Flooding in North Queensland
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3
There is a great photograph of tinnies (small boats) tied up at the front of the flood isolated Euramo pub near Tully in Far North Queensland. The North is still the Australia I grew up with, unlike big parts of our cities. Our eldest son, Damien, teaches at East Ayr State School in the Burdekin region where the Burdekin and Haughton Rivers are in flood.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4
After seeing Australian soccer star, Sam Kerr’s tirade against police following her run-in with a London cabbie, a legal eagle mate of mine comments that there would be hell to pay if it was a rugby league player captured in a similar exchange. Not that Kerr is escaping media scrutiny.
Isle of Wight born, Brian Murphy, who played George in the English comedy, ‘George and Mildred’, has died aged 92. It wasn’t my favourite Pom comedy, but it was OK.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Gold Coast Suns (AFL) hold their pre-season camp at Byron Bay. The English Super League season is launched at a huge entertainment centre in Manchester. After his axing as Broncos’ coach, Kevin Walters returns to the FoxSports’ commentary team, at the expense of Corey Parker.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6
I almost phone RadioSEN after hearing Greg Chappell interviewed. Greg mentioned that as Australian cricket captain in the 1970s and 80s, he took virtually all responsibility for media engagement. They were different times, with few, if any, PR people running interference for the man with the biggest job in Australian sport. I was going to relate to the SEN crew an assignment I was given, when employed by Brisbane’s Telegraph newspaper. Sports Editor, John ‘Morto’ Morton sent photographer, Brian Church and I to Chappell’s home at Kenmore in Brisbane’s west. We arrived there about 7 am to be greeted by Greg’s wife, Judy, who was still in night attire. What did she do? Tell us to get lost? No, she invited us in, made us tea and toast, and went into the bedroom to stir Greg from his slumber. When he emerged he was polite, and answered every question I had for him. We left at 8 am, drove back to the office, and made the back page with our story and photo.
The funeral for former South Sydney and Australian forward, Gary Stevens is held in Sydney and it is great to see current Souths’ players like Cam Murray and Jack Wighton in attendance. In an interview with Rugby League Week’s Greg Prichard around 10 years ago, Stevens and his wife, Kay spoke about the knocks he took on the field, and the number of concussions he had suffered, with doctors of the opinion Gary’s battle with dementia was the result of football.
There was a koala in distress, up a pole at the front of our village, and although it was ‘rescued’ by locals and power workers, it later died.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7
We can play our LPs, thanks to the fact we have a new record player. One of the first records I play is Bob Seger’s ‘Stranger in Town’. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the song, ‘Till it Shines’.
At Happy Hour, at Samford Grove, a fellow resident comments about how unfair it is that a bloke who has had many ‘conquests’ is lauded as a stud, while a woman with a similar track record is sometimes called a mole. It IS unfair.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8
Neighbour, Elaine Holmes says she is descended from German immigrants (Hamburg) who settled on the Darling Downs. I have a nice chat with Elaine and her husband, George, as well as fellow neighbours, Jill Reeves and Sue Mortimer at the Samford Market, which is held on the second Saturday of every month.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Former England rugby league five eighth, Gareth Widdop is to play rugby union for Huddersfield, following his retirement from the 13-man game. Bradford, once a power house of English league, and now in the second tier Championship, bring back memories of their glory days with a win over Super League side, Bradford, in the knockout Challenge Cup competition.
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That should be Bradford beating Super League side Castleford