DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER
WEEK 45 2021
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Former Wallaby hooker, Mark McBain tells RadioTAB’s breakfast program that he suffered at least 20 concussions during his career. He also suffered a fractured skull, after being kicked in the head in France. He gets a bit emotional recalling that nasty incident.
My brother, Jeff and his wife, Ann have a day trip to Murwillumbah from their Tweed Heads’ home. Jeff reminds me he won a banana throwing competition at the annual Tweed Banana Festival, many years ago. He had to lob the banana into a barrel. That wouldn’t be happening now, not with the price of bananas.
Classic Australian comic book character, Ginger Meggs first featured 100 years ago. Ginger is still going; has moved with the times, and is still funny. The comic strip started as ‘Us Fellers’.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
Former Queensland State of Origin forward, Bob Kellaway played union in Toowoomba at the end of his league career. I interview Bob as part of the task set me by the QRL, to write pen pictures on every player to have worn the Maroon of Queensland, since the inaugural Origin match in 1980. The pen pictures will go on-line. Bob lives at Helidon, at the base of the Toowoomba Range. He is working on his motor bikes when I get him. Bob works on oil rigs for most of the year. Souths’ chief executive, Jim McClelland tells me Bob drove the wedding car for he and his wife, Barbara, and stopped for to get three stubbies from the boot, on the way to the reception. Bob played for Brothers and the Ipswich Jets, as well as Souths.
One of my neighbours, Peter Skerman, was a bouncer at the now, long closed, VIP Club in the city. He was paid $10 a night. I wouldn’t tangle with ‘Skermo’ (nickname Stickman), despite his slender build, because he is so strong.
Watch episode of ‘Rugby Town’ on ESPN, a show about American athletes trying to adapt to rugby union. They would be better off trying their hand at league, given it has more similarities to American Football than union.
Learn of the passing of Margaret MacLennan, 85, the sister of my former coach at Murwillumbah Brothers, Peter Smith. Margaret was PE Teacher at Murwillumbah High School, and had resided at Bogangar on the Tweed Coast for many years, with her husband, Allan.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10
Cliff Coyle and I represent Men of League at the Broncos today, to thank the players for signing up as members of the Foundation, an initiative promoted by Broncos’ official, Ben Ikin. Kobe Hetherington, a son of former Australian player, Jason Hetherington, is the first player to greet us, for the photo opportunity. The others are Ethan Quai-Ward and Harrison Graham. Former Townsville media person, Katarina Prosser takes the photos of Cliff and I with the players. Cliff is a talented musician, and his son has a band. Cliff recalls being hired to pay at Wests Leagues Club at Bardon, ‘back in the day’, but no-one turned up. Ron Raper was club manager, and Cliff reckons he forgot to publicise the event. Broncos’ trainer/groundsman/jack-of-all trades, Tony ‘Springer’ Spencer, a former Wests’ player, has moved from Ashgrove to Arana Hills to live. ‘Springer’ regularly catches up with former GPS Rugby Union and Brisbane Wests’ league player, Peter D’Arcy at Moffat Beach, on the Sunshine Coast. Peter, a younger brother of former Wallaby, Tony ‘D’Arcy, has done very well in the real estate game. I also chat to Broncos’ chair, Karl Morris and chief executive, Dave Donaghy. Reg Green, our Brisbane Men of League Committee president, played league for Stafford State Primary School, and one of the schools he played against was Petrie Terrace, where our eldest grandson, Ethan is now a pupil. I think Petrie Terrace would struggle to put together a rugby league side now.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11
The Remembrance Day service from Canberra is a moving ceremony, with Deb O’Toole beautifully singing ‘Flanders Field’ and our National Anthem, while bugler, Aaron Pasfield doesn’t miss a note.
Jeremy Wheaton, my hygienist at Chermside Perio Care, is to enter the teaching profession – at St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane – where my two youngest brothers, Andrew and Stewart were students.
The Shaw’s Bay pub at Ballina has been sold, after 30 years of being in the hands of the same owner. When I think of the pub, the summer of 1972-73 comes to mind, as my parents, Jon and Lola Ricketts, were living just around the corner from the pub, at Shelly Beach. I spent time with them during my holidays, surfing for hours, and then enjoying a Tooths New or two at the Shaw’s Bay.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12
There has been a shooting in Gold Coast suburbia and a resident tells Channel 7: “That’s scary. This stuff normally happens at Caboolture”. Watch SBS show about the London Blitz, and instead of it being a tribute to the residents of London, it finds every negative possible. What a shock.
Former Labour MP, Jim Fouras, a devoted Brisbane Souths Magpies’ rugby league supporter, has died aged 83. I would see Jim at the footy, and I also interviewed him when I was an industrial roundsman for the ‘Telegraph’.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13
There is a horse called ‘Purtell Park’, which is owned by a host of former Wests’ players, among them Rod Bradshaw, Ian Topliss, Bill Whitmore and Mick Reardon. Purtell Park is Wests’ home ground.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14
Ireland beat the All Blacks and England beat the Wallabies. What a time for Northern Hemisphere rugby union. England’s tall fullback, Freddie Steward, is impressive. He plays for Leicester and comes from Norfolk.
The revamped Crown Hotel at Lutwyche is certainly an improvement on the gloomy establishment which preceded it. The sax player is way too loud and two couples behind us are also very loud, and so rough. Famed British chef, Rick Stein says people in the Spanish region of Galicia eat all the pig, except the squeal. It is the same in some regions of France. I had pig’s ears for dinner at a friend’s place in the Aude region of France. ‘Pigs ears!’ you say.
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