The NRL stories that still give Matthew Johns goosebumps
WITH NRL Retro Round upon us, MATTHEW JOHNS recounts a few of the stories that show the depth of the game’s history.
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The NRL does not celebrate its history enough.
Talk to fans about the games past, its characters, its heroes, their favourite eras, the things that drew them to the game, and watch the conversation and their faces light up.
With Fox Sports celebrating retro round this week, I’m recounting just a few stories, which as a fan growing up I still cherish. These little stories still give me goosebumps.
1. Ellery arrives at Leichhardt
Man I loved the Balmain Tigers, and the 80s were a golden time to support the club. My father Gary coached a fellow called Mick Schofield at the Cessnock Goannas, and in 1982 Mick was graded with the Tigers.
Over the next few years my great friend Michael Dever, also a huge Balmain fan, and I would hitch a ride with Mick Schofield’s dad, Don, down to Leichhardt Oval to watch the Tigers play.
I saw first hand the early days of that great Tigers era. The young tearaway lock and great hope Wayne Pearce, the emergence of Blocker Roach, the schoolboy superstars Scott Gale and Benny Elias, and the Wollongong boy Gary Jack, building a reputation at fullback.
Sometimes we’d even be lucky enough to go down to the sheds after the match.
As the early 80s rolled into 1984/85 the Tigers really started to emerge and their young team was complimented by some majestic Englishmen who came and went - Gary Schofield, Tony
Myler - but nothing comes close to the impact Ellery Hanley had on the Tigers in the ’88 season.
When Ellery arrived from Wigan, the Tigers were only paddling along mid-table, but his presence transformed them immediately.
Ellery was so unorthodox and so athletic. In his debut match against Manly I remember his first touch. He picked the ball up out of dummy-half, threw a wild dummy in one direction, then shot and sprinted the other way.
He shrugged off a couple of defenders, burst through another, and then carried a couple of Manly players on his back for 10 metres, the crowd went nuts, and commentator Rex Mossop made the remark, “Well this man, Ellery Hanley, clearly has no idea when he’s been tackled.” You’re right there Rex!
Ellery inspired the Tigers’ run home. They equalled Penrith for fifth spot and won the play-off 28-8 to qualify for the finals.
They took on Manly week one, where Ellery tore the Sea Eagles to shreds. Tigers won 19-6.
In week two they met the Canberra Raiders, where in a tight and torrid match Ellery scored a late decisive try for the Tigers to continue their amazing run, winning 14-6.
Week three, the grand final qualifier, and the Tigers faced the Minor Premiers, the Cronulla Sharks, and once again Hanley was incredible, getting Balmain home 9-2.
It was grand final day and we were witnessing one of the greatest runs in the history of the sport. Could Ellery Hanley inspire the Tigers one more time with a victory over the Dogs?
The answer was sadly No.
The Dogs came up with a very clever defensive plan to contain Ellery - they knocked him out...and it proved quite effective.
Ellery left the Tigers and was awarded the Golden Boot, as the World’s Greatest Player. Ellery told me a couple of years back that he still can’t believe the reception he gets when he comes back to Sydney. The moment he steps off the plane, baggage handlers, customs officials all want to talk about that season, and what a season.
2. Newtown Jets vs Cessnock Goannas 1981
In the lead up to the Jets’ successful 1981 season, owner John Singleton and coach Warren Ryan took the Newtown team up to Cessnock for a training camp and a trial game against the local
Cessnock Goannas, who were coached by my father Gary.
I turned up to the Cessnock Sportsground to watch the Jets train and as a young fan couldn’t get my head around some of the biggest names in the sport running around on my home ground, about to play my old man’s team.
They brought up all the stars; Tommy Raudonikis, Graeme O’Grady, John “Chicka” Ferguson, Phil Gould, Ken Wilson and Steve Bowden.
The Cessnock boys were no shrinking violets, they were big, strong, local mineworkers, and imported players from places like North Queensland, who would use the Newcastle domestic
competition as a stepping-stone to bigger things.
The game was predictably violent, tight, tough, a couple of send-offs, with the Newtown boys eventually getting a narrow victory.
But the real highlight was the following day. Tyrrell’s Vineyard organised a BBQ for both teams to attend, with plenty of beer, wine and spirits flowing.
I was only nine, but clearly remember sitting next to dad as Tommy Raudonikis cut loose with a couple of hours of the most outrageous stories anyone, let alone an innocent nine-year-old Catholic-educated boy, had ever heard.
After one Tommy doozy, dad, who’d obviously forgotten I was there and taking in all the ‘Raudonikisisms’, looked down at me, a little concerned, as I was wiping the tears of laughter away, “Matthew, don’t tell your mother I let you listen to those stories.”
Tommy chips in with, “Hang on Gary, I haven’t got to the crook ones yet.”
I wasn’t allowed to hang around for the encore unfortunately.
3. Meeting Crow and Sludge
Like all young fans, one of the highlights of my early life was getting to meet a couple of heroes of mine, two of the game’s greatest ever centres, Mick Cronin and Steve Rogers.
Cronin came to Cessnock to do an appearance in 1980.
Dad’s great mate, winemaker Murray Tyrell, asked Gaz if he minded picking up Cronin from the Hunter Valley airport.
Dad was only too happy to, and asked Joey and I if we were interested in coming along. We were in the back of the car before dad could finish the sentence. I remember standing at the airport, with Mick walking through and up to meet my father. My knees were literally trembling.
Dad turned and introduced us to the Eels icon and I was so nervous and embarrassed I couldn’t even look him in the eye.
As anyone who’s ever met Mick Cronin will tell you, he’s one of the great gentlemen of this world, so he just smiled, ruffled my hair and asked if I could carry his bag.
It was surreal, driving along in the family lime green Torana, dad and Mick Cronin in the front, Joey and I in the back.
True to form Andrew decides to put on a show, he’s talking, talking, talking and talking some more.
After 20 minutes of this relentless ramble, Mick turns to dad and says, “Gee Gary, the kid’s pretty excited.”
Dad replies, “Trust me Mick, he’s just warming up.”
Steve Rogers signed up as a Tyrell’s wine ambassador in 1982.
Steve’s best mate Barry “Panda” Andrews was playing 5/8 with dad’s Goannas team that year, so Steve would often shoot up to the Hunter to do some work and catch up with his great mate
“Panda”.
One afternoon, after coming home from school, Andrew and I are sitting in the family home, when a car pulls up and starts beeping out the front. It’s Panda.
“Hey boys, come on, get your gear, we’re going to training, I’ve got someone here who wants to see you blokes play football.”
We grab a ball and we’re in the car in a flash, and sitting next to us in the back seat, is none other than the Prince of Centres, Steve Rogers. I was so excited, I needed to urinate.
Steve was great, talking to us about football, what positions we played, again all very surreal.
Steve had just signed on to play for St George the following year.
So we’re driving along in the car and he points down to all the loose change on the floor. “Hey boys, I’ll ask you a question, whoever gets it right, gets all Panda’s loose change lying on the
floor.”
“Boys, what’s the best rugby league team in the competition?”
I foolishly go with honesty being the best policy and announce. “The Balmain Tigers”.
“Wrong”, says the Prince of Centres.
He turns to Joey, “OK, what do you think young fella?”
Joey contemplates; “Mr Rogers, I think the St George Dragons are the best team.”
“Son, that money is all yours.”
Lying little bastard has never supported them a day in his life!
Originally published as The NRL stories that still give Matthew Johns goosebumps
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