FLASHBACK: February 1988
FLASHBACK: February 1988 The changing face of the Brisbane Rugby League premiership was illustrated by the make-up of a 27 man squad chosen to prepare for the National Panasonic Cup […]
FLASHBACK: February 1978
FLASHBACK: February 1978 Second rower, Gary Walker made an impressive Brisbane Rugby League debut – for Norths – in the Woolies pre-season competition. Walker was signed by Norths’ president, and former […]
FLASHBACK: February 1958
FLASHBACK: FEBRUARY 1958 The Great Britain rugby league team to tour Australia was sparing no expense to retain the Ashes, and to restore pride after the Lions lost 2-1 in […]
FLASHBACK: February 1938
FLASHBACK: FEBRUARY 1938 The English Rugby League farewelled the Australian tourists at the Griffin Hotel, Leeds. A high note was struck in a letter from Tom Reynolds, the ‘Daily Herald’ […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 25, 2016
WEEK 25 2016 MONDAY, JUNE 20 Walk Bunya Mountains National Park – Festoon Falls, Barker Creek, Paradise Falls. Surprising number of walkers, given the crook weather. Only one tree down. Thought […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 24, 2016
WEEK 24 2016 MONDAY, JUNE 13 ANOTHER day of exploring the delights of Carnarvon National Park, including Baloon Cave, Mickey Creek and Warrumbah Gorge, the latter the highlight. Dr Philip Crisp […]
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 22, 2016
MONDAY, MAY 30 Watch quirky New Zealand movie, ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’. Very good. Love the line about the ‘Bloody Warriors’ (rugby league side). Bump into former Courier-Mail workmate, Darryl […]
FLASHBACK: January 1988
The 10 Brisbane Rugby League Clubs were looking towards a season without State of Origin stars and Internationals, with all players of that calibre having signed with New South Wales […]
FLASHBACK: January 1978
Contract dramas at Brisbane Brothers saw three of the club’s highest profile players – David Wright, Ian Dauth and Bob Cock – quit the club to play for Nerang Roosters in […]
FLASHBACK: January 1968
A letter of complaint about the off-field behavior of the Kangaroos’ touring side was sent by the English Rugby League to their Australian counterparts. The Kangaroos were well into the French […]
FLASHBACK: January 1938
France ‘tackled furiously’, but it was not enough to stop the touring Kangaroos wraping up the two Test series with a 16-11 result at Marseilles in front of a crowd […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 21, 2016
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 To Parliament House for State of Origin function. Farmers are protesting in George Street, asking for a fair price for milk. It is all very orderly, unlike […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 20, 2016
MONDAY, MAY 16. A minute’s silence is observed for former international centre, Rod Saddler ahead of the Titans v Roosters’ NRL match at Robina. That was my doing, I am proud […]
FLASHBACK: November 1967
Brisbane Brothers’ legend, Peter Gallagher captained Australia to a memorable 17-11 win over Great Britain at London’s White City Stadium, to keep alive the Ashes series, after the home side won […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 19, 2016
MONDAY, MAY 9 To Anne Hession’s funeral. So sad. First person I bump into is my former strapper at Murwillumbah Brothers, Dave Stuart and his wife, Jo (nee Hession). Anne’s brother, […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 18, 2016
MONDAY, MAY 2 Learn of the passing of Anne Maree Hession (nee McDonald), after a long battle with illness. She was only 62, the wife of one my former schoolmates and […]
FLASHBACK: December 1987
Queensland rugby league forward, Mark Hohn vowed to give the Brisbane Broncos full value, despite having suffered his second broken leg in three months – while playing for English club, […]
FLASHBACK: December 1967
Snow blasted the Australians as they confronted the old enemy, Great Britain in the Ashes deciding Third Rugby League Test, but the lads from down under handled the conditions better than the […]
FLASHBACK: December 1947
The first ever Test between France and New Zealand resulted in disappointment for a courageous home side, three days after Christmas, 1947. The Kiwis had been meant to play France […]
FLASHBACK: December 1937
Australia’s touring Kangaroos played an extraodinary three matches in four days on their tour of Britain, and not surprisingly finished on the wrong end of the scoreline in two encounters. […]
FLASHBACK: November 1997
THAT most vitriolic of Super League opponents, George Piggins, the South Sydney chairman, said he was willing to sit down with Melbourne Storm counterpart, John Ribot in the interests of […]
FLASHBACK: November 1947
