Wally Lewis
The Combined Brisbane Rugby League side advanced to the final of the rich mid-week Panasonic Cup competition with a magnificent 14-12 win over Sydney Premiers, Parramatta Eels at Leichhardt Oval.
Coached by legendary former Test forward, Bob McCarthy, Brisbane’s defence was the feature of the win, with the Eels’ attacking machine almost completely shut down.
Brisbane skipper, Wally Lewis won yet another man of the match award, setting up both Brisbane tries – for Bob Lindner and Ian French.
The final score flattered Parramatta, with their only try – to former Test centre, Mick Cronin – coming in the final minute of the game. Cronin also landed four goals from as many shots. To make Brisbane’s win even more meritorious, they had to overcome an 18-5 caning in the penalties, with Sydney referee, Greg McCallum stunning the Brisbane camp with some of his decisions.
Parramatta coach, John Monie had no excuses.
There was drama in the Commonwealth Bank Cup Schools curtain raiser, with a lad from St Mary’s College, Toowoomba suffering a serious shoulder injury, with no doctor on hand to treat the poor fellow. The school sought help from the Brisbane camp, which was provided.
Bob McCarthy certainly had plenty of sympathy for the youngster. In 1973, at Headingley, Leeds, McCarthy badly dislocated his shoulder on a freezing November Day, and (incredibly) there was no doctor at the ground, for the Third and deciding Ashes Test. McCarthy was taken to the Leeds’ Infirmary, still in his playing gear, and had to wait in emergency with other public patients. By the time he was attended to, he was in agony, with the job of getting the shoulder back into a place a difficult one. The story goes that the tough old matron had no sympathy for this big burly, Australian.
“Mr McCarthy. You’re supposed to be tough rugby league forward. Women go through worse with child labour.” she said.
“Have you ever tried pushing the baby back in,” McCarthy replied.
I covered the Leichhardt Oval match for Brisbane’s afternoon paper, the ‘Telegraph’, while Kevin Hepworth was on hand for ‘The Courier-Mail’.
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