Lang Park under water in 1974
MONDAY, OCTOBER 10
Former New South Wales rugby league forward, Graeme Hughes runs the annual Sporting Chance Golf Day in Sydney, with the charity supporting cancer research. Former Australian centre, Mark Coyne is an ambassador. Graeme covered the 1986 Kangaroo tour for Channel TEN, a tour I covered for the Brisbane Telegraph. Graeme, understudy to Rex Mossop at the time, coveted the top job, as you can imagine, given Rex was getting to the end of his career. When I think of Rex on that tour, the image of him smoking his pipe in the foyer bar of Leeds’ Dragonara Hotel, immediately springs to mind.
Tweed Valley lad, Ollie Twohill is a promising singer/songwriter, and is part of the Twohill family synonymous with the old Murwillumbah Brothers Rugby League Club, my first senior club. Another of my old clubs, Wingham Tigers honour their history, in the period 1971-2021, with a special jersey.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11
Iron woman, Lana Rogers’ grandfather, captained the Sydney Roosters’ rugby league side in 1948. She comes from good stock.
My wife, Marie and I have lunch at Paddo Social. I read the cafe’s copy of ‘The Courier-Mail’, and certainly don’t have to fight to retain it. My former Courier-Mail colleague, Robert ‘Crash’ Craddock phones for a chat about the Broncos, and other matters. ‘Crash’ was MC at the recent Men of League Foundation State Lunch, when he interviewed Australian coach, Mal Meninga. ‘Crash’ and I agree that Mal seemed to have a bee in his bonnet about a few matters. Mal is keen to see a return to a traditional Australia v Great Britain Ashes series, as soon as possible.
Our eldest son, Damien has to deal with a snake at his place of work – East Ayr State Primary School. Damien is deputy principal. A lot of work places must deal with snakes, but not in a literal sense.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12
NEIGHBOUR, Adele Allan once lived beside former ABC and Channel 7 sports commentator, Peter Meares, and recalls Peter having English cricketers over for pool parties. Peter’s brother-in-law is noted news reader, Bruce Paige, a West Panthers’ rugby league tragic. Former Australian rugby league forward, Steve Simpson presents the trophy to Chase Butler, after Chase captains All Saints College to victory over Rutherford High in the final of the Danny Buderus Cup (under-14s) rugby league competition in the Hunter Valley region. Chase is the grandson of my good mate, Greg Grainger. Former Great Britain halfback, Bob Goulding is leading a class action against the Rugby Football League, over concussion issues.
Don Gailer and Marion Webb are standing down from their respective roles as chairman and secretary of the Brisbane Beer and Beef Club, and if there are no replacements, they will wind the club up.
My former Courier-Mail colleague, Darren Cartwright has gone to the dark side, working in the media office of the Department of Justice.
Noted actress, Angela Lansbury, has died, aged 96. I particularly remember her from ‘Murder She Wrote’, and the original version of the movie, ‘The Manchurian Candidate’. I also see that she had a role in the Elvis Presley movie, Blue Hawaii. I saw all the Elvis movies in the 1960s, at Murwillumbah’s Regent Theatre.
Today is the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings, which left 202 people dead, including 88 Australians. In a television retrospect, Policeman/Broncos trainer, Ken Rach gets a special mention for his work in disaster victim identification. Ken has been to a number of disaster scenes, and whatever he got paid, it wasn’t enough.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
Dolphins’ jerseys are for sale at Rebel Sport in Queen Street. The new NRL franchise will make its debut next year, although the Rugby League Year begins on November 1. The Australian jersey holds pride of place at Rebel, given the Kangaroos are in the UK, contesting the World Cup. As we head back to the streets, there is a gent in front of us with a cockatoo on his shoulder. I don’t think he had chip on the other shoulder. Marie and I enjoy lunch at FIKA, which is popular with people of Asian descent. Our Chinese waitress speaks little English. In the King George Square Bus Station, there is an advertisement promoting organ and tissue donation and it features heart transplant recipient, former Queensland State of Origin forward, Gavin Allen.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
In a waiting room in Prince Charles Hospital, ahead of an appointment for my wife, there is a ‘rough white couple’ near us. He has a shoulder that gives him grief, and when he gets a jolt of pain, says: “That one rattled me dags”, whatever that means. Actually, I looked it up. Something to do with dung on sheep’s bums. He and his lady talk guns, and the Glasshouse Mountains. No mention of banjos. Marie and I have morning tea at Lavender Cafe, Gordon Park, where a barking dog across the road, kills the serenity. Marie accompanies me to Beer and Beef Club lunch at Morrison Hotel, South Brisbane, where the guest speaker is author and academic, Peter Long, who has just released a book about bush ranger, Steve Hart. Peter sells all the copies he brings with him.
Learn of the passing of former sports journalist, Peter Kogoy, one of the great characters of the profession, a bloke I covered quite a few games with, and enjoyed a few beers with, in pubs around Surry Hills in Sydney, including ‘The Dolphin’, run by dual rugby international, Dick Thornett. Kogoy had a voice you couldn’t miss, one with a deep, gruff delivery. Evidently 700 Ukrainians have arrived in Queensland since February. Might be a few potential league players among them, as the country has a league competition, although I imagine men of league playing ability would be wanted in the armed forces.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15
The opening ceremony of the Rugby League World Cup in Newcastle (UK) is a disaster, with the sound system failing. At least the home side is able to produce something special, belting a star studded Samoan team 60-6 in front of a crowd of 43,119. This is not rugby league territory (England’s north east), so it is a reasonable crowd. There are league teams in the area e.g. Hexham Middle School. Sydney Roosters forward, Victor Radley is England’s Man of the Match. His dad comes from Barnsley, and there is a supporters’ group from the South Yorkshire city, at the match. Victor ‘The Inflictor’ is very much an Aussie in outlook and upbringing, and gives a cheeky smile during the singing of God Save the King.
Ayr (North Queensland) Surf Club lifesaver, Chris Wicks rescues three Solomon Islanders, who are stranded on a sandbank at Alva Beach. Chris is principal of East Ayr State Primary School.
‘Giga Kick’ wins the Everest race in Sydney, and a bloke yells ‘you fucking beauty’ to trainer, Clayton Douglas from Victoria, as he gives a television interview.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16
Australia defeat Fiji 42-8 in a Round 1 World Cup match in Leeds, with Josh ‘The Fox’ Addo-Carr scoring two tries, one a runaway . It was the Kangaroos’ first match in three years, Australia’s longest break between Tests since World War II. I remember 1976, when there were no internationals involving the Kangaroos. That was tragic enough, but the dreaded Chinese flu is to blame this time, whereas in 1976 there was no real excuse.
Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Samford is celebrated by deacon, the Reverand Peter McDade, who is a bit of a character. Bloke with HMAS Melbourne cap is part of the congregation. Catholic Leader newspaper carries an advertisement for Brisbane’s Padua College, featuring rector, Peter Elmore, who is originally from Lismore, but played rugby league in Brisbane with Valleys and Norths. Catch up with former Murwillumbah Brothers’ stalwart, Mary Staunton (maiden name Mills) who lives at Camp Mountain. I played at Brothers with her late husband, Barry, and we were also members of the Cabarita Surf Life Saving Club. Also chat to Denise Piercey, whose late husband, Brian was a prominent horse racing identity. One of their horses, General Warning, ridden by Jon Walk, won the inaugural Power’s Cup, at Caloundra, in 1988. That was the year the Broncos entered the NSWRL, with Powers Brewing as their major sponsor.
Marie and I enjoy live music at Little Tree Restaurant and Bar. Lots of ‘hippie types’ here tonight.
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