Wingham rugby league players leave the Showgrounds after yet another game in the mud in 1974
MONDAY MARCH 10
Cyclone Alfie may have been something of a fizzer, in terms of traditional cyclones. But it has left a low level system which is slow moving and dropping heaps of rain. There are widespread blackouts in Samford Valley where we live and Drakes’ supermarket is the only place open in town, along with the pub, which has done a roaring trade. There are lots of rural fire brigade trucks in Main Street along with an Ergon vehicle and a long load with a digger. Neighbours, John and Nora Rothwell drive to Brookside Shopping Centre to charge their devices. Things could be a lot worse. Fellow member of the QRL History Committee, Greg Shannon was without power for 16 days when Cyclone Gazi hit North Queensland in 1999. Rugby league games were called off left, right and centre over the weekend because of the state of the fields. We (Murwillumbah Brothers) wouldn’t have played a game in 1974 if authorities had that approach.
TUESDAY MARCH 11
Samford Patisserie displays this sign: ‘Coffee from 6 am and anything else we can rustle up from the supplies we have.’ I pass a rural fire fighter in the main street and thank him for his hard work.
I know you shouldn’t judge people on first impressions but AFL coach, Craig McRae looks a total wanker as he abuses a rival coach. I am reliably informed that former Test rugby league winger, Les Kiss – now coach of Rugby’s Queensland Reds – occasionally shows rugby league highlights at Reds’ team meetings.
Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese has a crack at US President Trump for imposing widespread tariffs. I wish he was as quick to bag China over some of their activities.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12
Samford Grove manager, Maureen is still without power at her residence at nearby Camp Mountain. Groundsman, Lachlan, who lives at Amstrong Creek, only got his power back yesterday,
Fellow resident, Geoff Burtenshaw has written several love stories, which he would like to see acted out here in our cinema, with other residents to volunteer as actors. I wish him good luck. Geoff is related, through marriage, to radio personality, Richard David Magoffin, who was also a noted stockman. Geoff worked in banks and was based at Julia Creek at one stage. Louise has a relative – Ian Collins – who was a radio presenter for 4KQ. He now lives at Bowral on the southern Highlands of New Soth Wales and flies to Sydney for radio work.
THURSDAY, MARCH 13
Long serving sports journalist, Sean Lawson’s mum has turned 100. My fellow history committee member, Greg Adermann didn’t know that Brisbane Easts boasted identical twins – the Lawsons – back in the 1970s. He had heard of Newtown’s Dawson twins, but not ‘our own’ Lawson twins. Easts’ former Test hooker, John Lang travels to Brisbane for a get together with old teammates, including Errol Slingsby, Des Morris and Paul Khan.
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
Ed Farish, former financial controller at the NRL, was farewelled today following his sudden death a few weeks back. A wake for Ed, who I had quite a bit to do with, is being held at QRL offices when I arrive to help set up things for tomorrow’s annual Ross Livermore Memorial Lecture. I have a long chat with Ed’s close friend, Indigenous official, Matt Francis. Also catch up with inaugural Gold Coast Titans’ CEO, Michael Searle and Wellington Orcas Bid team head, Andrew Chalmers who tells me Maori and Polynesians make up 30 percent of New Zealand’s population and 40 percent of those under-20. Chalmers says league is ‘the go’ with young people across the ditch, not union. I played a number of rugby league games against Michael’s late dad, Tom Searle, a New South Wales Country rep. Michael says I am missed as a rugby league writer.
Joseph Maranta, grandson of Broncos’ founding father, Barry Maranta, calls into the office ahead of starting in the QRL’s digital department.
Jan Bamkin, a former office manager at Channel 7 in Brisbane, recalls a possum shitting on sports reporter, Pat Welsh’s new contract. Channel 7 is located in the bush.
Former St George and Wests’ Magpies’ hooker, Jack Jeffries has died, aged 68. Jeffries is the fellow paired with Tom Raudonikis in the infamous face slapping scenes in the Wests’ Magpies’ dressing rooms. Jeffries toured England with the 1972 Australian Schoolboys side, coached by Roy Masters. Jeffries was selected from Keira High in the Illawarra along with Craig Young. He was a Thirroul junior. That Schoolboys side includes one player from Western Australia, but none from Queensland as Queensland Secondary Schools were in dispute with New South Wales, so NSW chose a NSW side; three in a kid from WA, and oput Australian jerseys on them.
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
QRL Boss, Ben Ikin and former Super League CEO, John Ribot are guest speakers at the annual Ross Livermore Memorial Lecture art QRL headquarters. It is the first time we have had a panel for the Lecture, which kicked off back in 2010. Noted media commentator, John McCoy is moderator and the contributions from Ikin and Ribot are well received by a packed room. Ikin was only 18 when the News Ltd back Super League started recruiting players for a rebel competiton. He stayed loyal to the ARL, but not, at the time anyway, for any ethical reasons. Ikin and his roommate each received $10,000 as a one off loyalty payment from the ARL. Ikin’s roommate spent the whole lot on a fish tank, much to Ben’s amusement. Ben was just happy to be paid to play footy and to remain living on the Gold Coast where he grew up. John Ribot’s son, Justin is present for the Lecture. John’s grandson plays rugby union for GPS. Also at the lecture is Scott Watson, son of former Test centre, the late Alex Watson. Scott says his dad played touch football for the Kangaroos against a Hollywood selection when the Roos’ stopped in the USA on the way back from the 1956-57 Kangaroo tour of Britain and France. “Dad always boasted he took out Frank Sinatra,” Scott laughs. Lucky he didn’t have the Mafia after him.
A former speaker – John Lang – had a good excuse for not attending. He had to be at Langlands Park, Stones Corner, home ground of Easts Tigers, where they were naming a stand in his honour.
SUNDAY MARCH 16
News Ltd senior sports editor, Phil Rothfield plugs the launch of the Dick Thornett Book ‘The Natural’, and also mentions the passing of Ed Farish. I had a chat to Phil during the week, and he laments the fact that young sports journalists don’t go to the trouble of cultivating contacts, relying largely on reporting what others in the media say. I have noticed. Channel 9 Footy Show’s show highlights of the ‘water splash’ 1968 Challenge Cup rugby league final at Wembley between Wakefield and Leeds. Wakefield’s Don Fox missed a conversion from in front on fulltime, which would have won the game. The poor fellow slipped as he went to kick the ball. He was heart broken and the miss haunted him for the rest of his life. (He was man of the match, by the way, a decision which had been made by the league writers before the missed goal, so it wasn’t a sympathy vote). Andrew Johns has a chuckle when he sees the missed goal, but I wonder if he would have reacted differently if he had known the whole story. It would be like Joey missing a vital goal from in front in the grand final. Would he ever get over it?
France win rugby union’s Six Nations. Will we ever see French Rugby League return to its glory days of the 1950s and 60s? I doubt it. Rugby union has too much of a stranglehold now.
Marie and I enjoy live music from Lucy Gallant at Little Tree Samford. Lucy is on a mission to save the world. Good luck.
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