Pat Welsh (centre) with Steve Ricketts (left) and Neil Cadigan
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Footy season is upon us – there is a Broncos’ poster in today’s Courier-Mail, and NRL360 is back on FoxSports, featuring the likes of Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield, Brent Read, Paul Kent and host, Braith Anasta. The first episode is Sydney-centric. The new franchise, the Dolphins get a brief mention, otherwise nothing on Queensland.
One of our Samford Grove neighbours, Lyn Williamson lived at Oatlands in the Tasmanian Midlands for a time, and knew local rural identity, Rupert Gregg, who married my former Murwillumbah High School classmate, Eleanor Riddell. “Everyone (in Oatlands) knows Rupert,” she says. Lyn’s husband, Peter sees my Roosters (rugby league) cap and immediately thinks it is a French Rugby Union cap. Not likely.
Our daughter, Melanie Mariotto has taken over as editor of this website, from her brother, Damien, who is too busy at work. Fair enough. By the way, it doesn’t mean Melanie is idle, and she will post stories only when she gets a chance.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28
John Ribot, Wally Fullerton-Smith, Mark Murray, Chris Close, Bryan Niebling and Cameron Cullen are some of the former Redcliffe stars to present jerseys to Dolphins’ NRL players ahead of the club’s first NRL game – against the mighty Roosters on Sunday. Although the Dolphins are keen to forge a new identity as ‘THE DOLPHINS’ (as opposed to Redcliffe Dolphins) they will not divorce themselves from the past, because it is the Redcliffe club which successfully bid for the NRL licence. Redcliffe entered the Brisbane First Grade competition in 1960, and still contests the Queensland Cup.
Shane Grady is a standout player for Widnes in their big win over Halifax in an English Championship Rugby League fixture. I know a Brian Grady from Widnes, and I thought they might be related. Brian Atherton, a Taree based Widnesian, who was once my captain-coach, says Shane and Brian are not related. “Shane has too much pace,” says Brian. Former New South Wales State of Origin fullback, Brett Hodgson is appointed Wallabies’ new Defence coach. Good luck Brett,.
Isle of Man are dismissed for 10 in a Euro League cricket match in Spain. I played in a game when we were dismissed for nine. That’s a story for another day.
A fellow resident of Samford Grove, Peter Robert Menzies, has died, aged 73. I met him just the once – at Happy Hour. Former policeman, Greg Kimber and his wife, Margaret, are new residents.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1
Marie and I enjoy afternoon tea at the residence of neighbours, Heather McKenzie and her partner, Barry Kennedy. He is ex-Army, and also worked as a warder at Pentridge Jail in Victoria. Barry says he was hurt in a parachute accident during his time in the armed forces. He tells a story about a prisoner who had his sentence doubled, after he made a smart alec comment to the Judge. A Cashmere based woman who conducts Yoga classes at Samford Grove, is ex-military, and so is her husband. They are from the UK – she is from England and he is from Scotland.
My English mate, Brian Atherton caught a train in Sydney recently and sat opposite a Tongan lady. Brian, always keen for a chat, commented that there were a lot of good rugby league players from Tonga. “They’re big boys, but no brains,” she says.
Former New South Wales opening batsman, Warren Saunders, known as ‘Mr St George Cricket’, has died, aged 83. Born at Arncliffe, Saunders was also a devoted St George Dragons rugby league supporter, and was an excellent schoolboy footballer at Kogarah Marist Brothers. He was a ball boy for the Dragons, and in the mid-1990s was an official at the club, helping to steer the Dragons through troubled waters during the Super League ‘war’.
THURSDAY, MARCH 2
The NRL season gets underway with Melbourne defeating the Eels 16-12 in Parramatta, with Melbourne’s former Yeppoon hooker, Harry Grant in brilliant form. Grant caps a magnificent game by scoring the winning try in golden point extra time.
Security guards at the Marseilles v Annecy soccer match in France use shields to protect them from projectiles thrown by ‘fans’. Marseilles was once a strong rugby league city, and I don’t think the security guards had to go that extent back in the days of Jean Dop, Francois Rinaldi and Jacques Merquey. Karmichael Hunt had a season of rugby union in France, and as Souths Logan’s new first grade coach he is a guest at the launch of the 2023 Queensland Rugby League season at Victoria Park Golf Club. I have a lovely chat to ‘K’ and another dual rugby international, Ben Te’o, just before the start of official proceedings. Ben, coach of the Redcliffe Dolphins, says he has become acquainted with the history of the club. Hunt has his former Broncos’ teammate, Justin Hodges helping him with defence.
