Paul McLean (left) and John Crilly at Peter Cameron’s funeral at New Farm
MONDAY, APRIL 14
The Courier-Mail’s Peter Badel recalls Ricky Stuart threatening to rip his head off after Badel wrote that the Stuart coached 2011 New South Wales side was the weakest ever fielded in State of Origin. Peter (my understudy in 2011) and I are chatting about the maelstrom arising from Roosters’ forward, Spencer Lenui’s verbal spray aimed at Channel 9’s former Cowboys’ star, Johnathan Thurston after the Chooks’ shock defeat of the Broncos. We both agree that JT, who we both love, should realise he has to have a thick skin when you part of the media pack. I have been abused numerous times by players and officials. The only time I have made a complaint was after I was pushed by a player in the dressing rooms, and that complaint was just to the club CEO asking him to have a quiet word to the player. I didn’t take it any further.
A radio SEN listener suggests the Gold Coast Titans should move A J Brimson back to fullback and reinstate Tom Weaver at halfback. Hear. Hear.
Our youngest son, Lliam takes his two boys, Ethan, 10, and Connor, 7, for on the 12km Dave’s Creek Circuit on the Lamington Plateau. It is one of my favourite walks and one of the few still open after Cyclone Alfie hit the region. I appreciate that there would be many fallen trees etc., and these tracks can’t be re-opened in a flash, but whether there has been a cyclone or not, it seems there are always a host of tracks out of commission on the plateau.
TUESDAY, APRIL 15
Peter Cameron’s funeral at New Farm provides a fitting farewell for the colourful former Queensland Newspapers’ turf writer and later columnist. There is a good roll-up of media types including Mark Oberhardt, Brian Burke, Des Houghton, Peter Gleeson, Ken Gordon, Bruce Clarke and Joe Begley, who is now a dedicated long distance runner. Mark is writing the history of GPS Rugby where he played for many years. Among the mourners are former St Edmunds Ipswich students, John Crilly and Paul McLean, with Crilly representing Queensland in rugby league while McLean is one of rugby union’s all time greats. St Edmunds, Peter Cameron’s alma mater, was a league school when Crilly and McLean attended. Another St Edmunds’ old boy, Liam Tansey delivers the words of remembrance, while celebrant Fr Leo Coote speaks of his along association with Peter. Fr Leo is the sort of character only the Catholic Church can produce, and I mean that as praise.
Former Queensland forward, Scott Sattler is hilarious on FoxSports Face to Face with interviewer, Yvonne Sampson. Scott’s late father, John captained Australia in rugby league, and was one of Australia’s genuine hard men. Scott says one of the few times his dad finished up worse for wear in a fight was after he was bashed by Australia’s Coat of Arms (emu and kangaroo). Evidently he was loading the animals into a truck for shipment to Hamilton Island, and they turned on him.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16
Fellow Samford Grove resident, Frank Fenech was 12 when his family emigrated from Malta to Australia. Now 83, he had 25 years in the Australian Army, serving in Malaya at one stage. Oh. For more migrants like Frank.
Learn of the passing of Mary Willis (nee Scarrabelotti) from Wooyung in the Tweed Shire, the wife of former Murwillumbah Souths’ rugby league player, Peter Willis, who I played against many times. Our son, Lliam and his two boys, Ethan and Connor return to Brisbane from their bush walking break on Lamington Plateau. They had hoped to return via Canungra, but were turned around by police who said there had been a fatality involving a truck going off the road.
THURSDAY, APRIL 17
Marie and I enjoy a seafood lunch at Fishways, Milton with Lliam and our two grandsons, Ethan and Connor. A Crimsafe tv ad features a burglar with a Pom accent. I mean, really? How many Pom burglars would there be in Australia? How about a burglar with an African, Indigenous or Polynesian accent. No. That would be racist.
Former Brisbane Men of League president, Reg Green sends me an old footy program (1977) which includes me in the second row with Brothers Reserve Grade, alongside Paul Dunning. Reg is fossicking for gems somewhere in Central Queensland.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18
Marie and I have fish and chips in one of the Member’s lounges at Suncorp Stadium ahead of the Dolphins v Storm game. Well, it was mainly chips piled on top of four tiny pieces of fish. Not good enough caterers. We are joined by a Queensland Reds’ fan, who comments on a bloke in a Crushers’ jersey. It wasn’t Garrick Morgan. We are also joined by a bloke in Gold Coast Suns (AFL) attire. He is originally from Melbourne (shock) and works for Horizon. The Dolphins win after being down 16-2. Amazing. The Storm lose promising centre, Jack Howarth to a painful shoulder dislocation.
A group of young blokes behind us are morons – they’re is no sugar coating it. Two of them are dark, with one looking like Ezra Mam and the other like Xavier Coates. One bloke spills his drink on Marie twice, and doesn’t apologise. So we move.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19
Marie and I enjoy drinks and snacks with neighbours, with the little event hosted by Gordon and Sally Mayocchi. Queensland league legend, Wally Lewis marries for a second time at Kangaroo Point. I met Wally and his new wife-to-be – Lynda Adams – at a function at Home Hill last year. Other Origin legends at the service include Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin and Gene Miles.
There is an empty block of land in Main Street, Samford, and it is an absolute disgrace. OK, the grass is mowed quite regularly but there are huge holes which fill with muddy water whenever it rains, no doubt providing a haven for mosquitoes, and at a time when Japanese encephalitis is rife. I am told the block is one of many owned across Australia by Woolies, blocks they keep vacant until one day (hopefully never) they get approval to build a totally unnecessary supermarket. Just another reason not to shop with Woolies.
SUNDAY, APRIL 20
Father Joe Duffy says Easter Sunday Mass at Samford and is a delight with the way he engages with what is a packed congregation. Fr. Duffy has retired as a parish priest, but still makes himself available for services. A resident of Carseldine in Brisbane’s north, he says he went to the local newsagency to buy the Australian (“I only get it four times a year as I don’t think I’m old enough to be a subscriber) and the proprietors were of Indian heritage. “They wished me Happy Easter” he said, something he appreciated, and it is the common greeting at this time of year for people professing to be Christian. But Fr Duffy says the more appropriate greeting is “Paschal greetings”. After Mass I mention to Fr Joe that Marie and I went to a Gaelic football match in Dublin in 1977, courtesy of Joe Duffy from Malahide. Fr Duffy says he is not even sure Duffy should be his surname as one of his ancestors used a false name – James Duffy – to board a ship from Ireland to Australia. Marie and I enjoy morning tea with Mike and Julie Gallway – at Long Larder, which has a reasonably priced menu and half serve options. How refreshing.
Cronulla belt Newcastle in Newcastle and my Hunter Valley based mate, Greg Grainger believes the signing (for 2026) of Dylan Brown from Parramatta has caused “a bit of conflict in the camp”. Tom Weaver, the grandson of my former Murwillumbah Brothers’ under-18 captain, Paul Weaver, gets his first start for the Gold Coast Titans this year and plays quite well in the Titans’ 30-20 loss to Canberra.
Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese is a guest on the NRL Footy Show on Channel 9. ‘Albo’ says if he wasn’t a politician he would be chairman of his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs. Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton supports the Samford Stags. A Greens candidate knocks on the door of my youngest brother, Stewart’s residence at Runcorn in Brisbane’s south, and gets short shift. I don’t think the Greens are rugby league people. My sister, Gay Lynch and her husband, David are in Ballarat where there is an avenue of busts dedicated to our former Prime Ministers.
About Author
