Ross Lawson (left) and fellow media types, David Falkenmire and John McCoy
MONDAY, APRIL 10
Former Gold Coast City Council deputy Mayor, Betty Diamond has died, aged 91. Known as ‘Bulldozer Betty’, she played a big role in the cessation of sand mining on the Gold Coast, famously protesting in front of bulldozers on Bilinga Beach. I interviewed her once when I was based at the Coolangatta office of the Tweed Daily News, when I was a young journalist.
Every now and then I get a text message from banned ‘sports scientist’, Steve Dank, wanting to know what is going on in the world of Brisbane Rugby League in the years before the Broncos. He has never done the wrong thing by me, so I don’t ignore him, and I remember him from his days ‘running the water’ for Valleys, where his father Karl had previously played. In his latest text, Steve reminds me that his father coached future Test halfback, Greg Oliphant at Valleys. Steve himself worked on ‘Ollie’s performance staff when Greg was coaching Norths’ Devils
More bell ringers are required for the Coronation of King Charles III in England. My English mate, Andrew Varley’s first wife, Julie, was a bell ringer. I wonder if she is still doing it.
TUESDAY, APRIL 11
On Radio TAB, rugby expert, Mark McBain says the sacking of Reds’ coach, Brad Thorn was inevitable because the team has been ordinary. The station’s Soccer expert – McDonald is his surname, I think – makes excuses for players getting in the face of referees. There is no excuse. He mentions a player from Iran, who does not understand the (football) culture here. It’s nothing to do with culture, surely. It’s all to do with the rules of the game.
Cronulla stalwart, Wade Graham attempts to explain the evolution of the hip drop. Bottom line it is a nasty tackle, undoubtedly cooked up by a wrestling/jujitsu type person.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12
Former top radio commentator, Ross Lawson was publican of Ipswich’s Weeroona Hotel for some years, and to use his terminology, it was patronised at different times by ‘flash radio types’, one of them, Col Thompson. “I would take them to the back bar (away from the blue collar workers),” Ross said. Lawson was a fine rugby league player, representing Toowoomba at lock and Wide Bay at fullback. “We (Wide Bay) played a French touring side (in Maryborough), and when one of the French players kicked for goal, I was standing near the goal posts. The ball hit the upright, which then fell on me – the upright, that is.” Ross’s motto is “Health is Wealth”.
South Sydney, the club my wife, Marie supports, hold their last ever training run at their spiritual home, Redfern Oval. They now have their own elite training complex at Maroubra. I attended a couple of games at Redfern in the 1970s – great atmosphere.
THURSDAY, APRIL 13
The Paddington Tavern is graced by the presence of a number of old journos, including yours truly, Gary Smart, Renard Peters, Bernie Pramberg, Don Gordon Brown, Darren Cartwright, (now with the dark side – the Qld Government), Peter Blucher, David Falkenmire and Andrew Dawson. Broncos’ legends, Allan ‘Alfie’ Langer and Steve ‘Pearl’ Renouf are also at the pub. Bernie recalls the Daily Sun journos making the Britannia Inn their unofficial base during Expo 88. Gary Smart, who now works for QSuper, recalls scary movie, Count Yorga Vampire.
I have a Count Yorga story. In 1972 I took a lass from Kerang in Victoria to the mid-night movies at one of Coolangatta’s two picture theatres – can’t recall whether it was the Regal or Capital. Anyway, the first movie was Blind Terror, starring Mia Farrow and that was scary enough. Then came Count Yorga. There was a scene when a group of people were huddled inside a spooky old mansion with the wind howling outside. One of the windows was wide open and when one of the cast moved to close it, a hand reached in and grabbed this character by the throat. Well, it happened so quickly and dramatically, everyone in the theatre jumped in their seats. When the movie was over I took the Victorian lass back to her guest house and then went upstairs to the Beach House ‘apartment’ just around the corner, which I shared with several mates. When I got into the room the window was open and the curtain was blowing in. As I went to shut the window a hand reached in and grabbed me by the throat. That’s when I realised two things – I had a strong heart and I could do a backward somersault, something I didn’t think possible. It transpires that one of my mates was sitting near me in the theatre and saw my reaction. So when he went back to the apartment he climbed onto the balcony and waited for my return. I had nightmares for months afterwards.
Back to the present – Marie and I attend Dolphins v South Sydney match at Suncorp Stadium and sit beside an Irish chap from Dublin and another bloke who is related to former Manly-Warringah forward, Peter Peters. The Irishman refers to current Queensland Reds’ coach, Les Kiss giving Tom O’Toole a go at Ulster when Les, a former league international, coached the Irish provincial side. South Sydney’s Queensland forward, Jai Arrow is close to best on field, and just exudes energy in everything he does.
