Big Mal Meninga’s mighty Souths Magpies greatest ever team
Big Mal Meninga’s mighty Souths Magpies is a club steeped in tradition. Over the years the Magpies have also assembled astonishing footballing talent, culminating in the naming of this greatest ever side by journalist Andrew Dawson. What do you think?
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Big Mal Meninga’s mighty Souths Magpies is a club steeped in tradition. Over the years the Magpies have also assembled astonishing footballing talent, culminating in the naming of this side by journalist Andrew Dawson. What do you think?
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FULLBACK
GARY BELCHER
Belcher was a beautiful footballer who seemed to glide when he moved across the park. A great low tackler in the last line of defence and according to Wayne Bennett the best bomb catcher in the business, Belcher played 15 Origins and 16 Tests. For all his grace in attack, he won a State of Origin series in 1987 with a low tackle on a runaway Cliff Lyons. Belcher’s fantastic premiership winning career with Souths extended to the Canberra Raiders. Still a popular Fox Sports and radio commentator.
WING
MITCH BRENNAN
Long striding outside back, Brennan was plucked from Souths Magpies’ nest by the St George coach Harry Bath – ironically a Souths Magpies’ legend. Brennan famously played a trial for the Dragons under the name of Micky Lane at a time when he was still contracted to Souths and the QRL. When the sub diffuse was revealed, it was famously known at the time as “The Micky Lane Affair’’. Brennan went on to be a premiership winner with the Dragons in 1979, flashing over to score in a set move that involved him roving from the blindside wing. Brennan later captained South Sydney, once scoring the try of the season as he bounced past seven or eight defenders. Played four Origins but was good enough to play 20. A gun player who later become a coach and administrator at Davies Park.
CENTRE
MAL MENINGA ( vice-captain)
Meninga is an immortal, so what more can be said? He was signed by Souths from the police academy after representing the Queensland under 18s from the Wide Bay district. The current Australian coach, Meninga had an extraordinary career as captain of Souths, Canberra, Queensland and Australia. For all his power running, it was the delivery and timing of his pass from centre to winger which gave plenty of joy for outside backs.
CENTRE
BRUCE ASTILL
Astill was so revered in the BRL that legendary referee Albert Bishop once recalled him being referred to as God. Won more BRL man-of-the-match awards than you could poke a stick at. His standing in the code as a player and leader was highlighted when he was named on the bench for Queensland’s inaugural State of Origin match in 1980. The Souths premiership winning skipper formed one of the great BRL centre combinations with Meninga and played a crucial early role in guiding Meninga through his early years in A grade.
WING
JOHN GRANT
Known to the younger generation as the former head of the ARL Commission, but in his playing days Grant was fast and furious, a mainstay of the Magpies in the 1970s. A centre or winger between 1971 and 1978, he was capped three times for Australia. Grant was a powerhouse runner who was an attacking ace.
FIVE-EIGHT
TEN VERRENKAMP
Those children of the 1960s only know of Verrenkamp as an ace administrator with the Easts Tigers. But as a footballer he was a Souths great, a veteran of six appearance for Queensland. But he would have played many more interstate games had Verrenkamp not moved abroad where he did some of his best work for Leeds in a decade of English rugby league. As a former Queensland coach.
HALFBACK
NORM MCLEAN
Those who saw John Salter play in his prime during the 1970s and early 1980s know how good a player he was, so for Norm McLean to be chosen on him, he must have been one hell of a player. Old-timers swear by McLean, halfback in the 1953 premiership winning side who possessed defiant in defence and good organising skills.
LOCK
HAROLD CROCKER
One of the greatest Queensland rugby league players who was a Souths Magpie man to the core, having grown up on the streets of West End where he started (1948) and finished his first grade career (1959). A clever forward, he was quickly recognised by the Queensland selectors who ushered him in for his first of 16 appearances after just one season of A grade. By 1950 he was playing for Australia and in his first series he set-up a famous series Test match winning try for Dragons’ Ron Roberts against Great Britain.
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SECOND ROW
HARRY BATH
Absolute legend of the code. A Souths junior, the goalkicking Queensland representative had a glittering career with Warrington in the English rugby league after two premiership winning seasons with Balmain in the NSWRL. Upon his return to Australia, he guided the Dragons to another premiership as a player, and then in 1977 and 1979 as a coach. His 1979 outfit included Mitch Brennan who was mentioned earlier.
