John ‘Cracker’ McDonald ( second from right) in his Manly-Warringah days chasing Eastern Suburbs’ centre Mark Harris at Sydney Sports Ground. The other Manly players are Bob Fulton (left) and Ken Irvine
A brilliant 75-yard try by winger, Neil Porter highlighted Brothers’ 23-9 win over bitter rivals Norths at Lang Park in the first match of 1966 Brisbane Rugby League Premiership season.
Porter beat four defenders after taking a pass off the ruck from lock Wayne Abdy, first of all beating his opposite, then eluding the cover before dodging fullback Harry Bates and then chopping inside the second lot of cover.
“It was the best try I have seen for a long time in a club match,” wrote The Courier-Mail’s Jack Reardon, a former Test centre.
Three minutes after that beauty Porter was in again taking a pass from international forward, Noel Cavanagh after Cavanagh broke the line. This signalled the end of Norths who had done well to stay in the contest against an obviously better drilled and conditioned side. Norths had led 4-2 at halftime.
Brothers went into the match effectively back at full strength with Test forward, Peter Gallagher and State forward, Dennis Manteit (who would go on to play for Australia) returning from injury. Porter’s co-winger was former Queensland under-19 rugby union winger Pat McGuire, a late replacement for the injured Brian Milburn.
Norths had beaten Brothers 30-12 in a trial at Corbett Park, Grange, but Brothers had rested a number of players after defeating Toowoomba Valleys four days earlier in the final of a $3,000 floodlit competition – played at Corbett park.
State centre (and former Test star) John ‘Cracker’ McDonald played for the Toowoomba side and was the best player on field although Peter Gallagher crossed for two tries for Brothers.
Test five eighth, Johnny Gleeson played in the match against Toowoomba Valleys after signing for Brothers from Toowoomba Souths. Gleeson had flown to Sydney earlier in the year to talk to several clubs but “met with a restrained reception” by officials, according to The Courier-Mail’s Lawrie Kavanagh.
“Sydney clubs just don’t want to touch Queensland representatives this year,” Gleeson told Kavanagh. “I believe the (inter-state) transfer ban imposed by the QRL is really going to work.” Gleeson had played for Wynnum-Manly in 1964 before returning to his home region, the Darling Downs.
Gleeson also played in the Round 1 Premiership win over Norths with Barry ‘Tubby’ Dowling moved to the centres.
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