The Rugby Football League announced it would trial a ‘throw-in’, instead of a scrum, during the New Zealand Kiwi’s French leg of their northern hemisphere tour. Noted Australian journalist, Tom […]
FLASHBACK: November 1937
ENGLAND retained the rugby league Ashes Trophy with a 13-3 win over a gallant Australian side at Swinton in Lancashire. The home side dominated possession and backs, Emlyn Jenkins (Salford) and Sam Brogden […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 16, 2016
MONDAY, APRIL 18 Mario Romeo Rigo, former personal chef to Australian Prime Minister, Harold Holt, dies at the age of 70. My wife and I dined at ‘Romeo’s’ in Brisbane a […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 15, 2016
TUESDAY, APRIL 12 Marie’s younger brother, John Donnelly turns 60, and celebrates with wife, Jan at Tweed Heads Bowls Club. Learn that the man they call ‘Mr Murwillumbah’, Phil Taylor, […]
FLASHBACK: October 1997
Any faint hopes that Britain’s top clubs would redeem themselves in the quarter finals of Super League’s Visa World Club Challenge were dashed when all four English clubs were knocked out […]
FLASHBACK: October 1987
Chris Johns, the first of the Brisbane Broncos New South Wales’ signings, took up residency in Brisbane after a four year first grade career with St George. Johns and his father, Bill […]
FLASHBACK: October 1947
St George’s superior speed proved the difference as the Sydney club defeated Combined Brisbane 22-17 in an end-of-season floodlit match at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds. The crowd was 14,000, but they […]
FLASHBACK: October 1937
The Kangaroos suffered the second defeat of their tour of Britain and France, when Yorkshire side, Halifax produced brilliant attacking football in front of an ecstatic home crowd of 14,500. […]
FLASHBACK: September 1957
MUCH was made of the fact Great Britain could have two colored wingers in their touring party to Australia and New Zealand in 1958. Eddie Waring reported in the British and […]
FLASHBACK: September 1967
Brothers won their first premiership in nine years when they beat Norths 6-2 in a gripping, tryless match at Lang Park, played in front of a record crowd of 37,000. Fans […]
FLASHBACK: September 1947
Winger, Len Kenny scored four tries in Brisbane’s 45-7 win over Bundaberg in a floodlit match at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds, despite having left his favorite football boots at home. […]
FLASHBACK: September 1937
‘THOUGH just off the boat’, to quote the AAP report of the day, Australia’s Kangaroos defeated Lancashire side, Leigh 11-9 at Hilton Park, before a crowd of just over 5,000. […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 14, 2016
TUESDAY, APRIL 5 Drinks with my former Murwillumbah High classmate, Tom Tartan, who is dressed a bit like Robin Hood! He had been to New Zealand, including Stewart Island, where […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 13, 2016
Paul Neale comments favorably on my website rugby league Flashbacks. Says he was at Carlaw Park, Auckland in 1971 when the Kiwis thrashed Australia 24-3. Paul is a great fan of […]
FLASHBACK: August 1997
North Queensland Cowboys’ hooker, Jason Death (nicknamed ‘sudden’) was stood down from the side to meet his old club, Canberra Raiders, pending further investigations into an incident in a bar during […]
FLASHBACK: August 1987
Norths’ Test prop, Greg Dowling hit back at criticism of his club form with a barnstorming display, as the Devils beat his old cub, Wynnum-Manly 22-12 in the Brisbane Woolworths Trophy final at […]
FLASHBACK: August 1977
British international, David Topliss scored five tries for Balmain in their 43-12 demolition of Newtown at Henson Park in Sydney. Topliss, born and bred at Wakefield in West Yorkshire, joined Sid […]
FLASHBACK: August 1967
Queensland rugby league halfback, Abe Weimers was seriously injured in an Ipswich club match, with his condition listed as ‘dangerous’ at one stage, as family and friends maintained a vigil […]
FLASHBACK: July 1997
In 1997, the Australian Rugby League was effectively isolated from international football, with every other nation affiliated with the ‘rebel’ Super League competition. The ARL still conducted a State of […]
FLASHBACK: July 1977
North Queensland recorded a momentous 17-14 win over Great Britain in front of 6,000 delirious fans at the Townsville Sports Reserve. The British team embarked on a mini-tour after the […]
FLASHBACK: July 1947
This makes for horrific reading in the context of what we know about the long term damage sports people can suffer from severe concussion. On July 4, 1947, Ipswich beat Toowoomba […]
FLASHBACK: July 1937
Fiery international forward, Mick Madsen missed Toowoomba’s inter-city Bulimba Cup match against Brisbane after his car broke down on the trip from Stanthorpe, where he worked, to Toowoomba. Without Madsen, a veteran […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 10, 2016
