Titans’ star, Mat Rogers tackled by Roosters’ rival Mitch Aubusson
Dual international, Mat Rogers proved the Gold Coast’s match winning road warrior for the second week in row as he inspired the Titans to a 28-20 victory over New Zealand Warriors in Auckland.
Five eighth Rogers scored two second half tries after the scores had been locked 12-all at the break. Centre, Steve Michaels also grabbed a double with winger, William Zillman the other try scorer. Halfback, Scott Prince kicked four goals from five attempts while Rogers missed with his only attempt.
Rogers had kicked the winning field goal from dummy half the week before in a shock 11-10 win over St George Illawarra at Kogarah Jubilee Oval.
The win in Auckland elevated the Titans to fifth spot making them the highest ranked Queensland side on the NRL ladder on 25 points, one point clear of the Broncos and 11 ahead of the Cowboys.
I covered the Auckland match for The Courier-Mail, and caught up with New Zealand Radio’s Allen McLaughlin, who was celebrating 35 years in the media. I had been 40 years in the media at that stage, but experience didn’t always help when it came to getting stories, as I found when I tried to interview Scott Prince, who told me he was on a self imposed media ban.
While in Auckland I received the sad news that Rob Delaney, a former neighbour from Tumbulgum Road, Murwillumbah, had died from motor neuron disease. Rob was a talented rugby league player at St John’s Catholic College Woodlawn (just outside Lismore) and for Murwillumbah Old Boys, a club where his father, Percy had been official. Rob was a teacher at Woodlawn at the time of his passing.
In Britain, rugby league fans were mourning the passing of Carl Dooler, who had toured Australia and New Zealand with the 1966 Great Britain side. He was kept out of the Test side by the great Tommy Bishop, but played 15 matches on tour, usually with Willy Aspinall as his five eighth. Alan Hardisty was first choice five eighth for the Tests.
The biggest moment of Dooler’s tour was a win over Auckland, a match with close to Test match standard given the strength of rugby league in New Zealand’s largest city. Britain won 12-11 at Carlaw Park. Dooler also scored two tries in a 27-5 win over West Coast at Wingham Park, Greymouth.
In 1967 Dooler was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy as player of the match in Featherstone Rovers’ Challenge Cup 17-12 win over Barrow at London’s Wembley Stadium. Dooler kicked a field goal. Her Majesty the Queen presented the Challenge Cup to Rovers’ captain, Malcolm Dixon.
Dooler was only 67 when he died at North Shields in England’s North East.
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