Tom Raudonikis in 2020 watching a match at Gibson Park, Stafford
Queenslander, Arthur Beetson was in brilliant touch for New South Wales as they carved out a methodical 16-0 win over the John Sattler led Maroons in the first game of the 1973 inter-state series, at Brisbane’s Lang Park.
New South Wales scored two tries in each half against a Maroons’ side that refused to put up the white flag, with only their high fitness levels and determined last ditch defence stopping the score from blowing out further.
Beetson and another giant forward, Bill Hamilton, were able to draw in three or four defenders and then off-load the ball to eager supports, in particular centre, Bob Fulton. The Blues also were called on to do their share of defence, with debutant second rower, Terry Randall impressing with his workrate.
The Courier-Mail’s Jack Reardon praised the skills of the Blues.
“They all handled the ball in the greasy conditions, as if it was dry,” he wrote. “Beetson has all the handling skills of a back and five eighth, Tom Raudonikis’ clever reverses of play frequently caught out the Queenslanders. Qld skipper, Sattler was one of our hardest triers and did a lot of tough tackling in the middle. So did co-forwards Ron Raper, Greg Veivers, David Wright, John Lang and (Kiwi) Robert Orchard.”
Sattler, who had joined Wests in Brisbane from South Sydney, hit Hanmlton with a shocking late tackle early in the match, felling the tall Sydney policeman like a tree in the forest. How Sattler remained on the field is a mystery. The incident had to be seen by the touch judge, but English referee, Mick Naughton could not be blamed if he missed it, given the ball had travelled through a couple of sets of hands. Hamilton had to be assisted from the field, but returned to have the final laugh, scoring a try after a Raudonikis break.
Naughton spoke to captains, Sattler and Graeme Langlands as things started to get out of hand, with Fulton cautioned for something he did in a tackle on Queensland rival and 1972 World Cup teammate, John Grant.
Reardon rated hakfback, Lee Hutchinson Queensland’s best player.
I attended the match with my Murwillumbah Brothers’ captain-coach, Brian Atherton, who hails from Widnes, and knew Mick Naughton well. Mick, also from Widnes, gained access for Brian and I and two of my Tweed Daily News workmates, Phil Batty and Fred Donaldson, to the post-match function at the Crest Hotel.
The crowd at Lang Park was 27,000. There were two curtain raisers with Brisbane Colts defeating Sydney Second Division 11-9 in the main game, with Brothers’ winger, Ian Dauth scoring all Brisbane’s points through a try and four goals. Gold Coast defeated Queensland Public Service 11-8 in the other match, with Burleigh Bears’ forward, Graham Ambrose scoring Coast’s try while Ian Sharry kicked four goals. The Coast side was selected from Burleigh, Surfers Paradise and the Southport based Tigers, all three clubs playing in the Group 18 competition, which featured my club, Brothers.
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