Marie and Steve Ricketts leave Brisbane on their 2023 adventure
Diary of a Retired Rugby League Writer has skipped ahead 12 months from May, 2022. The ‘gap year’ will be chronicled on my return from Europe.
MONDAY, MAY 8
It is confirmed that Ben Ikin will leave his post as Football Director at the Brisbane Broncos, to become CEO of the Queensland Rugby League, replacing Rohan Sawyer. Rob Moore, a former long serving QRL CEO, has been filling in since Sawyer left in March. Ikin, a former Queensland representative, was previously an independent director on the QRL Board. News Ltd journo., Steve Crawley writes that Dolphins’ coach, Wayne Bennett should be added to the list of ‘Immortals’, and ‘Crawls’ is supported by radio commentator, Ray Hadley. I’m not in favour of extending the ‘Immortals’ concept to coaches. It should be left to those who performed amazing deeds, on the field.
My wife, Marie has a farewell morning tea with her younger sister, Carolyn Soward at the cafe at our Samford Grove Over-55 Village. I have coffee at the Samford Patisserie. A truck and a four-wheel drive, jostle for position, as they emerge from the Main Street roundabout, heading towards Brisbane. The truck crosses lanes, and things could easily have turned nasty. The roundabout is a shocker, and could get worse if a proposed development on the corner, goes ahead.
Marie and I watch lovely Welsh movie, ‘Save the Cinema’. Lead actress, Samantha Morton, reminds me of Kellee Spencer, a member of our Family of League Foundation Brisbane Committee.
TUESDAY, MAY 9
Former Valleys’ centre, Ron Gurnett has a mate in the Kirra Surf Club, whose 16-year-old son has been accepted into a Spanish under-18 soccer academy. Marie has morning tea at ‘Spoke’, in Samford Village, with fellow Samford Grove resident, Carmel Selwood and Camp Mountain resident, Mary Staunton, both ladies ex-Billinudgel. Marie and I watch 1986 movie, ‘Legal Eagles’, starring Robert Redford, Debra Winger and Daryl Hannah.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 10
Matt Brockhurst from Ausmar Homes inspects our Samford Grove Villa, as it is coming up to 12 months since we moved in. He is a devoted Canberra fan, won over to the Raiders’ cause by their amazing extra time win over Balmain in 1989.
Radio SEN broadcast live from Snapper Rocks Surf Challenge, with rugby league stars, Denan Kemp and Cameron Smith interviewing surfie types. Former World champion, Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew is part of FoxSports’ Television commentary team. His father was an agriculture teacher at Murwillumbah High, when I was a student there. The Courier-Mail has a story about a fight between Redcliffe Dolphins’ and Norths Devils’ officials during an under-11s match. The incident is a headline writer’s dream – ‘Hell Breaks Loose at Devils’ Game’. Kristina Childs has been told by family members that her late grandfather, Graham Laird gave rugby league Immortal, Mal Meninga his first pair of football boots, when Mal was kid growing up in Monto/Bundaberg. The Lairds had the soft drink factory at Monto until 1980. I phone Mal, on Kristina’s behalf. He says he played barefoot until he was 11 or 12, wearing bootds for the first time when his family moved to the Sunshine Coast and he signed with Maroochydore. But he says he will check with his mum, to see if she knows about the Laird story.
Farewell drinks with Peter Skerman, Len O’Brien, John Waddington and Jim Gannon at Stafford Tavern. John had been to the UK in January/February and went to the Liverpool v Everton derby. He is a devoted Liverpool fan.
Brisbane Academic, Peter Long is writing a second book – ‘Identity’. His previous book, ‘Steve Hart’, has gone into its third print.
THURSDAY, MAY 11
Today is the big day, the start of our latest Euro adventure. The Singapore Health Declaration card has Maitland spelled – Matiland. Not like them to get things wrong. Our youngest son, Lliam takes us to the airport, where we enjoy one drink in a bar, watching the first half of the Storm v Broncos NRL match. An American chap on our flight has been holidaying at Byron Bay, where he bought local coffee beans. Asks me if it is OK to take it with carry-on luggage. How would I know? He gets the all clear from ground staff. The Yank stayed at Suffolk Park, just to the south of Byron. “I imagine it is like Byron was 40 years ago,” he says.
