FLASHBACK: June, 1970
JUNE 1970 There have been at least three ‘Battles of Brisbane’, involving the Australian and Great Britain rugby league sides, and I was ‘privileged’ to be in the crowd for […]
Tag Archives: Arthur Beetson
FLASHBACK: May, 1995
MAY 1995 London Broncos were confirmed as part of the new English Summer Super League competition, despite protests from a number of northern clubs. London director, Barry Maranta, a former […]
FLASHBACK: May 1970
FLASHBACK MAY 1970 Brisbane ‘pinched’ the ‘Gold Top Cup’ State Championship from Central Queensland, 45 seconds from the end of the final at Lang Park. Brisbane won 14-12 in a […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 27, 2019
DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK 27 MONDAY, JULY 8 A Burdekin Roosters’ banner adorns the main street of Ayr, the principal town in the Burdekin Valley. This […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 9, 2019
DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK 9 2019 MONDAY, MARCH 4 The Courier-Mail’s Peter Badel asks new Brisbane Broncos’ coach, Anthony Siebold if he will continue with plans […]
MEMORIES OF ‘CHANG’ IN LYON
TRAVEL The first time I knew of the French city of Lyon was November 11, 1972 when Australia and Great Britain met in the final of the rugby league World […]
FLASHBACK: SEPTEMBER 1959
SEPTEMBER 1959 Norths moved for Redcliffe to be admitted to the Brisbane Rugby League first grade competition in 1960, even though it would mean ceding some of their territory to […]
KANGAROOS ON TOUR UNDER BENNETT
TRAVEL Phil ‘Gus’ Gould had a heart scare and Tonie Carroll was called a traitor. What a start it was to my 2004 Tri-Nations Test rugby league campaign, as a […]
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
IT’S a photograph which has always fascinated me. Australian skipper, Arthur Beetson is holding a trophy aloft, as his teammates gather round. The photograph obviously was taken before a match, […]
THE LUCK OF THE IRISH
It was my lucky day. A pint of beer for a penny! My wife, Marie and I walked into the ‘Hooded Cloak’ pub in Macroom, Ireland, intent on one or […]
SOMETHING MORE THAN VICTORY
In 1992 ‘the Sunday-Mail’ gave me the task of reviewing a book called ‘Something More than Victory’, by Adrian Zupp. The book was effectively a diary of the 1991 New […]
PACK YOUR BAGS GATOR
It’s not often you get to tell a young man he has just been selected for Australia. But I had that honor in 1983 when second rower, Wally Fullerton Smith […]
FLASHBACK: September 1978
SEPTEMBER, 1978 Referee, Ian Smith was spat at by a spectator and widely abused after Brisbane Rugby League premiers, Easts, defeated Redcliffe 21-16 in a major semi-final at Lang Park. […]
FLASHBACK: August 1978
AUGUST 1978 State rugby league centre, Brad Kennedy, semi-paralysed after a tackle in a Fourex Cup match in Ipswich the previous month, made a remarkable recovery, and returned home to Gympie. […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 23, 2016
MONDAY, JUNE 6 Get my haircut at Stafford today, and an almost bald guy storms off, swearing as he goes, when the barber tells him there is a half hour wait. […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 6, 2016
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Morning tea with my former Murwillumbah Brothers’ teammate, Kevin ‘Porky’ Weaver, who is in Brisbane to be with his wife, Jan who is in hospital. ‘Porky’ has had […]
FLASHBACK: May 1977
NORTHS’ hooker, Nick Geiger was the obvious, but somewhat controversial choice in the Queensland side to play New South Wales in the first match of the 1977 inter-state series, with […]
FLASHBACK: February 1982
Valleys’ rugby league coach, Ross Strudwick predicted Murgon product, Bryan Niebling would play for Australia that season, either against the touring Kiwis or on the Kangaroos’ European tour. Strudwick, who […]
FLASHBACK: January 1982
Redcliffe rugby league fans were left stunned by the news their fiery former State fullback, Tony Obst would play with 1981 wooden spooners, Brothers in 1982. Originally from Longreach, Obst had […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 45, 2015
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Melbourne Cup day, and Marie goes next door to Bandits/Brothers Club and places several bets. My money was on Bondi Beach (on the nose). We both dip out, with […]
