A game in the mud at Knox Park, Murwillumbah. Robin Smith (Souths) about to be tackled by Gary Bowen (Brothers). Gerald Chadburn is the supporting Souths’ player, while Owen Maye, Noel Holmes and Steve Ricketts are the cover defenders
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Knox Park, Murwillumbah was a mud-heap for a Group 18/Gold Coast Rugby League game between Brothers and visiting side, Cudgen, in 1972. Both clubs had dark jerseys (Brothers, blue; Cudgen, green) with gold vs. At the end of the game, I could not tell players apart, as we were caked in mud, from head to toe. As the Brothers’ boys sat down, against the wooden grandstand, enjoying a beer, we wondered whether a Cudgen player had infiltrated our ranks, to grab one of our tinnies. These days, it seems sporting events are called after a shower. My former Brothers’ captain-coach, Brian Atherton – who lives at Taree – can’t believe that a local (Group 3) semi-final has been called off because of a heavy ground. “It rained for three months after I moved here from Murwillumbah, in 1974, and we didn’t miss a game,” Brian says. “We played in mud every week.” Brian didn’t mind. He was used to heavy grounds, coming from Widnes in England’s north. He laments the way things are going on the rugby league front in Taree. “There’s no danger of getting into an argument in the Group 3 Leagues Club,” he says. “There’s never anyone there.”
Former Test wicketkeeper, Ian Healy absolutely gives it to Australian Cricket for their lack of promotion in Townsville, around the Test match against Zimbabwe.
News Ltd’s sports Guru, Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield writes that some Manly-Warringah players are not on speaking terms with skipper, Daly Cherry-Evans. Could it be that Daly is too bright and articulate, for the teammates in question?
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
“Seventy years young”. That’s the message from our eldest son, Damien, as I wake to my eighth decade. A caller to Radio SEN’s morning show asks about former Test halfback, Barry Muir leading the Wests Panthers’ side from the field at Lang Park, during a 1968 Brisbane Premiership match. SEN host, Pat Welsh, says “Steve Ricketts would know the details”. The details are: On May 19, Barry Muir led his side from the field after referee, Rick Pollack had marched him for back chat. Pollack was left with no choice but to abandon the match. Valleys were awarded the two competition points on forfeit.
Our youngest son, Lliam and his boys, Ethan and Connor visit for birthday dinner of roast chicken. Our daughter, Melanie sends birthday wishes from Koh Samui, and our eldest son, Damien, from Ayr, in North Queensland. Lovely to also get birthday greetings from other family members; lifelong Lismore mate, Doug Kaden; former Murwillumbah High classmates, Andrew Clarke and Tom Tartan and English friends, John and Glenda Tapp, from Devon. I was born in Lismore Base Hospital, weighing in at 9lbs something. My mother, Lola (nee Kelly) was a graduate of St Mary’s, Lismore, while my father, Jon, went to Woodlawn College, just outside the city. I was their first born. Dad was working at PDS (Producers’ District Society Co-operative), South Lismore at the time, as a driver/labourer; and Mum had worked at McDermott’s Department Store, in Woodlark Street, in the office.
The AFL have stitched up an enormous television deal, with Channel 7 and FoxSports. Any wonder News Ltd have had so many AFL promotional shots in their newspapers. There are no rugby union promotional shots, because the rugger boys have gone to the Channel 9 affiliate, Stan.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
Scaffolding comes down on building site across the road from us, at Samford Grove. I have my first swim in the Samford Grove indoor pool, since we moved in, back in June. Read some of former Labor Party Minister of Industrial Relations, Clyde Cameron’s Diaries, while enjoying coffee and cake in the Library. Cameron, one of the architects of Labor’s march to power, said Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam only won the 1972 Federal Election because the Liberals’ Billy McMahon was so hopeless. An ‘Angry Ant’ Tree Services truck goes by on Samford Road. I immediately think of former Queensland State of Origin halfback, the late Ross Henrick, who was known as ‘Angry Ant’.
Queensland Rugby League Officer Manager, Rebecca Trimble is finishing up, after many years of wonderful service. There are tributes to Bec from the likes of prominent league identities, David Maiden, Rob Crow and Scott Nosworthy. Suns’ AFL Chair, Tony Cochrane, says there are 22 new ovals on the Gold Coast, but another 25 are needed, because of the rise in participation numbers in Australian rules.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
Sydney’s Mossman Daily has a front page story – written by Jon Geddes – about fresh hope for North Sydney Bears’ readmission to the NRL. Jon, a former Sydney Telegraph sports reporter, is a devoted Norths’ fan, and was once allowed to sit on the bench – dressed, ready for action – with the players, for a home match. North Sydney won their first Premiership in 1922, and backed it up with another win in 1923. They did not win another elite level premiership. Londoner, Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 36, signs for a further 12 months with St Helens. A soccer goal keeper at a school at Blackheath, he didn’t know anything about rugby league until he was 15, when a teacher recommended he give the game a go. He signed with Greenwich Admirals, and then was included in the London Broncos’ youth system.
