his players were ‘frothing at the mouth’ over criticism of their display.

Kavanagh wrote that in the early 1960s a well-known Brisbane winger bet heavily on is team, up to 200 pounds at a time.

“There has even been substantial money riding on the outcomes of scrums,” Kavanagh wrote. “But in post war years there has never been any evidence of a team running dead.”

Easts’ ruck defence was superb against the formidable Wests’ pack, with Panthers’ State prop, Ray McCarron the only player able to penetrate, his well-timed burst resulting in a try for centre, Eric Robinson in the 11th minute. (McCarron has returned to Brisbane football, after a season as captain-coach of Murwillumbah Brothers). Wests were well in the game, until Easts scored three tries in the first 14 minutes of the second half, to lead 22-5.

Wests’ loss meant they would face Valleys in the preliminary final, while Easts’ progressed straight to the Grand Final.

In the C Grade major semi, Norths’ second rower, Barry Larvin walked from the field during the match, and then fell to the ground,unconscious. Club officials said Larvin did not seem to have been hit or bumped immediately before he left the field. He was admitted to hospital in a critical condition, with his parents flying from Sydney to be by his side. A former Penrith player, Larvin had worked as a journalist for a suburban newspaper group.

The day before the major semi, Redcliffe and Norths played at Lang Park in the Radio 4IP knockout competition, for sides outside the top four. Redcliffe, with Tony Obst, Kerry Nolan and Ian Thinee in great form, thrashed Norths 27-5. Peter Lobegeiger scored a try and kicked the conversion, for Norths.

Brothers St Brendans from Rocklea defeated Souths Sunnybank 15-6 in the Second Division, Open Grade Grand Final, while New South Wales defeated Queensland 13-10 in a Combined High Schools clash.

In other news of the day, Souths cleared top forwards, Greg Veivers and Jim Murphy to play in England during the off-season. Murphy, who played for Australia against New Zealand in 1972, was signed by Cheshire club, Warrington, while State prop, Greg Veivers was going to West Yorkshire club, Huddersfield.

Footnote: I could not find anything to say how Barry Larvin fared during his time in hospital. Easts went on to win the 1972 BRL Grand Final, beating Valleys in the decider, with Jeff Fyfe kicking the decisive field goal in the 16-15 result. I was there in the crowd, along with my Murwillumbah Brothers’ teammates. Ray McCarron has got us tickets, no doubt hoping that Wests would be there on the day.