DIARY UPDATE: Week 5, 2022

DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER

WEEK 5 2022

MONDAY, JANUARY 31

There is controversy over the naming of the stands at the new football stadium in Sydney. It seems most people love the fact Ron Coote (rugby league), Sir Nicholas Shehadie (rugby union) and Johnny Warren (soccer) will be honoured. But the other stand could be named after the former British Army Garrison based in the area. News Limited’s Phil Rothfield goes to bat for ‘The Arthur Beetson Stand.

Sweden win men’s Euro Handball title. I didn’t realise team handball was so big in Europe, until I covered the Queensland Residents Tour of France in 1989 and saw how much space, national sports daily, L’equipe devoted to the sport.

Former ABC commentator, Arthur Denovan has his Wavell Heights home up for sale. I think Arthur is now in his 90s, and has lived at Wavell for most of his life.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Peter Winterbourne (ex-Zillmere) has a long standing mechanical business at Newmarket. Now resident at Boondall, he expects to hand down his business to his son, Jimmy, in the not too distant future. Peter’s daughter is a doctor, and is married to a doctor. They work in Sydney, after previously having resided on the Gold Coast. Peter, now 70, was a Balmain Tigers’ rugby league supporter, but now goes for the North Queensland Cowboys. He would swim at the Dawn Fraser Baths in Sydney, when down there for holidays. “I would genuflect outside Dawn’s house,” he says. Legendary swimmer, Dawn is a great supporter of the Tigers.

A tattooed woman at Stafford Tavern, fronts the bar without her mask, and is not pulled into line by the staff. (Masks still required under Covid regulations). Former Brothers’ winger, Peter Skerman tells amazing story about a bloke on a Kangaroo Rugby League Supporters’ tour, back in the 1980s. “This bloke turned up at the airport with nothing, just the clothes he wore. One day he came down for breakfast, wearing his roommate’s clothes.”

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Former Everton High School student, Glenn Wheatley has died. Wheatley was one of the greats of the Australian music industry, a member of 1960s/70s band, ‘The Master’s Apprentices’, and then a legendary manager of the likes of John Farnham and Delta Goodrem.

The sale of our town house is official, so Marie and I crack open a bottle of Padthaway Postmistress to celebrate.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Brisbane Broncos announce the passing of former chairman, Don Nissan. He was chairman from 2001 to 2004, the period when coach, Wayne Bennett refused to be interviewed by me, over stories I had written about Justin Hodges’ defection to the Roosters. Don was on the Broncos ‘ board from 1999 to 2006. I always got along well with him, and I think he had sympathy for my plight, but didn’t use whatever influence he had, to change Bennett’s mind (about his ban on me), or if he did, it had no effect. The ban was lifted in 2004, at the intervention of Australian Rugby League boss, Geoff Carr ahead of the Kangaroos Tri-Nations tour to New Zealand, England and France. I was to cover the tour for News Ltd.

South East Queensland character, ‘Cuzzie Bro’ – as he likes to call himself – appears to have defected from Radio TAB to the new kids on the block, SEN. ‘Cuzzie’ loves to air his thoughts, usually about matters New Zealand, and, in particular, the All Blacks. Dover’s Rugby Union Club has been hard hit by floods, and Covid. I went to a match at their grounds, in 1982, with former player, Paul Dobson, a mate of mine. On that day, Dover played Isle of Thanet, whose halfback had played rep. footy, and looked smart. Otherwise, the standard was poor. One thing that stood out, was the way the ball runners were so upright – just asking to be smashed – but no-one, on either side, knew how to deliver a big hit.

There is a ‘Survivor’ (television series) poster in the Queen Street Mall, featuring former Australian rugby league forward, Mick Crocker, who has been brave (or is it stupid) enough to be part of the reality show.

Today’s earworm – Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 4

Marie watches part of the (boring) Winter Olympics opening ceremony from China.  The blokes in ‘The Front Bar’ TV talk show are quite funny, giving their spin on the Games.

Kate Middleton has replaced Harry as patron of the Rugby Football League and the Rugby Union. William is patron of Welsh Rugby Union. Former Great Britain rugby league star, Leon Pryce has a gig with Premier Sports, which has bought the rights to second tier rugby league in the UK. BEIN Sport will show Catalans Dragons’ games in France.

Marie and I enjoy drinks at the Crown Hotel, Lutwyche, where the manageress is running around like a blue arse fly. No-one seems too concerned about mask wearing, so when the string on my mask snaps, I am not too concerned.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5

“I’m not surprised. It spreads like wildfire in the UK and US,” says a jogger, to his running mate, on the path which divides our estate. Both men have English accents. No idea what they are talking about – possibly Covid, or maybe just gossip.

Fellow Queensland Rugby League History Committee member, Greg Shannon is MC at Tully Tigers’ season launch. Attendees include local businessman former Sydney Wests, Illawarra, Warrington (England) and Cowboys’ forward, Craig Teitzel; former Redcliffe winger, turned MP, Shane Knuth and former Cowboy, Peter Jones, a product of the Tigers.

Scottish friend, Elliot Gibson attends the Scotland v England Six Nations Rugby match at Murrayfield. There are three Hawick lads in Scotland’s line-up, and they help deliver a famous victory. Elliot is a born and bred Hawick man and a proud supporter of the town’s rugby club. Former Great Britain Rugby League skipper, Dave Valentine was a product of Hawick RU. 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6

New Zealand win their first Winter Olympics Gold. Given the quality of the ski-fields ‘across the ditch’, I thought they would have won a Gold years ago.

1948 movie ‘Brighton Rock’ features subliminal advertising – Tamplin’s Beer and Bovril, the biggest examples. There are reports of gang violence at junior representative rugby league matches in the Greater Sydney  Metropolitan area. Just what the codes needs.

Ireland have now won nine Rugby Tests in a row, with former Great Britain Rugby League skipper, Andy Farrell as coach. The ABC’s Ian ‘Macca’ McNamara says he played rugby league for University of New South Wales, in the South Sydney District competition.

It is the Centenary of the erection of the World War 1 Cenotaph, in Brisbane.

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