Tag Archives: Willie Mason

DIARY UPDATE: Week 5, 2021

25/08/2021by SteveRicketts 1 Comment

DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK FIVE 2021 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Noted rugby league administrator, Shane Richardson is one of the driving forces behind the Brisbane Easts’ (Firehawks) […]

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Diary of a retired Rugby League Journalist

IN LONDON WITH THE KANGAROOS

22/06/2020by SteveRicketts Leave a comment

TRAVEL ‘Big Willie’ Mason was polite, as he declined my request for an interview, at London’s Heathrow Airport. “‘Sorry Steve. ‘Wayne’ has put me on a media ban,” he said. […]

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Travel

HISTORIC TONGA V AUSTRALIA RUGBY LEAGUE TEST

21/10/2018by SteveRicketts 1 Comment

COMMENT by Steve Ricketts. Former Chief Rugby League writer, The Courier-Mail. I never thought I would cheer so loudly for Australia to beat a ‘second tier’ rugby league country. But, […]

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IMAGE GALLERY

They love their league in the pretty French town of Limoux.

Jon and Lola Ricketts on their wedding day, May 12, 1951, outside St Carthages Cathedral, Lismore.

Kevin and Mary Donnelly in 1975

Western Division coach, Johnny King holds the Amco Cup aloft after the country boys’ 6-2 win over Penrith in the final of the knock-out competition’s inaugural season in 1974. To King’s right is cult hero, ‘TV Ted’ Ellery.

Rodger Kuhn in action for Easts at Lang Park

Scene from a Brisbane v Toowoomba Bulimba Cup match at the Gabba in the 1950s, with Brisbane on the attack. Photo from the Melit family collection.

Referee, Stan Scamp issues a caution to Easts, Greg Holben, one of many the fiery five eighth received in his career

Valleys coach, Henry Holloway

‘Sister Dorrie’ and Tex Morton. Born Dorothy May Ricketts, ‘Sister’ Dorrie was my great Aunty.

Tall winger, Darren Plowman. He was one of the Crushers’ best in their first top grade hit-out against Manly at Emerald

Darren Smith in action for his first club, Brisbane Easts

Jack Reardon (right) with former QRL boss, Ron McAuliffe (centre) and noted Brisbane journalist, Paul Sweeney

Manly skipper, Fred Jones celebrates the Sea Eagles’ 1972 grand final win over the Roosters. Allan Thompson is behind him and Terry Randall on the right.

French captain, Puig Aubert (right) shakes hands with British counterpart, Scotsman, Dave Valentine, ahead of their World Cup clash in Toulouse. Watching on is English referee, Charlie Appleton from Warrington

‘Smokin’ Joe Kilroy and Brett Le Man at Brothers’ training.

Lee Crooks in action for Great Britain against Australia

Don Lancashire and his wife, Carol at their Mount Warren home in Queensland

Reg Gasnier

Wigan superstar, Ellery Hanley

Andrew Ettingshausen

Clive Churchill (centre back) in the official Easts team photo from 1965. In the centre at the front is skipper, Ben Wall.

Ken Day in his Manly-Warringah gear

Wally Lewis, pictured here during his stint with English club, Wakefield, played in five Brisbane grand finals, winning three.

ARL boss, Ken Arthurson

Ross Strudwick sells raffle tickets at the Kirra Beach Hotel in the 1980s

Adrian Lam on the attack for Brisbane Wests with Ipswich Jets lock, Jeremy Schloss applying the pressure in defence.

French manager, Antoine Blain receives the symbolic gift of a Kangaroo from Queensland Rugby League president, Vic Jensen during the historic 1951 tour

Peter Gallagher in action for Queensland against New South Wales at the SCG.

The late, great Harold ‘Mick’ Crocker.

Wayne Lindenberg in action for Easts

Canberra Raiders’ winger, John Ferguson

Allan Ayres (second from left in the back row) could have been anything in rugby league. He is pictured here with the 1971 Tweed/Gold Coast premiership winning South Murwillumbah side. The captain-coach was Claude McDermott (third from right in the front row).

Frank Stanton as coach of the New South Wales State of Origin side in 1984. Legendary trainer, Alf Richards is on his right and prop, Peter Tunks on his left.

Noel Cleal in action for NSW

Greg Conescu in a pensive mood

Shane Bernardin trains with Redcliffe, the club he joined after leaving Norths

Claude Mantoulan on the attack in a Test against Great Britain

France rugby league forward, Jean Pambrun in action for Catalans XIII

Dean Pay in action for Canterbury-Bankstown. Pay scored a try in the 1994 Ashes decider.

Kiwi Test hooker, Duane Mann in action for New Zealand Residents versus Australian Residents at Lang Park in 1994, watched by rival hooker, Shane Christensen.

Peter Leis in action for Redcliffe

Eric Harris (centre) with Leeds’ teammates, Welshman, Con Murphy (left) and John Kelly before a match in the 1938-39 English season

Don Fox scores for Featherstone with referee, Eric Clay on the spot to award the try. Australian defenders are nowhere to be seen.

David Waite (right) when he was Great Britain coach. His assistant at that time, Brian Noble, is the other man in the photo.

Ben Ikin (left) with former Broncos’ Test prop, Shane Webcke at a Men of League function.

Murwillumbah Brothers’ captain-coach, Milton Whybrow (second from left), watches the progress of teammate, Jack Nardi in the play-off for fifth spot in the 1974 Group 18-Gold Coast finals series at Murwillumbah Oval. Prop, Paul ‘Porky’ Weaver is on Whybrow’s left. Surfers Paradise captain-coach, John Chisholm (left knee strapped) sizes up Nardi. The Pirates won, but Tweed Heads Seagulls would go on to beat Mullumbimby in the grand final.

Brad Backer in action for Easts

Doug Muir in action for Brisbane club, Valleys

Gene Miles in action for the Broncos. He started his senior career with Souths in Townsville.

Captain, Gary Freeman tries to rally Kiwi teammates after Australia score a try in the series deciding Third Test at Lang Park, Brisbane in 1991. Australia won 40-12

Duncan Thompson

Alex Murphy holds the Challenge Cup aloft after leading Leigh to victory over Leeds at Wembley