FRIDAY, APRIL 14
Former Test centre, Steve Renouf is my interview subject at Brisbane Beer and Beef Club lunch at Queensland Cricketers’ Club at the Gabba. Steve, who lives at Red Hill, is accompanied by his son, Freddy. Steve talks in favour of the Yes vote in the forthcoming Referendum about an Indigenous ‘Voice to Parliament’. Steve uses the Nike slogan ‘Just Do it” (vote Yes) but doesn’t explain why we should ‘just do it’, although I don’t press him on the matter because the lunch is meant to be about sport. When Renouf was contracted to the Broncos, and officials from the Murri carnival came calling, Broncos’ coach, Wayne Benntt blocked him from participating, a stance I agree with. The Indigenous carnivals are not sanctioned by the NRL. There are 80 people at the lunch, one of them former Brisbane Wests’ prop, Mark Trimble.
SATURDAY, APRIL 15
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle is in attendance at the Warrington v Wigan rugby league match in England. Also there is boxer, Anthony Crolla. They are both Warrington supporters. It is the first home game for Warrington’s Australian import, Josh McGuire. SkySports’ commentator, Brian Carney interviews his fellow Irishman, Liam Byrne. Like me, Carney is horrified by the use of the hip drop tackle. “How did we get to this point?” he asks. The crowd is 15,026 which is a record for the new stadium. The record for Warrington’s previous home – Wilderspool – is 35,000 for a Lancashire Cup final between Wigan and Leigh in 1949. The record for a Warrington home game was set the same year – a premiership game against Wigan drew 34,304. The first game I went to in England was Warrington v Leeds at Wilderspool in October, 1977.
My Charleville based friend, Laurie Parker keeps in touch with former dual rugby international, Kevin Ryan. Laurie says Kevin told him he wanted to talk about a coaching future with his club, St George ahead of the 1967 season, but was kept waiting outside the CEO’s room, so he went to Canterbury-Bankstown as captain-coach. Laurie doesn’t buy The Courier-Mail or The Australian because he perceives them as “too right wing”. But he still writes quite a few letters to The Courier, and has a high success rate of publication.
Rugby League threatens to become a laughing stock if penalties always apply to the type of driving tackle executed by Broncos’ hooker, Billy Walters. The tackle was beautifully executed and legal. Maybe he was penalised (by Todd Smith) for the slight facial afterwards. Either way, a penalty makes a joke of our great game. Newcastle forward, Tyson Frizell is penalised for a hair pull. Frizell made the tackle from behind, grabbing the hair and jersey at the same time. Former Brothers’ winger, Peter Skerman recalls former Test skipper, John Sattler pulling the hair of Brothers’ rival, Peter Simpson. ‘Satts’ was playing for Wests at the time – back in 1973.
SUNDAY, APRIL 16
Noted British sports journalist, Peter Baxter is in Australia on one of his regular visits down under. I have the privilege of meeting him at a Staunton family gathering at Camp Mountain. My invitation came from Mary Staunton, the widow of my former Murwillumbah Brothers’ rugby league teammate, Barry Staunton. Peter is related to Mary through marriage. Peter and I talk cricket mainly, and he wants to know if the Adelaide Oval is ‘stuffed’, like the Gabba. What he means by that is – has the Adelaide Oval lost its character? The answer is no. The Gabba on the other hand – well it’s just a big bowl, that could be anywhere in the world. Peter is best known in the UK as host of the long running ‘Test Match Special’. Mary’s son, Liam, went to Woodlawn College near Lismore, my father, Jon’s alma mater. Liam went to Woodlawn with future NRL star, Andrew King, and visited Andrew in England when Andrew was playing for Yorkshire club, Keighley. There was a malaria research station just down the road from where Mary now lives – but that was many years ago.
On Channel 9’s Footy Show there is a story that Penrith’s Test hooker, Royce Simmons (allegedly) ripped an earing from future Australian skipper, Brad Fittler when Fittler turned up at training as a 17-year-old. I have heard a similar story – not sure whether it is true – from Redcliffe training, where veteran back, Tony Obst (allegedly) ripped an earing worn by young Cairns’ recruit, Peter Griffiths, a stocky prop. Perhaps if Peter was a winger he might have got away with having an ear ring. There is a good interview with Candice Warner (nee Falzon) in the Sunday Mail. The former ironwoman says nothing more than a ‘pash’ happened between her and dual rugby international, Sonny Bill Williams in their infamous toilet tryst at Sydney’s Clovelly Hotel in 2007. I was there that day, but left just before SBW and Candice arrived.,
On Macca’s ABC Radio show, his ‘running correspondent’ phones, and, of course, she is running. I wish she would pull up for the interview, because it is so annoying hearing her talking while puffing. I usually turn the radio off and try to time it so that she is gone before rejoining Macca (Ian McNamara).
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