Forester Grayson scores a try for Redcliffe against Easts. The sequence of photos is from Rugby League Week.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28
A regular spectator at Dolphins’ training ahead of their debut season in the NRL is former Redcliffe star, Forester Grayson, one of the toughest forwards to lace on a boot. Forester, who was also a rodeo competitor, no doubt approves of the appointment of Mt Isa lad, Nathan Fien to Wayne Bennett’s coaching staff at the Dolphins. Dolphins’ Kiwi import, Valence Te Whare is nicknamed ‘Liberty’ by some of the old blokes at Redcliffe, but he has no idea what they are talking about. They are, of course, referring to the movie ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence”.
My former classmate at Murwillumbah High, Sue Darby phones from Ballina to invite me to the 70th birthday party for another classmate, Bronwyn McCrone, at Mermaid Beach. I think the last time I saw Sue was during what is now termed ‘Schoolies’, at Tweed Heads/Coolangatta, late in 1970. I had been to the Cabbage Patch entertainment venue at the Queensland Hotel with Elizabeth Rowe, who was staying with Sue and Ann Dawson in a flat at what is now the Twin Towns Resort.
Marie and I host English friends, John and Glenda Tapp from Devon, at our Samford Grove residence, and enjoy lamb shanks for dinner.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Drive to Cedar Creek with the Tapps, followed by lunch at Lifestyle Centre, and then drinks at Samford pub. Learn of the passing of Pam Ryan, wife of former top rugby league coach, Warren Ryan. Pam would usually answer the phone when I would ring Warren for his footy tips, or to query something he had written in his Courier-Mail column.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30
John Ribot, Des Morris and Peter Affleck are among those interviewed by David Wright at Brisbane Rugby League Old Boys’ get together at Norths Kallangur Leagues Club. Ribot and Ron Gurnett are brilliant hosts. I have a lovely chat to former Queensland hooker, John Bourke, who was a member of Coolangatta Surf Club. We relive some of our glory days from the 1970s on the Gold Coast. The Peter Moselle Show crops up in conversation. My former Murwillumbah Brothers’ club mate Athol Gear is worried about the spread of Australian rules football. “There are Aussie rules grounds cropping up everywhere here in south east Queensland,” he says. Former Brisbane Souths’ winger, Mick Gramm recalls punching Redcliffe rival, Ian ‘Bunny’ Pearce during a match. Referee, Henry Albert called out Gramm and told him he was a dickhead. It’s not something Mick is proud of, given ‘Bunny’ (now deceased) was just about the nicest bloke going around. Former Indigenous stars, James Sandy and Terry Williams grab me for a chat on the way out. Terry’s son, David is a soccer star with Perth Glory.
We have new neighbours – Peter and Lyn Williamson from Devonport in Tasmania, who have moved into a villa across the road. 37 new residents have moved into our Samford Grove Over-55 village this year. Peter is originally from just outside Doncaster in South Yorkshire, but came to Australia when he was just 17. He played rugby union in the UK, and also for Harlequins in Hobart with Doug McFarlane, a former top country rugby league player from New South Wales, who now lives at Ballina. Peter played a few games of rugby league in England, and recalls one particular brutal clash with a team from the mines around Castleford. Lyn is from a well known hotelier family in Tasmania.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1
Former Queensland under-19 rugby union player, Mark Oberhardt was targeted by the St George Dragons rugby league club when he was a teenager. “In the end they said I was too small, and couldn’t tackle,” ‘Obbie’ says. Mark, who captained Brisbane Grammar’s First XV, is one of several ‘old journos’ I catch up with at the Caxton Hotel after chairing a meeting of the Queensland Rugby League History Committee. Also there are Andrew Dawson, Bernie Pramberg and Dave Falkenmire. Mark had a well read column in the sports pages of ‘The Courier-Mail’, called ‘The Ear’. Licensee, Steve Farquhar, a former Queensland league player, shouts a round of drinks. Former Test centre, Steve ‘Pearl’ Renouf says hello as he breezes by, wearing a black track suit.
League Immortal, Wally Lewis is 63 today, and FoxSports have a replay of his last ever game – for Gold Coast Seagulls against Penrith at West Tweed Heads. I covered the match for ‘The Sunday Mail’. Looking at the replay I see former top Queensland Newspapers’ photographer, the late Geoff McLachlan capturing the moment on camera, as Wally leads the team onto the field, with youngest brother, Heath running out beside him.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2
Australian Rugby League Commission inaugural chairman, John Grant, and former Broncos’ forward, Matt Gillett are my interview subjects at Family of League lunch at Broncos Leagues Club, Red Hill. Both were one club players in Australia, Grant with Souths Magpies and Gillett with the Broncos. Grant had an off-season stint with Warrington in England. One of the attendees is former Valleys’ fullback, Norm Clarke, who was a long serving firemen. He was the first Indigenous man in Queensland to be chief of a fire station.
FoxSports personality and former Australian rugby league forward, Bryan Fletcher rates the 2000 World Cup in Britain and France one of his best tours, for off-field stuff. I covered the tour for News Ltd. Coach, Chris Anderson knew England well from his tours with the 1978 and 1982 Kangaroos, and also stints with Widnes and Halifax, so that helped in terms of the players having the inside word on things to do, especially in England’s north.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3
‘Christmas on Main Street’, Samford is huge. The carols in Scott Park are boring because there are no traditional songs. Marie and I have one drink at Little Tree where there is a regae band – all white guys. At least I think they are white. One or two might recognise as Indigenous. The petting zoo at Mooey’s is popular with children. Marie and I get a free Ashai and sauvignon Blanc from a young Mooey’s staff member, who is enjoying drinks with fellow employees.
Former Queensland Newspapers’ editorial top gun, Terry Quinn turns 80. Terry is one of the good guys, almost too nice a bloke to be a journalist. He is good friends with former ASIO staffer, Denis Campbell, who I have had a few drinks with at the Stafford Tavern, over the years.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4
A bloke phones ‘Macca’ (Ian McNamara) on ABC Radio, and tries to convince him windmills are good and coal mines are evil. Samford Catholic Church regular celebrant, Fr Nigel Sequeira is to take a six month sabbatical, travelling to the Middle East, USA and Europe, including a visit to two orphanages in India. He worked for Reuters for 10 to 15 years, as a reporter.
Family of League Foundation stalwart, Barry Ross phones to say former top coach, Paul Broughton has died, aged ..Paul, a former St George Dragons player in Sydney, was inaugural coach of my old club, Murwillumbah Brothers – in 1958. Brothers made the grand final, only to be beaten by Tweed All Blacks. He was also founding chairman of the Gold Coast Titans. Barry also tells me of the passing of former Sydney Wests’ forward, Jim Cody. I used to have a Jim Cody footy card. It’s probably in the garage somewhere, my wife tells me.
Sunday-Mail columnist, Rory Gibson writes about advertising agencies squeezing as many minorities as possible into 30 seconds, in TV commercials. I have been saying the same thing to my wife, for months. It’s getting to the stage where I feel guilty for having married another white person, instead of sharing the marital bed with someone from the sub-continent, Asia or Africa.
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Paul Broughton was 91
“advertising agencies squeezing as many minorities as possible into 30 seconds, in TV commercials”
Yep. Spotted that. The obese are getting a run too. Everywhere.
As it turns out, at the time of writing Diary week 48 2022, the last time I had seen Sue Darby was 1988, at a school reunion.