Colonial Brewing has finally caved in to the PC Brigade, who take offence to the name ‘Colonial’. The brewery will be known as something else, something inoffensive, something bland, no doubt, unlike the beer. Australia was made up of colonies. That is an integral part of our history, and ‘colonial’ is not a dirty word. The Bowland Brewery in England has a beer called ‘Pheasant Plucker’.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
Wake to news ‘The Queen’ has died. I don’t think it was the shock of the impending brewery name change. I heard the news, via Pat Welsh on RadioSEN. Watch BBC TV coverage. Our English friend, Maggie Dobson, from Dover, reckons ‘The Queen’ didn’t get over the loss of her husband, Phillip. “We have had the Queen all our lives. It will seem strange to refer to ‘The King’ now,” Maggie says. ‘The Queen’ was Patroness of Rugby League in Australia at one stage, and attended a Balmain v South Sydney match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1970.
Fellow Samford Grove resident, Keith Hall laments the poor diction of commentators/announcers on radio and television. It is one of my gripes as well. Keith is a former Army officer.
Learn of the passing of former Newtown (Sydney) and New South Wales’ centre, Bobby Keyes, who formed a great partnership with Brian ‘Chicka’ Moore, a 1967-68 Kangaroo tourist. ‘Crow’ Conlon contacts me, chasing information about the Natives Rugby League Club, which contested the 1912 and 1913 QRL/Brisbane premierships. I was able to help him, thanks to Steve Haddan’s excellent book, ‘Our Game’.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Spectators throw objects onto the field after Catalan Dragons’ loss to Leeds, in a rugby league match in Perpignan. It was a bloody tough contest, but there is no excuse for that.
Samford State Schools’ 150th anniversary fete is bigger than Ben Hur. I talk to people at Colonial History Stand, and they are disappointed, but not surprised when I mention the pressure on the Colonial Brewing Company. A motor cycle cop randomly pulls over drivers on Mt Glorious Road, for breath tests.
When I turn on the television in the Samford Grove Gym, it is on the AFL channel. We can’t have that. Quick as a flash, I have the NRL finals showing. North Queensland Cowboys defeat Cronulla in extra time, thanks to a Valentine Holmes field goal. Tom Gilbert, who will play for the Dolphins in 2023, is so good for the Cows. My mate, Dennis Moore’s Maroochydore Swans claim the Sunshine Coast premiership, with a win over Beerwah in the Grand Final. It is the club’s 50th year and Dennis was also coach in the club’s 25th year.
Today is the last day of comics in The Courier-Mail. No more Ginger Meggs. There needs to be an inquiry.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
ABC Radio has a live, outdoor event at Coraki, on the Richmond River, with Ian ‘Macca’ McNamara the host. A caller – from Melbourne, I suppose – phones to say, that when he thinks of Richmond, he thinks of the Tigers. Coraki was one of the river towns devastated by the February floods. A dairy farmer from Codrington, on the Casino-Coraki Road, phones with a more intelligent contribution than our AFL man. A lady in the crowd – from Brisbane – was raised on a dairy farm at Tomki, near Casino. There is also a bloke from Samford, who had an automotive business in Queensland, which was wiped out by the 2011 floods.
Marie and I attend Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Samford, and neither of us recognise the hymns, some of which seem to have messages about the environment. Our eldest son, Damien and his wife, Emma, along with good mate, Blake Loudon, contest the Mooloolaba Half-Tri.
There has been a big surge in hits on my Captain Cook Bi-Centary story on this site, since the Queen’s passing. As school captain, I represented Murwillumbah High at the celebrations, and got to meet ‘The Queen’. There is a report that Shamrock Rovers’ (soccer) fans in Ireland chanted ‘Lizzie’s in a box’, during a match against a Swedish club. My surname is English, but my mother was a Kelly. She had a great affection for Ireland, but also ‘The Queen’. There is no excuse for that sort rubbish. Likewise, Newcastle (Australia) rugby league star, Caitlan Moran deserved to be castigated, after called ‘The Queen’ a ‘dumb dog’, on social media. I mean, how classy is that.
Samoan Test forward, Sam Lisone carves up for Tweed against Sunshine Coast in a Queensland Cup semi-final. Learn of the passing of former Radio 2MW (Murwillumbah) sports commentator, Wayne Johnson. He called the 1973 Group 18/Gold Coast Grand Final, in which I played – for Brothers against Tweed Heads Seagulls. One of his co-commentators was Englishman, Brian Atherton, who had been sacked as Brothers’ captain-coach mid-season, and replaced by local, Peter Smith. At one stage Wayne had to take a break, and Brian had to call the game for a few minutes. There were quite a few people left scratching their heads about what was happening, because Brian had a strong Lancashire accent, which was difficult to understand.
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Thanks Steve!
Great to read all the news and reminisce about the old days. I remember that 1973 season so well. It was my first year in A Grade. Brothers had a fabulous team and we were decimated by injuries in the grand final that year. Brian Alexander tragically suffered a career ending back and neck injury in the opening minutes, John Curtis suffered a Brocken collarbone and was replaced by Noel Holmes. We finished the game with 12 men and from memory Noel Holmes played the last half with a broken collarbone. Ironically John and Noel were brothers-in-law both suffering similar injuries. We had a great run leading up to the finals and who could forget our “Brothers for Brothers” singalong jingle on local radio for Brothers Real Estate that year. As I said great memories! The memories only get better and maybe somewhat embellished over the years haha.