VALLEYS’ officials estimated that 10,000 people had come through the gates at their home ground, Neumann Oval, Albion, for a Woolies’ Pre-Season, Brisbane Rugby League match against Wests, and claimed that another two to three thousand spectators could have been accommodated.
The Courier-Mail’s Jack Reardon said the figure of 10,000 was a “conservative estimate”, and gate takings were $400 above the previous record.
It seems hard to believe, given my knowledge of having played at Neumann Oval (in 1976 and ’77) and also having covered many games there. It was a great ground to watch football, but it was small.
I reckon 5,000 would have been more like it. People are inclined to overestimate crowds. I recall attending a First XV Rugby Union match at Nudgee College in Brisbane, and some school ‘old boys’ claimed there were 8,000 there. I have been to English Rugby League games where there were crowds of 8,000, and many people at Nudgee, or indeed, Neumann Oval, would have seen people standing on top of each other and spilling onto the surrounding streets.
No doubt I will stand corrected by some of the followers of this site.
Anyway – Wests beat Valleys 25-15 in that match on February 4, 1973, after the score was 15-all with six minutes remaining. Wests stormed home with tries by Mick Kowal and Rob ‘Yogi’ Thompson. Former Test skipper, John Sattler set-up Kowal’s try, while former Newtown (Sydney) halfback, Peter Foreman showed his class in putting Thompson into a gap.
Valleys’ fullback, Alan Mills stood up magnificently to intense pressure, while Reardon wrote that veteran five eighth, Marty Scanlan had never looked in better form. Big John McCabe plunged up the middle and was great in cover defence. He also had, what Reardon described, as a ‘scuffle’, with Sattler.
Reardon gave the thumbs up to Wests’ Sydney recruit, Steve Williams at five-eighth. (Williams would go on to become a foundation director of the Brisbane Broncos).
Almost faultless goal kicking by fullback, Howard Fullerton helped Easts to a 28-18 win over Souths at Langlands Park. Fullerton landed his first eight attempts from all angles, including one from halfway. He missed his last two shots.
Easts’ star was skipper, Des Morris, with his hard running and clever ball distribution. He set-up the try of the match with a fine run up the middle, before getting a beautifully judged late pass to centre, Bill Phillips, who did the rest.
One of Souths’ stars was former rugby union winger, Peter Moore, who scored two tries through good positioning and dazzling pace. Moore’s first try resulted from a hot backline move, initiated by the elusive centre, Gary Dobrich, a former Queensland fullback, who came to Brisbane from Murwillumbah Brothers. Five-eighth, Graeme Atherton, a product of Lismore Marist Brothers, also had an excellent game.
Another Murwillumbah Brothers’ product, Alan Nunan’s dominance in the second-half scrums helped Norths to a 20-6 win over Redcliffe in the first match of a Lang Park doubleheader. Redcliffe had the early ascendancy when Dan Rodgers convincingly won first-half scrums against Nick Geiger. Geiger scored a try (converted by Ken Berrigan), giving the Devils a 5-3 lead at halftime. Nunan scored a second-half try.
The Courier-Mail’s Lawrie Kavanagh was critical of Redcliffe lock, Ian Thinee.
“Redcliffe were let down badly by their handling,” Kavanagh wrote. “Lock, Ian Thinee was mainly at fault, with his attempts to take the ball at full speed bursts. He hardly held a pass all night.”
Wynnum-Manly defeated Brothers 17-13 in the second game at Lang Park, with Wynnum’s former Canterbury, North Sydney and Tamworth fullback, Peter Inskip displaying plenty of class. Inskip relieved pressure on the Seagulls with skilful line kicks; tackled strongly and kicked four goals from as many shots. Wynnum’s best forwards were Len Brunner and Ken Churchill. Brothers’ second row signing from Parramatta, Paul Bennett was their star.
Meanwhile, Queensland Rugby League officials revealed English club, Leeds were planning an Australian tour, and Leeds managing director, Alf Rutherford had asked for games against Brisbane and Queensland. Leeds had played St Helens in the 1972 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, in front of a crowd of 89,495 and boasted the likes of Alan Smith, Syd Hynes, John Atkinson, Alan Hardisty, Keith Hepworth and Welshman, Tony Fisher, who had all toured Australia and New Zealand with the Ashes winning Great Britain side in 1970. Leeds’ rising star was local boy, John Holmes, who played fullback at Wembley, but would make his name at five-eighth.
Footnote: Neumann Oval is now Allan Border Field, the home of the Queensland Cricket Association. There is no way it could comfortably accommodate 10,000.
About Author
The photograph at the top of the story shows Leeds’ star, John Holmes attacking for Great Britain against Queensland at Lang Park in 1977. That’s Greg Oliphant in the background.
Easts’ centre, Bill Phillips won a Townsville first grade rugby league premiership in 1971, playing for University. His father, Bill Snr., was a prominent footballer on the Atherton Tablelands.
The photograph in the body of the story shows Easts’ skipper, Des Morris unloading a pass under pressure from Wests’ Geoff Richardson at Lang Park.