BRL Flashback: You’ll never guess who were the Mr Nice Guys of the BRL days

BRL Flashback: Who were the good guys of the old BRL league competition from the 1980s? We asked a series of former internationals for their best bloke nominations and some of the replies will stun you.

BRL followers will recall the towering figure of Campbell “Zulu’’ Dews as a fearsome cult figure playing for Norths in the early 1980s.

With a thick, bushranger beard and a massive frame, Dews was a fierce figure on the field.

To the man in the street, he was the type of bloke you hoped you never ran into, such was his reputation on the field.

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But off the field? “You wouldn’t meet a nicer bloke. He was a gentle giant,’’ said Norths and Queensland legend Trevor Gillmeister.

Like the rest of us, Gillmeister was unsure what to expect when he was called into the Devils’ side for his A grade debut.

“I knew third graders and reserve grade players, but did not know A grade,’’ Gillmeister said.

“He (Dews) came over to me and put his arm around me and said: “I hear you go all right, but can you fight because it is going to be on in the first scrum and we don’t take kindly to blokes that can’t fight.

“I thought holy crap, who is this lunatic.

“But after having a couple of beers with him he was a really good bloke,’’ said Gillmeister, who later would have Dews as best man at his wedding.

Gillmeister said the great Gene Miles was another who was “pretty quiet off the field and ruthless on the field’’.

Queensland's Gene Miles bursts into the clear in 1984. Picture by Jim Fenwick

He said club mates Ross Hendrick, nicknamed Angry Ant, was aptly named – fiery on the paddock but a pleasure off of.

And so was the flame-haired Dennis Cook.

“Some hit the switch when they ran on the field,’’ Gillmeister said.

“But to be honest I reckon 90 per cent of blokes, 99 per cent are like that.

“When I went to Penrith they said to me “gee you are a good bloke, we didn’t know what to expect’’.

“I thought I must have been doing my job because you are not out on field to make friends’’

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Mark Murray, who won a premiership with Dews in 1980 and was an early teammate of Gillmeister at Norths, said champion Queensland lock Bob Lindner was a champion off the field.

He was a hell of a nice guy, probably almost too nice to be a rugby league player. He never displayed a lot of mongrel, but highly athletic and skilful,’’ Murray praised.

Ian 'Bunny' Pearce with his Rothman’s Medal

Former Queensland and Australian forward and long time commentator, David Wright from the Brothers club, said Redcliffe legend Ian “Bunny” Pearce was a great fellow.

“He was a lovely, lovely, lovely bloke. One of the nicest people you could ever meet. One of nature’s gentleman.’’

Murray said Chris Phelan was another bloke you would not cross on the field, but off it butter would not melt in his mouth.

“He had two personalities, mongrel on the field and off the field you wouldn’t meet a nicer guy. Nice and physical, but a terrific guy.’’

Wests champion Tony Currie, a great for Queensland, said old hooker John Dowling was a brilliant man.

“He was fantastic to me ahead of my first game for Queensland.

“I was a 19-year-old coming into my first Origin and in the hotel room there was a single bed and a double bed and he gave me the double bed.

“He said it was my debut and I had to get a good night’s sleep.’’

John Dowling on the move for Queensland. Picture by Roman Biegi

FOG Gary Belcher said tough tackling Wally Fullerton-Smith from Redcliffe was a great fella.

“I only knew him as bloke you would not run anywhere near on the field,’’ Belcher said.

“But he was one all-time the nice blokes.

“Wally was an outstanding bloke and everyone loved being around him.

“But against him, he was a fierce competitive and would give you a spray.

“I hung off his every word when I first went into the Queensland team.’’

Currie said champion Queensland and Wests premiership-winning halfback Greg Oliphant was another champion.

Currie old teammate at Wests, Adrian Coolwell, said Currie himself was a tremendously loyal friend.

Wests Brisbane Panthers Tony Currie, left, Wests 2018 under 18 captain Braydn Campbell and Adrian Coolwell

“He is brilliant, one of nicest blokes you’d meet.

“He never forgets his mates. My brother Randell lost his leg but TC is always there for you.’’

One of the renowned nice blokes of the BRL was larrikin Peter Jackson.

Jackson, a Souths centre who went on to play for Queensland and Australia and the Canberra Raiders, was a tremendous man who sadly lost his life to suicide at a young age.

But he was a beauty of a bloke and an example of so many good people in rugby league.