John Bevan scores a try for Warrington against Widnes at Wembley in 1975
Canterbury-Bankstown winger, Chris Anderson was flown to England to play for Widnes in the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, after he had spent a period on loan to the club earlier in the season when he scored 18 tries in as many appearances.
Widnes officials believed the return airfare would be money well spent for the match against Warrington, but it was a bitter blow to the other wing candidates, Jimmy O’Neill and Terry Karalius.
Widnes coach, Vince Karalius, the brother of Terry, justified his call by reminding critics that neither Terry or O’Neill were specialist wingers. (The other winger for Widnes was Alan Prescott).
“Anderson is, in my opinion, the best winger in the world,” Karalius said.
But there was an amazing sub-plot with Anderson arrested by British police the minute he got off the plane in London. There had been a warrant out for him in connection with a motoring offence, but, in the end, he was free to play at Wembley.
The game was the first between two clubs from Cheshire, although as far as supporters of Widnes and Warrington were concerned, they were still part of Lancashire, despite boundary changes by bureaucrats in Westminster.
Warrington took an early 5-0 lead after Welsh winger, John Bevan scored from a grubber kick by hooker, Kevin Ashcroft with fullback, Derek Whitehead converting.
Widnes fullback, Ray Dutton kicked two penalty goals, and then ‘The Chemics” took the lead when giant Welsh prop, Jim Mills scored after great lead-up work by centre, Mal Aspey and five eighth, Eric Hughes. Dutton converted and then landed another penalty for Widnes to lead 11-5 at halftime.
Mills, a product of the Cardiff rugby club, had played for Halifax when he first switched codes, but during a stint with North Sydney heard glowing reports about Widnes from Australian based Widnesian, Brian Atherton, and linked with the club on the Mersey, where he remains to this day.
Warrington scored first in the second half when Whitehead kicked a 40 metre goal after Widnes halfback, Reg Bowden questioned a decision against him by referee, Peter Geraghty from York.
Dutton then kicked a 30-metre field goal, the first at Wembley under its new value of one point. He added another penalty goal in the 53rd minute, and Widnes hung on for a 14-7 win with Dutton winning the Lance Todd Trophy as Man of the Match.
It was Warrington coach, Alex Murphy’s first club loss at Wembley having won there as a player with St Helens in 1961 and 1966; Leigh in 1971 and Warrington in 1974. Karalius kept alive his unbeaten club run at the stadium, having won there as a player in 1956 and 1961, and Widnes in 1964. Both men were in a Great Britain side beaten by Australia at Wembley in 1963.
The Challenge Cup was presented by H. R.H. Princess Alexandra. The crowd was 85,098.
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