FEBRUARY 1988
BROTHERS’ president, Frank Dolan assured the Brisbane Broncos their players would be welcome at Cornett Park, during the 1988 Brisbane Rugby League (BRL) club season.
Dolan was forced into damage control, after Brothers’ coach, Greg Holben, a former Queensland State of Origin player, questioned the value of what he described as ‘reject’ Broncos – the players not required for NSWRL First or Reserve Grade duty.
The Broncos, in their inaugural season, had formed affiliations with the 10 BRL clubs. Brothers were a club decimated by player defections following their 1987 BRL Grand Final win over Redcliffe. With the Broncos, Gold Coast Giants and Newcastle Knights entering the NSWRL in 1988, it was inevitable a talent rich club like Brothers would lose players to the expansion sides, AND the established clubs in the ‘Winfield Cup’, with a host of Brothers’ stars signing with St George Dragons.
Even without expansion at the elite level, Brothers would not have been able to keep their stars, because the club was broke.
Broncos’ coach, Wayne Bennett was a former Brothers’ player and coach, and still had a soft spot for the club. The five Broncos allocated to Brothers were Peter Benson, Grant Thorogood, Joe Kilroy, Greg Manthey and Andrew Richards. Kilroy was one of the stars of Brothers’ ’87 Grand Final win.
There was no doubting the quality of the other players, with Benson having played in an Origin trial, while Thorogood had represented Queensland Country. Manthey was a Queensland uder-21 rep., and Richards had played for Australian Schoolboys.
The point Holben was making related as much to the players’ passion for the Brothers’ jersey, as it did to their ability.
“If you aren’t good enough to play first or reserve grade for the Broncos, are you that good?” said Holben, who played in the BRL for Easts and Brothers, after representing Queensland and Australian Colts in rugby union. “It boils me up to think I might have to drop a bloke who has played his heart out for me the week before, just to fit in one of the Broncos. Do the Broncos have the impression the Brisbane competition has gone amateur? There is still money at stake, and only the blokes who train all week, should be picked in first grade. The Broncos will have a spare team left over each week. Why don’t they field it in the Brisbane competition?”
Broncos’ chief executive, John Ribot assured the Brothers’ faithful the five allocated players had respect for ‘The Fighting Irish”.
“I’m at a loss as to why Greg would question the ability of the blokes we have allocated him,” Ribot said.
As Chief Rugby League writer for Brisbane’s ‘Telegraph’, I was able to contact the other nine BRL coaches before we went to press. Six said they had no complaints, about their allocation.
Ipswich coach, Tom Raudonikis and Logan City’s John Barber said they would select a ‘local’ player ahead of a Bronco, if it came to a line ball choice. Holben made it clear his view was strictly personal, and he would adhere to any club directive.
Meanwhile, the Gold Coast Giants held their official season launch, with the guest list including Gold Coast Mayor, Dennis Pie; Tweed Shire Chairman, Max Boyd and Member for South Coast, Russ Hinze.
One of the Giants’ signings was forward, Brad Rushton, who was Man of the Match in Townsville’s 30-26 win over Cairns in the 1987 Foley Shield Grand Final, in Townsville. (Townsville’s captain-coach was former Test lock, Rod Reddy).
“I used to play league at Warwick (on the Southern Darling Downs) with Wayne Bennett’s brother, Bob, and I had some talks in Brisbane about a possible contract,” Rushton told me. Rushton had represented North Queensland in the 1987 State League. Former Test forward, Bob McCarthy had been appointed Giants’ coach. Former Test fullback, Allan McMahon was coach of the other expansion club, Newcastle.
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