The movie I watch on the flight is: ‘Operation Fortune’, starring Jason Statham and Hugh Grant. Not bad.
FRIDAY, MAY 12
Flight lands on time in Singapore. Check into Crown Plaza, and have a sleep before exploring amazing Jewel Shopping complex. Lunch at Japanese restaurant. Students from St Gabriel’s Catholic School wander the centre. Fly boutique airline, Bangkok Air to Koh Samui, where we are picked up by our daughter, Melanie Mariotto and her husband, Greg, who live on island. Drinks at The Boardroom Bar, which Greg has a share in. The proprietor, is an Aussie from Sawtell who recalls famous rugby league brothers, Noel and Les Cleal, playing for the local club. There are some real characters frequenting ‘The Boardroom’. Stay overnight at Melanie and Greg’s apartment, which they rent. It is literally just around the corner from ‘The Boardroom’.
SATURDAY, MAY 13
Breakfast at Carnival Beach Resort, followed by a swim. Then we check into Hansar Resort for three nights. It was meant to be the venue of Melanie and Greg’s wedding in 2020, but, of course, Covid ruined things, and I never had the chance to walk my daughter down the aisle. Melanie and Greg were married in a registry office in Brisbane, but the ceremonial aspect was meant to be on Koh Samui. Lunch at Happy Elephant, right on the beach, then to an Irish pub to watch NRL and AFL. From 6 p.m. there will be a 24-hour ban on the sale of alcohol, as national elections are held across Thailand. Just before 6 p.m., a severe looking Pom gets the television switched from the AFL to soccer – Leeds v Newcastle. Leeds score after six minutes and he looks even more severe, given he is a Newcastle fan. Alcohol free, seafood dinner at Two Fishes is superb. We share whole fish – snapper and halibut. The Australian chef/owner has a new site for his restaurant in mind, a place right on the water. The current premises will become a Mexican restaurant.
SUNDAY, MAY 14
Wake to the news, News Limited journalist, Paul Kent has been arrested and charged with assault. Brief swim in sea and in pool. Chat to English couple, Dave and Jane. They are having a weekend on Koh Samui, and will return to Bangkok today, to resume their jobs as teachers at an International School. Dave is originally from Bath, and is a keen supporter of the Somerset County cricket side. A Chelsea soccer fan, he doesn’t follow either rugby code, but recalls the great Wigan Rugby League sides of the 1980s and ’90s, which he says were a class above anything in rugby union. Jane is originally from Birmingham. They now call Devon home.
Queensland Newspapers Bowen Hills’ site is up for sale. No point in keeping it, I suppose, because very few people work there anymore. The complex covers a huge area. I worked there from August, 1975, until October 2012 (minus a nine-month period in 1977-78 when Marie and I were in the UK), and have many fond memories of the place. Some not so fond, but the flashbacks are overwhelmingly positive. Melanie and Greg take us on a tour of Koh Samui – a full lap of the island. We stop at Moonhut for brunch at Angela’s restaurant and bar, where we are joined by Moonhut owner, Al, who we met at The Boardroom. Next stop is a wharf, looking towards the Naval Support Base, and then we have a leg stretch at one of the many Buddhist Temples on the island. Our lunch stop is the Sweet Sisters Cafe where the produce is superb. Melanie buys a jar of mulberries. Watch the sun go down at Foxtrot Bistro, where we are served by a lovely lady from Liverpool. I thought she was Welsh. She said she could understand (just) my confusion. We ordered our drinks at 5.55 p.m., with the alcohol ban lifted at 6 p.m. Back to ‘The Boardroom’, for drinks and a BBQ Burger – excellent choice of Aussie beef. Meet Max (a Ukrainian); Nick (A Pom from Swindon) and another Englishman, Damion, from South London, all interesting characters. Mick, a Scouser, walks by, and says hello as we are leaving.
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