John Sattler is chaired from the field by South Sydney teammates after the 1970 Grand Final win over Manly
MONDAY, MARCH 20
It’s a sad day, with news two of rugby league’s great servants – John Sattler and Ron Atkins – have died. John, a former Australian captain, was 80. The first time I recall meeting him was at Brisbane’s Crest Hotel, after his debut for Queensland in 1973. (He had moved to Brisbane that year to play with Wests Panthers). It was a reception for the Qld and NSW sides, after the game at Lang Park, and I managed an invitation because my Murwillumbah Brothers’ captain-coach, Brian Atherton, a former Widnes (England) player, knew the referee, Mick Naughton, who came from Widnes. John’s son, Scott, who represented Queensland, just like his dad, says on radio: ‘Dad can go and join ‘Lurch’ (John O’Neill) now’. Sattler and O’Neill were a legendary front row pairing for South Sydney. Evidently Satts was a controversial choice as South Sydney skipper in 1967, ahead of dual international, Jimmy Lisle.
Men of League Foundation stalwart, Vance Rennie phones to alert me to the passing of our Brisbane patron, Life Member and proud Indigenous man, Ron Atkins. Another Family of League stalwart, Barry Ross had been ringing me about Sattler’s death, but I missed his calls and heard the news on radio.
Rugby league media contributor, Michael Nunn has an interview with Maitland born, Dave ‘Helmet’ Trewhella, who reveals he knocked back the first offer from Arthur Beetson, to join the Sydney Roosters. Dave was playing with Redcliffe at the time. He joined the Roosters in 1986, and represented Australia in 1989.
TUESDAY, MARCH 21
Wake to Batley v Barrow English Rugby League Championship match from Dewsbury, of all places, with much travelled, former Penrith five eighth, Jarrod Sammut, now 37, playing five eighth for Barrow. Batley run out convincing winners. Pat Welsh discusses the passing of John Sattler, and of course the 1970 Grand Final comes up, a match in which Satts led Souths to victory over Manly, despite having his jaw broken early. There is even a song – ‘The Day John Sattler Broke his Jaw’ – and it’s not too bad. Regular All Blacks publicist, ‘Cuzzie Bro’ tries to go one better on SEN with the story of Buck Shelford losing a testicle in a Test in France. Some commentators refer to Satts as ‘Indigenous’, but I don’t think that is the case. Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, a devoted South Sydney fan, pays tribute to Satts in Federal Parliament. Back Page (FoxSports) host, Tony Squires recalls Satts being a guest at the Schoolboys rugby league knockout carnival at Casino in Northern New South Wales. The Casino knockout was the biggest in Australia for many years. Squires, who was a schoolboy footballer at the time, recalls Satts patting him on the head, which made his day.
There is a Trivia night for residents here at Samford Grove, and Marie and I participate for the first time, joining Laura Stapleton in the team’s event. Our table wins, and we get Easter eggs as first prize. Another resident, Peter Wilson, is from Bexley in Sydney originally, but moved here from nearby Mitchelton.
There is a news report that the Netherlands are looking to shut down most, if not all of the country’s livestock farms by 2030. Something to do with excess farting from the animals. That can’t be right. They’re making farmers out to be criminals.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22
Learn of the passing of hard hitting rugby league forward, Kyle White, who played for Wests Magpies in Sydney. White was only 53, and I understand he had been living at Warwick on Queensland’s Southern Darling Downs. There is a story, which I think is true, about Kyle being roped into playing in a side in the Byron Bay 7s Rugby Union Carnival, when he was up there on holidays. One of the opposing players was Wallaby, Willie Ofahengaue, who didn’t know White from a bar of soap. Willie O ran ‘innocently’ towards White, who sent the big forward into the next kingdom, with the crowd left stunned.
