Western Reds fullback Julian O’Neill wraps up Broncos’ rival, Willie Carne in a trial in Perth in 1996
Perth’s Western Reds moved to sign Julian O’Neill after the star utility back was sacked by the Brisbane Broncos. The 22-year-old’s much publicised off-field behaviour was the root cause of his dismissal.
The Reds ultimately won his signature, but not before the Canterbury Bulldogs tried to convince him he was better off in Sydney rather than moving to another one team town. Bulldogs’ CEO, Bob Hagan, one of the first to identify O’Neill’s talent when he was a schoolboy footballer at St Brendan’s Yeppoon, said he would just be one of the crowd in Sydney.
“In Brisbane he couldn’t go to the corner shop without someone knowing about it,” Hagan said. “We have a history of stability in handling players and helping them get along with their lives.”
But Reds’ CEO, Brad Mellen said he believed Perth was the ideal place for O’Neill to start afresh, citing former Penrith and Balmain bad boy, Mark Geyer’s successful move to the west.
O’Neill’s manager, Barry Colins said a lot of things to do with Julian had been blown out of proportion, but some had not been exaggerated.
“It’s a two way street,” Collins said. “Julian is one of the nicest kids you would meet. He would give you the shirt off his back. But on some matters he is easily led.”
O’Neill’s sacking did not surprise Broncos’ teammates, but there was sadness across the board that a young man who had become an integral part of the club, was on his way.
Broncos’ prop, Glenn Lazarus said O’Neill was “one of a kind.” “It won’t be the same around here for a while,” Lazarus said.
Broncos’ CEO, Shane Edwards said O’Neill’s sacking in the off-season by the London Broncos over an outstanding drink driving charge had not been a factor in the club’s stand. However, an incident in which O’Neill and teammate, Willie Carne had been barred from Brisbane’s Treasury Casino, had had a bearing.
O’Neill joined the Broncos in 1990 and was a member of their premiership sides in 1992 and ’93.
When I interviewed O’Neill in 2013 for the book ‘Bennett’s Broncos’, he told me he had done “some pretty stupid things” but to go from school straight into one of the most high profile sporting clubs in Australia, it was hard to keep a level head.
“I regret some of the things I did, but I can’t go back and change them,” he said. “All I can do is advise so that the next group of players don’t make the same mistakes.”
About Author
