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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Diary of a retired Rugby League writer
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IMAGE GALLERY

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

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.

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

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.

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

Rodger Kuhn in action for Easts at Lang Park

Ken Day in his Manly-Warringah gear

Andrew Ettingshausen

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.

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.

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

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

Kevin and Mary Donnelly in 1975

Doug Muir in action for Brisbane club, Valleys

Reg Gasnier

Lee Crooks in action for Great Britain against Australia

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.

ARL boss, Ken Arthurson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Duncan Thompson

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

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

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

Canberra Raiders’ winger, John Ferguson

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

Wigan superstar, Ellery Hanley

Valleys coach, Henry Holloway

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.

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

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

Noel Cleal in action for NSW

Peter Leis in action for Redcliffe

Darren Smith in action for his first club, Brisbane Easts

Claude Mantoulan on the attack in a Test against Great Britain

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

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

Greg Conescu in a pensive mood

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).

Wayne Lindenberg in action for Easts

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

Brad Backer in action for Easts

The late, great Harold ‘Mick’ Crocker.

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

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