Our local State Member of Parliament, Nicki Boyd (ALP) arrives at Samford Grove Cafe as I leave. She is here as part of Seniors’ Week.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
At the Dolphins’ Captain’s Run – ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Broncos – coach, Wayne Bennett reflects on how special Lang Park is to him. He tells a similar story to the one he told me when I interviewed him for a book about the stadium. Wayne recalls living in the police barracks near Lang Park for three years, from the age of 16. He had come down from Allora on the Darling Downs.
Learn of the passing of former Wigan player, Brian Dunn, who played second row in the famous 1985 Challenge Cup final against Hull at Wembley. He was a product of famous St Helens’ amateur club, Pilkington Recs. Dunn also played professionally for Rochdale Hornets and Leigh.
On Radio 4BC, host, Bill McDonald quotes a university lecturer as saying that the classroom is a nightmare now because of ‘wokeism’. This professor says chivalry upsets feminists. I wonder (and this is my comment) what those same feminists’ attitude would be on a sinking ship, if male crew members and/or passengers said: ‘women and children first’ (into the lifeboats)’. The feminists probably would make an exemption for that sort of chivalry.
Marie and I have an early morning surf at Kings Beach, Caloundra, and then breakfast at Moffatt Beach, where we spot a turtle in the surf. I buy a four pack of ‘Deadbeat Boyfriend’ ale at Moffat Beach Brewery – a beer that’s not too complex or challenging. We can’t believe how wildly different things look at Caloundra entrance to Pumicestone Passage, following the tidal breakthrough at Bribie Island last year.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
The first ever Broncos v Dolphins match is promoted as ‘The Battle of Brisbane’. This ‘Battle of Brisbane’ will be nothing like the real battles which took place between Australia and Great Britain, when it was no holds barred – head butts, stiff arms, spear tackles, fisticuffs. I’m not going to say ‘The Good Old Days’. I know you were waiting for it.
As Marie and I pass QRL headquarters in Castlemaine Street, she asks if the building is now unoccupied. It looks that way, given the walls are bare, when really they should be adorned with jerseys and team photos. The place lacks soul with the League being very slow to restore some sort of character to the place following the 2022 floods. The History Committee, of which I am chairman, has been on the case, but some things move very slowly in rugby league land.
The Broncos beat the Dolphins in what is a tough game. One of the touch judges (a female) is a pain, ruling so many forward passes, and interrupting the flow of the game. They were line ball passes, at worse. Please, just rule on the really blatant ones – which the ref should get anyway – and give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking side. Most of the forward passes are little ones out of dummy half and they always seem to go undetected. Touch judges pick up the ones out wide which might float forward, or look forward, as the passer steps back. If the ball is passed back and floats forward, it is not a forward pass. As Billy J Smith once said – you don’t have to be a jockey to call a race, but experience as a player definitely would be an aid to referees and touch judges.
Once again ‘Phins Up’ is a hit with the fans. I see quite a few retro jerseys, including Redcliffe jerseys from the old Winfield State League – featuring Colonel Sanders’ head on the front. The fans from both clubs are well behaved, allaying the fears of Stadium security that there could be trouble. It’s not soccer fellas. Sitting in front of us is Craig Lawson, son of former top Radio commentator, Ross Lawson. Craig played rugby union with Brisbane Brothers, and then league with Ipswich Jets, where he was coached by the likes of Jim Landy, Ken Coles and Kevin Langer.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
Marie and I had stayed overnight at Central Cosmo Apartments, Park Road, Milton. Some observations of Milton early on this particular Saturday: Billy Choo’s cafe is over-run by lycra wearing cyclists; fruit and vegetables are delivered to China Seas restaurant – a box of shallots is from Amiens, on the Granite Belt; Financial Review’s Weekend Edition is on the footpath outside Night Owl; The female barista at Mary Ryan’s Bookstore Cafe (which is owned by Billy Choo’s) calls me ‘lovely’, but she does the same to the next bloke. Darn.
