VALE GEOFF McLACHLAN
Geoff McLachlan was one of Queensland’s finest sports photographers, with a particular affection for the rugby league code. McLachlan, who played league for Wynnum-Manly, died in September, aged 78. It […]
Category Archives: The Column
TOMATO KINGS OF TUMBULGUM
Former Test rugby league halfback, Tom Raudonikis had the nickname ‘Tomato Tom’ during his time in Brisbane, but the tag just have easily could have been applied to former Queensland […]
GREAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY AT GOODNA
The first time I heard mention of the Ipswich suburb of Goodna, was when other kids told me, that’s where you finish up, if you go crazy. I was living […]
THE GUNSYND BAR
Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium boasts many fine hospitality suites, but there is nothing to compare with the ‘Gunsynd Bar’ in the old Frank Burke Stand, at what was called Lang Park […]
THE GREATEST DERBIES?
It is one of my great regrets, and yes, there have been a few, that I never had the chance to attend a Wigan v St Helens derby match in […]
A CHANGE OF MIND ABOUT FREDDY
I must confess to having under-estimated Brad Fittler, when he was thrown into a leadership role during the Super League War in the 1990s. To me, he wasn’t a great […]
‘GARY SOBERS KING CRICKET’. A PRIZE TO CHERISH.
THE West Indies’ convincing home Test series victory over Australia in 1964-65, left me devastated, as I thought we were invincible at that time, under the captaincy of Bob Simpson. […]
Taking It To The Streets
The Second Life of the Newtown RLFC, by Glen Dwyer Book review. It is one of the regrets of my life in rugby league, to date, that I have never […]
VALE NOEL KELLY OAM
By QRL History Committee Chairman, Steve Ricketts, who was a judge for the ARL Team of the Century. Australian Rugby League ‘Team of the Century’ hooker, Noel Kelly was one […]
ARTHUR SUMMONS – GENTLEMAN GLADIATOR
By STEVE RICKETTS ARTHUR Summons had the dubious honour of coaching the last Australian team to lose an Ashes Rugby League series against Great Britain. He won’t be remembered for […]
VALE BIG LEAGUE?
Have we seen the last of ‘Big League’? I fear for the future of the official program of the NRL, after it closed shop for the rest of the 2020 […]
‘STORMY SIXTIES’ by Roger Grime
BOOK REVIEW Rugby League in France soared to incredible highs and plummeted to unparalleled lows in the 1960s, a decade covered by noted English rugby league author, Roger Grime, from […]
CAPTAIN COOK BICENTENARY CELEBRATIONS 1970
When I met ‘The Queen’ on April 30, 1970, the conversation went (exactly) like this. (It’s not something you forget). Her Majesty: What is your name? Yours truly: Stephen Ricketts. […]
FROM TEXAS TO ALICE SPRINGS, VIA WYNNUM AND BLACKPOOL
When rugby league fans talk about ‘what might have been’, the name Terry Saunders quickly springs to mind. Chosen for the Queensland State of Origin side in 1981, the Wynnum-Manly star’s […]
THE MEN IN BLACK
‘The mighty All Blacks’ The first time I took substantial notice of New Zealand’s legendary national rugby union team was 1967, when they were touring the UK and France at […]
VALE TONY BRANSON
VALE TONY BRANSON From all accounts, Tony Branson was a quiet country lad, who felt uncomfortable with all the media and public attention that came with being a rugby league […]
VALE FRANK MYLER
VALE FRANK MYLER Frank Myler made his first team debut for Widnes when he was just 16, in 1955. Fifteen years later he captained the Great Britain Lions rugby league […]
REV HEAD MICK
Former Test rugby league winger, Michael Hancock was a ‘rev head’ in his younger days at Stanthorpe, where he said there wasn’t much to do as a teenager. In an […]
ORIGIN FOOTBALL AT CROSSROADS
COMMENT by Steve Ricketts, former Chief Rugby League Writer, The Courier-Mail Good luck to rugby league administrators next year, as they try to promote State of Origin as ‘The Best […]
WELL DONE ROOSTERS
Take a bow Trent Robinson. If every coach was like the Sydney Roosters’ boss, maybe our game would be known, and played, more widely. Robinson took his NRL championship winning […]
