Canberra’s 1989 Grand Final hero Steve Jackson finally gets his invite
It was only breakfast — but for former Canberra prop Steve Jackson it was the meal he has missed for 30 years. But this weekend, the Raiders’ try-scoring of ‘89 will be there for lunch instead.
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Steve Jackson never made the 1989 grand final breakfast.
And why?
“Never got invited,” the Canberra premiership hero laughs. “Maybe it’s because I was such a late inclusion into the side that week.
“But, geez, you wouldn’t think it’s that bloody hard to stick an extra chair at the end of a table?”
Still, nobody did.
“So I stayed back at the Camperdown TraveLodge,” continues the cult hero who only days later would crash over for one of the greatest grand final tries ever.
“Just hung out with our strappers. There was little group of us sat around waiting for the real footballers to show up.”
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Exactly 30 years after being brushed from the biggest week on rugby league’s calendar, The Daily Telegraph can reveal Jackson, now 53, and a Mackay real estate agent, has finally scored his invite.
Three decades late, sure.
But with his beloved Raiders now into Sunday’s decider at ANZ Stadium, the man brushed from that breakfast alongside teammates like Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley and Ricky Stuart has finally received an invitation from no less than NRL chief Todd Greenberg.
Better, Jackson could also be part of the on-field festivities on Sunday night.
A wonderful, if belated, tribute to one of rugby league’s true heroes. So as for how it all came about?
“Funny story,” the Raiders retiree says from his home in north Queensland. “A couple of months back I got a call from the Canterbury Bulldogs.
“They said the club, as part of it’s grand final day luncheon, had come up with what they considered the three greatest tries in grand final history — including mine from ’89.
“And as a result, they wanted me there. Even said they’d fly me down.”
Almost immediately, Jackson agreed. Then after hanging up the phone, started reminiscing.
At which point he bashed out a letter to Greenberg.
“And I’ve never done anything like this before,” the Queenslander continues. “But I basically asked Todd that if Canberra were to go all the way to a grand final, and given I was coming down anyway, would there be any chance of putting just one foot onto that arena?”
Then near the bottom of said letter, may have mentioned something about that breakfast snubbing too.
“So Canberra won through on Friday night,” Jackson says, “and my invitation arrived via email on Saturday morning.
“Although I’m told it’s the grand final lunch. Apparently they don’t do breakfasts anymore.”
All of which is something, right?
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“Oh, mate, I’m just a bum from the bush,” Jackson cackles. “So to think I got to play 37 minutes in a team boasting so many legends who played for NSW, Queensland and Australia, it’s crazy.
“Even in earlier that game, you watch a replay when Chika Ferguson scores for us, I actually help push him over the line. And I can still remember being on the field thinking ‘well, that’s my part … I’ve helped us score a try’.”
Originally published as Canberra’s 1989 Grand Final hero Steve Jackson finally gets his invite