QRL chairman, Bruce Hatcher makes it clear he would love to see a Queensland club win the annual State Championship against their New South Wales’ rival. It has been seven years now. Ipswich Jets’ chairman, Steve Johnson reckons the AFL will have a team in Ipswich after the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane. That can’t be right. The Welcome to Country, by a fellow who says the late Senator Neville Bonner was his grandfather, is long, but interesting. I see an Indigenous chap in a ‘Deadly Choices’ shirt, enjoying a cigarette.
FRIDAY, MARCH 3
Recently retired Channel 7 sports presenter, Pat Welsh is guest speaker at Family of League Foundation lunch at Broncos Leagues, along with veteran journalist, Neil Cadigan. Pat is still working – he has a morning show on RadioSEN. Taree lad, Steve Hawkins, well known in Queensland as a race caller, claims me for a chat because he remembers me playing in the Group 3 competition – in 1975 – for Wingham, against the likes of Taree United, Taree Old Bar and Gloucester. Ipswich Grammar Old Boys (1959/60) are having lunch at the Broncos. Earlier I had caught up with former Test hooker, Jason Hetherington and his son, Kobe, across the road at the Broncos’ football complex. I have a father/son story in mind for the FOL magazine. Kobe is sidelined through injury and misses tonight’s gripping 13-12 away win over premiers, Penrith.
Marie and I attend a birthday party for our grandson, Ethan Ricketts in Melrose Park, Kalinga.
SATURDAY, MARCH 4
Noted rugby league journalist, Steve Mascord holds the Brisbane launch of his book, ‘Two Tribes’, at Paddington Tavern, once a favourite haunt of Broncos’ players. Also there are the likes of my former Courier-Mail colleague, Stephen Gray; Channel 7’s Steve Hart and QRL director, Brad Tallon, who calls me Dave (as in David Falkenmire) – not the first time it has happened. Gray, who now works for Queensland Cricket, believes the old police station at Woolloongabba will be the site of a sports museum, if the Government ever decides to allocate funds for a long overdue project. Also at the function is Steve’s ex Port Kembla schoolmate, Scott Dunn, who Steve says was part of an infamous schoolboys’ football brawl in Wollongong in 1986.
Brisbane Broncos’ inaugural sponsor, Bernie Power presents the Australian Rugby Union Club Championship Trophy to the Sydney University club after their big win over Wests in Brisbane.
The heat is so oppressive at Brookvale Oval for a New South Wales Cup game between Manly and Canterbury, that FoxSports’ commentator, former Test prop, Mark Carroll decides to strip to his underwear. A Chad Townsend field goal proves the difference in the Cowboys’ 19-18 win over Canberra in Townsville. North Queensland made it to the preliminary final last year, and former player, Brent Tate tips them to go one better in 2023.
SUNDAY, MARCH 5
The big day has arrived – the NRL debut of the ‘Dolphins’. I arrive at Suncorp Stadium supremely confident of a big Roosters’ victory. Marie and I both mock the Dolphins’ ‘Phins-Up’ campaign as being contrived and unlikely to take off. Wrong on both counts. The Dolphins beat the Roosters 28-18, and fans in the crowd of 32,177 love doing the ‘Phins Up’. Dolphins’ prop, Jarrod Wallace is the victim of one of those shocking cannon ball tackles – this one by Egan Butcher. I could hear Wallace scream. As we leave the stadium I spot former Redcliffe players, Wally Fullerton-Smith and Steve Bleakley walk by, and think how proud they must be. The Samford Stags under-8s are one of the sides featured at halftime. In the build-up to the game, 4BC’s former Queensland State of Origin forward, Darryl Brohman speculates that Dolphins’ coach, Wayne Bennett may have had enough of coaching by the end of the year. I somehow doubt it, especially given the result today. On FoxSports, Matty Johns comments that Bennett is in ‘hog heaven’ at the media conference, where, no doubt, a number of journalists are eating humble pie. The Dolphins’ post match function is held at the Paddington Tavern.
Marie and I get home in time to watch the second half of the Gold Coast Titans’ 22-10 win over Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval, with Titans’ second rower, David Fifita in fine form. Former NSW skipper, Paul Gallen tips St George Illawarra to finish with the wooden spoon, while former NSW prop, Tim Mannah tips the Broncos to finish 14th. The Dragons have the bye this weekend. Gallen’s fellow Channel 9 commentator, former Broncos’ forward, Sam Thaiday says he attended the North Queensland Cowboys’ first ever game in 1995 with his father, and then played against the Titans, in their first ever game, in 2007.
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