MONDAY, MARCH 7. Former New South Wales forward, Des O’Reilly passed away today, aged 61, finally succumbing to the stomach cancer which had made his life a misery. He leaves […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 9, 2016
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29 Interview former New South Wales State of Origin forward, Des O’Reilly for Men of League magazine. Des is in Greenslopes Hospital, and may only have days to live, […]
FLASHBACK: June 1967
The touring New Zealand Rugby League side scored a memorable 15-14 win over New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground. NSW, with legendary centre, Reg Gasnier as captain-coach, were […]
FLASHBACK: June 1957
Former Test centre, Jack Reardon described it as the most humiliating defeat in Queensland Rugby League history as the Maroons trudged off the Sydney Cricket Ground, having been beaten 69-5 by […]
FLASHBACK: 1947
‘As a spectacle, it was where specs usually are – on the nose.” So said ‘The Truth’ newspaper account of the Queensland v The Rest State Rugby League trial at […]
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 […]
FLASHBACK: August, 1950
FLASHBACK AUGUST 1950 Great Britain’s unhappy Southern Hemisphere tour finished with a 20-13 loss to New Zealand in the Second Test at Auckland’s Carlaw Park, giving the Kiwis a 2-0 […]
BRITAIN TO BRITTANY TO GERMANY
TRAVEL Recently, a mate asked how many times I had been to Britain and/or Europe, and when I answered ’20’, he said I should write a book. I’m not in […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 48, 2019
DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK 48 2019 MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 The funeral of our former neighbour, Susan Andersen (nee Biggs) at Little Flower Church, Kedron proves a […]
THE FIGHT FOR LIBERATION
TRAVEL A 2011 Rugby Union World Cup match between France and Wales was being played, but you wouldn’t have known it, as the people of Villeneuve-sur-Lot went about their daily […]
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 […]
THIS WAS NO COMMON RIDING
TRAVEL Recently, a mate asked how many times I had been to Britain and/or Europe, and when I answered ’20, he said I should write a book. I’m not in […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 47, 2019
DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK 47 2019 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25 Former Valleys’ premiership winning halfback, Ross Threlfo has died, aged 77, in a nursing home at Ballina […]
FLASHBACK: July 1975
JULY 1975 Queensland Rugby League Chairman, Senator Ron McAuliffe called for the Maroons to be included as a separate entity, in future international tournaments, after they came within an ace […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 46, 2019
DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK 46 2019. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18 Bush-fire smoke has cleared enough to be able to see Broken Head for the first time, from […]
A WEDDING IN THE PARK
TRAVEL Recently, a mate asked how many times I had been to Britain and/or Europe, and when I answered ’20’, he said I should write a book. I’m not in […]
WHAT A LOAD OF TRIPE
TRAVEL Roanne was once a power house in rugby league, with the funds to buy rugby union superstars, such as Jean Barthe and Aldo Quaglio, both regarded as the best […]
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 […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 45, 2019
DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK 45 2019 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 Remembrance Day is observed with respect, as I shop in Coles, Lutwyche after a medical appointment at 10.15 […]
FLASHBACK: July, 1950
July 1950 Things turned ugly on Great Britain’s tour of Australia, with Queensland, in particular, accused of being poor hosts, after a controversial Second Test at the Gabba. It even […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 44, 2019
DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK 44 2019 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4 On the eve of the Melbourne Cup, Radio TAB’S John McCoy takes a shot at ‘idiot parents’ […]
WHITE CHRISTMAS IN TIPPERARY
TRAVEL Recently, a mate asked how many times I had been to Britain and/or Europe, and when I answered ’20’, he said I should write a book. I’m not in […]
DIARY UPDATE: Week 43, 2019
DIARY OF A RETIRED RUGBY LEAGUE WRITER WEEK 43 2019 MONDAY, OCTOBER 28 Murwillumbah Brothers’ rugby league stalwart, Bill Carroll receives positive feedback from those who attended yesterday’s reunion for […]
FLASHBACK: July 1960
JULY 1960 The last rugby league Test played at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds proved an embarrassment for the French touring side, which capitulated 56-6 to the Keith Barnes’ captained Australia. […]