SECOND ROW
BILL TYQUIN
One of Queensland’s greatest ever forwards who would seriously be considered in a debate about the state’s greatest ever side. Tyquin’s career was split by World War II, but he became a state captain against the touring New Zealanders and progressed to captain Australia in three Tests. He was also named vice-captain of the 1949 Kangaroos which was a huge achievement for a Queenslander.
PROP
GREG VEIVERS (captain)
It is very, very important for Queensland rugby league supporters aged under 40 to know prior to the birth of State of Origin in 1980, there was an outstanding Brisbane Rugby League competition full of elite players. And one of the finest was Greg Veivers who had the honour of captaining Australia in 1977. Veivers took on the New South Wales forwards with great gusto and, in the words of his state teammate David Wright, the bigger the match, the better he went. ““When we played New South Wales he had no fear,’’ Wright said. “He took them on and said to us, “come on boys’’. “You had to follow his lead, that is how inspirational he was. He was a really tough, powerful player.’’
HOOKER
ALAN HORNEY
Horney was an easy choice as Souths greatest hooker, having been capped 15 times for Queensland and toured New Zealand with the Australian side.
PROP
JACK VEIVERS
The butcher from Beaudesert, like his son Greg and cousin Mick, Jack played front row. He was a bruising prop revered in the 1940s and 1950s and was front and centre in three Magpies premiership winning teams.
Reserves
GRAEME ATHERTON
To put Atherton’s ability into perspective, there was no greater honour in BRL than to win a Rothman’s Medal – and that is exactly what Atherton did in 1970. The Queensland representative was an easy choice in Souths greatest ever squad.
LEN PEGG
Pegg was from a powerhouse era of Queensland rugby league where he represented Queensland and the Brisbane Bulimba Cup sides alongside the likes of Souths teammate Bill Tyquin, renowned Brothers toughman Eddie Brosnan and the great Duncan Hall. Pegg played two tests for Australia.
CHRIS PHELAN
No frills forward who could play anywhere from lock to front row, Phelan was a real ironman, the type of unheralded player every club needs to win a premiership. And he was a winner. He won premierships with Souths in 1981 and 1985, and in between with the Parramatta Eels in the NSWRL (1982-83). He was a favourite of two of the codes greatest coaches, Jack Gibson and Wayne Bennett, which says plenty.
MICK VEIVERS
Affectionately known as “The Farmer’’, Veivers formed a colourful commentary team with the late broadcaster Billy J Smith. But as a player he was a tower of strength for Souths. With broad shoulders and huge hands, Mick Veivers came from the Beaudesert-Beechmont region to play in the 1960s, hence his nickname. Veivers had some ball skills to go with his hulking frame which made him an attractive choice to the Queensland (1961) and Australian (1962) selectors. Veivers also had a successful NSWRL career with Manly in Sydney.
BOB LINDNER
Learned his football during three seasons with the Magpies and went on to play 25 Origins and 22 Tests. Magnificent backrower, the complete footballer who was a power runner and defensive workhorse. Absolute top shelf player whose absence from the Magpies First 13 reflects on the quality of the three backrowers chosen ahead of him, rather than any deficiencies that Lindner had.
PETER JACKSON
A loveable larrikin who played 15 Origins and nine Tests. A schoolboy rugby player, his early career was guided by Super Coach Wayne Bennett off the field, and by his centre partner Mal Meninga on the field.
COACH
WAYNE BENNETT
Bennett has a highlight reel thicker than any award-winning Hollywood movie star. But three achievements stand out.
1. Twice he blocked NSW from State of Origin dynasties – in the late 1980s and early 2000s.
2. Took St George Illawarra to a premiership in 2010. They were poor before his arrival and fell apart after his departure, but during his three season reign the Dragons twice won the minor premiership.
3. And finally, arguably his greatest coaching achievement was taking Souths from a 42-8 grand final loss in 1984 to Wynnum-Manly to a 10-8 premiership win 12 months later against the Seagulls. At the time it was an astonishing about face which laid foundations for his recruitment to the Canberra Raiders, and ultimately his appointment as the Broncos’ first coach.
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