Marie and I lunch at Mitch & Antler at Mitchelton, on the way back to Samford – not bad. I had the scrambled eggs and Marie tucked into cauliflower fritters.
Radio SEN’s Scott Sattler, says his father, former Australian captain, John Sattler, and Noel ‘Ned’ Kelly were roomies on the 1967-68 Kangaroo tour of Britain and France, and struck a truce before leaving Sydney, after they had had some ding dong battles during the 1967 season when ‘Satts’ captained South Sydney and ‘Ned’ led Wests. SEN has a one hour tribute to Satts Snr. New Zealand host Sri Lanka in cricket at Auckland’s Eden Park and television cameras focus on a red haired male spectator wearing a Kiwi rugby league jersey.
Gold Coast Titans are brave in their 24-12 loss to North Queensland Cowboys. Titans’ halfback, Tanah Boyd is SO predictable. In the Manly v South Sydney game, a forward pass is ruled (robbing Manly of a try) when it wasn’t even close to forward. Souths win 13-12, with halfback, Lachlan Ilias kicking the winning field goal in golden point extra time. There are 150 people from Parkes in Country NSW at the game to celebrate the NRL debut (for Souths) of local boy, Ben Lovett. A minute’s silence is observed before the game in memory of John Sattler, who came from Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley, to South Sydney. It is great to see John’s former teammate, George Piggins at the match.
Former Great Britain rugby league halfback, Mike Ford is involved in a rescue mission of the once top tier Oldham club. Ford, who was born and bred in Oldham, wants to see the club return to its glory days. In the 1950s it was regarded as one of Britain’s top clubs. I covered the Oldham v Kangaroos’ match at their old ground, The Watersheddings, in 1986, with Australia having to battle all the way for a 22-16 win over the David Topliss captained home side. Wigan coach, Matt Peet gets emotional talking about the retirement of former Wigan player, Dan Sarginson, aged 29, on mental health grounds. Sarginson has been playing with Salford, who are Wigan’s opponents at the DW Stadium. Peet presents Sarginson with his Wigan heritage shirt before the game. Wigan, with Australians Bevan French and Jai Field in great form, account for Salford 20-16.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
Wake to fiery Bordeaux v La Rochelle rugby union match from France, with Bordeaux halfback, Maxime Lucu in the thick of things, and looking a class act. There are so many overweight players, but that’s rugby in France.
Channel 9 air a lovely tribute to John Sattler, including his try creating pass to lock, Ron Coote in the 1971 Grand Final, a match I attended with my Murwillumbah Brothers’ teammates.
Former Brisbane Norths’ players, Paul Payne and Paul Collins are at Bishop Park for the junior league (John Sattler had the 1975 season at Bishop Park under the coaching of Englishman, Tommy Bishop. It was John’s swansong). I played at Norths with Paul Collins and worked at the Telegraph newspaper with his brother, Peter. I played alongside Paul Payne’s father, John, also at Norths in ’79. Paul Collins has twins – Tom and John – who are playing junior league here today, as are our grandsons, Ethan and Connor. A message from former Test forward, Sam Thaiday is played over the PA, reminding people at the ground that if it’s not positive, put a sock in it. The bloke on the PA makes a few fruitless efforts to get several spectators of Polynesian descent, back behind the ropes. Norths’ first grade, under new coach, Dave Elliott, have had a slow start to the season. “But we’ll come good,” says club stalwart, Peter Fraser. “Dave has been well received.” A couple of Kiwi blokes at the ground talk about Wallaby coach, Eddie Jones’ planned raids on rugby league.
Marie and I and neighbour, Lyn Williamson enjoy live music at Little Tree in Samford. Lyn’s husband, Peter played rugby union for the Harlequins club in Hobart, alongside Doug McFarlane, a former top rugby league player from Country New South Wales. Doug and his wife, Jenny are good friends with the Williamsons. We first met Doug and Jenny while holidaying at Ballina in the mid-1990s. It’s a small world.
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