Andrew and Sandy Varley on Ibiza
MONDAY, MAY 23
Leeds United remain in English Premier League, much to the relief of my Yorkshire mate, Andrew Varley, who is the club’s official photographer. “Never in doubt”, Varley says, in a message from Ibiza, where he and wife, Sandy are holidaying. Andrew is also official photographer for Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club.
My wife, Marie pokes a dog with her umbrella, as it races at her, when Marie is walking up Eildon Hill, much to the displeasure of the dog’s female owner. “Keep it on a leash then,” says Marie. Sounds reasonable. Why do dog owners assume that people believe their animal, running a full pace towards you, is friendly?
TUESDAY, MAY 24
Where do they get some of the newsreaders on radio? A lass on 4BC’s Noon bulletin, calls the French city of Lyon – LION.
At Stafford Tavern, the conversation at ‘our table’, is a mix of politics and football. Former Brothers’ Rugby League winger, Peter Skerman recalls the club’s Test forward, Dennis Manteit, trying to drag Wests’ Indigenous halfback, Des Lea into a scrum, as Lea, a product of Bowen (North Queensland), tried to feed the ball. Manteit almost pulled it off. This week is Indigenous Round in the NRL. Lionel Morgan, the first Indigenous man to play rugby league for Australia (in 1960), features in an ‘Indigenous Trail Blazers’ special in ‘The Courier-Mail’.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
‘The Mad Butcher’, Sir Peter Leitch, phones out of the blue, from his house on Waiheke Island, New Zealand. Now 78, he went kayaking yesterday. I have known Peter since the 1980s, when I sent him stories about the Brisbane competition, for the Auckland club competition program, which he published at his own expense. There has been no stronger supporter of league in New Zealand than ‘the butcher’.
Former ABC Sports boss, Alan Marks, phones 2GB’s Ray Hadley about former Test hooker, Royce Simmons, who is doing a long distance charity walk. Marks recalls one of his bush trips, where he saw Simmons play for Cowra against Bathurst Railways. Former International centre, Barry Rushworth, from Lithgow, recommended Simmons to Penrith. Royce went on to captain Penrith to their first premiership win – in 1991. Our daughter, Melanie Mariotto and her husband, Greg stay at our place and we watch the NRL and AFL Footy shows, on FoxSports.
Prop, Matt Lodge plays second grade rugby union for Brisbane Norths against Bond University, at Kalinga, after quitting the New Zealand Warriors, allegedly following an argument with owner, Mark Robinson. I’m sure another NRL club will pick him up.
Labor’s Tanya Plibersek bags Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton’s looks. Imagine if it was the other way round. We wouldn’t hear the end of it for months, on ABC outlets, and in the likes of The Guardian and The Age. Because Dutton is from the conservative side of politics, it will be a non-story after 24 hours.
THURSDAY, MAY 26
FoxSports’ Braith Anasta reminds viewers of the talent of former Canterbury-Bankstown Test centre, Willie Tonga, an Indigenous lad from Queensland, who was ‘identified’ by my former Brothers and Norths’ teammate, Dennis Moore, when he was a scout for Parramatta. Tonga was simply sensational on Australia’s visit to England and France in 2004, a tour I covered for News Ltd. Greg Inglis is Inducted as Melbourne Storm’s greatest Indigenous player.
Musculoskeletal specialist, Paula Nutting, has been to the funeral for a lady, 81, an ex-nurse who wanted to be a hostie. I have an appointment with Paula today.
FRIDAY, MAY 27
Marie and I to Broncos v Gold Coast Titans match at Suncorp Stadium. Our bus driver goes straight through the Normanby stop, despite me having rung the bell. To his credit, he does a U-turn (which I didn’t think possible). One drink at Normanby Pub, where there is a ‘demented’ bloke in the beer garden, swearing and going on like a pork chop. People near us in the stadium are obsessed with the ‘random Souths’ guy’. They even get a selfie with him. (It has become something of a tradition, that there is always at least one person in the crowd at sporting events, wearing a South Sydney jumper). The ‘Welcome to Country’ before the game gets a bit political. Brisbane win 35-24 with Broncos’ forward, Pat Carrigan in top form. Gold Coast led 24-4 at halftime and should have won it from there.
SATURDAY, MAY 28
Bulimba and Valleys provide a high-quality rugby league match at Emerson Park, Grange, while just across Kedron Brook there is also a good crowd for the Aussie rules match between home side, Wilston Grange and Mayne. Catch up with former BRL players, John Tapp and Paul Payne. There is no kicking tee for the resumption of the second half in the NRL match between Cronulla and the Roosters. There is no excuse for that in top level footy. It’s only a little thing, but it reflects badly on the ground manager. Sharks’ legend, Gavin Miller makes a jersey presentation to 198cm debutant, Tom Hazelton, a product of Goulburn Rugby League. Inverell born Miller, played in Goulburn before moving to Sydney.
There is an attendance of around 150 at Padua College Sportsmen’s Night, with Channel 7’s Pat Welsh the MC, interviewing ‘Raging Bull’, Gorden Tallis. I watch some of the London (Rugby) Sevens. The Kenya v Ireland match is a good standard.
SUNDAY, MAY 29
Queenslander, Chris McQueen wins the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match in the English Rugby League Challenge Cup final at Tottenham Hotspurs’ Stadium in London. Wigan defeat Huddersfield 16-14 in a classic game, with McQueen on the losing side. Before the game, there is 20 seconds applause for late British League supremo, Maurice Lindsay. There is no mention of dual Welsh rugby international, Glyn Shaw (ex Widnes), who also died recently. Fortunately the BBC’s David Woods acknowledges Shaw’s passing. Huddersfield last won the Cup in 1953, the year of the Queen’s Coronation. The Wigan boys stop for a drink at a pub, on their way home.
‘Super Coach’, Wayne Bennett – coach of new NRL franchise, the Redcliffe based Dolphins – attends the Macksville v Orara Valley match in Northern New South Wales. “A good standard,’ Wayne says. Greg Inglis was meant to play for Macksville – his home town – but was ruled out through injury.
World famous jockey, Lester Piggott has died, aged 86. It seems he was born to be a jockey, given his great-grandfather won the Derby; his grandfather rode three Grand National winners; his father was a jockey-turned-trainer, and his mother had won the Newmarket Town Plate – at the time England’s only flat race for female jockeys. My late father-in-law, Kevin ‘Pat’ Donnelly loved to tell the story about one of Piggot’s visits to Australia, when a local jockey called him Lester. “It’s Mr Piggott to you,” Lester said. Kevin worked at the Norco Dairy factory in Lismore, after many years supplying the company with milk from his Jersey, dairy farms. We have always tried to support Norco, and now, even more so, because they have thrown their weight behind flood affected residents of Northern New South Wales.
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