Monday Buzz: A fairytale 12 years in the making
BLOG all day with Buzz: RUGBY league's most famous indigenous club is on Monday celebrating its greatest football triumph.
RUGBY league's most famous indigenous club is on Monday celebrating its greatest football triumph.
The Moree Boomerangs, banned from all competition for 12 years, won the Group 19 grand final at their alcohol-free home ground to complete one of Australian sport’s most remarkable comeback stories.
A fairytale of a club that simply refused to die, that fought court cases and appeals, driven by old officials and the fanatical locals who regard rugby league as not just their life but a religion.
Tears flowed from all parts of Burt Jovanovich Oval and players were mobbed as the Boomerangs began celebrating their first premiership since 1994.
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THE GAME
THE footy here is nothing like the NRL and the regimented and structured way the game is now played.
None of this business of four hit-ups, a spread then a kick to get a line-dropout or a bomb, set after set.
The Boomerangs use the football like the good old days. Breathtaking backline movement. Beautiful, soft hands.
Game plans go out the window as instinct replaces discipline.
Think a backline with the skills of old crowd favourites Mundine, Chicka Ferguson, Ella, Corowa and Blacklock.
The flair, flamboyance and natural talent is the same except these men are just part-time footballers.
They either work on cotton farms or are unemployed.
No one gets paid to play football, although the players’ player award carries a weekly prize of $100 for first grade, $50 for reserves.
There’s a sprinkling of McGradys and Cleals, the famous surnames of their uncles who became superstars in the NRL.
The Boomerangs beat Gwydir 56-22, scoring 10 stunning tries.
THE BAN
THE Boomerangs were kicked out of the Group 19 competition in the late 90s, officials finally acting on the brawls, punch-ups and violence that had become almost a weekly occurrence.
They spent 12 years in exile, even unsuccessfully taking the fight for reinstatement to the NSW Supreme Court.
Eventually they were allowed back in 2009, but only under a strict conduct criteria and special guidelines.
They had to lodge a $5000 five-year good behaviour bond with the Country Rugby League, which they still have.
It’s a lot of money for a bush club, the equivalent of a major sponsorship. They’ve learnt their lesson.
No more scenes of referees having to be escorted from the field in the back of a police paddy wagon.
Or when they won the grand final back in 1992 and had to be locked out of their own town.
“We’ve had to learn to hold our emotions,” says long-time official Lloyd Munroe, “The players, the fans, the coaches … everyone.”
Munroe has been involved with the club since he played as a 16-year-old and these days he works as the ground announcer.
“Being out of the game for 12 years was too painful,” he said, “We had to learn.”
THE BOSS
OUT this way, there’s no limousine transport or flash corporate facilities for senior officials.
Mitchell Johnson, the club president, worked at the ground all Saturday then slept overnight in the canteen.
He starts work at 5.30am on game day, getting the venue ready to ensure everything runs smoothly.
He’s a 35-year-old public serviced accountant who does the Boomerangs job in his spare time. His wife Kylie is the club secretary.
He’s even on ground control security for the lower grade games, while supervising everything else.
Not surprisingly, he’s taking a few days off work this week to recover.
THE GROUND
ABOUT 1500 fans have converged on Burt Jovanovich Oval for the grand final.
You can tell not a penny of the NRL’s $1 billion television deal has made it out this way.
The club doesn’t even have the money for a scoreboard. There’s no grandstand.
Still, they’re a passionate bunch of local fans and there’s no sign of the poor behaviour from the old days.
Half a dozen police officers roam but have basically nothing to do.
It’s 32 degrees, conditions more suited to cricket or the local swimming pool.
Tina Turner’s "Simply The Best" booms out over the loudspeakers at the end of each game. It’s a favourite of the Boomerangs players.
This is a wonderful atmosphere. The kids run onto the field at the end of each game then form a guard of honour for the next team. They’re loving it.
The canteen does a roaring trade, selling everything but beer. The club makes $10,000 from the canteen, doubles and raffles.
I settle for the sausage sandwich. It’s got 12 lengths on Saturday night’s Chinese meal in Tamworth - possibly the worst chicken chow mein that’s ever come out of a wok.
THE STAR
BOXER Anthony Mundine is at the game. Fortunately he’s left his mute mate and sideshow Blake Ferguson at home.
He donates signed gloves for the raffles and hands out the medals after each grand final.
Still, his mood is as steaming as the temperature, furious about a column in Saturday’s The Daily Telegraph bagging his next opponent Shane Mosley.
Mundine shows me the text message he’s sent the author, colleague Paul Kent.
“Mate yu gonna write somethin write the truth! Mosley might not be what he was but still a dangerous fighter! He recent losses to pacman cotto Alverez & of course Mayweather the pound for pound KING! whom he nearly ko’d !
"Then goes to Mexico & beats a 23year old top 10 fighter! NEVER EVER BEEN STOPPED! Why would yu try rubbish a legend like that? Oh that’s right! Cause if I fought KING KONG yu would still write the same shit! Now your just showing the people how blatantly bias yu are towards me! Like I said all I want is truth not some BS!!”
On the care factor scale, it meant nothing.
Not on the day the Boomerangs came back.
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HIGHLIGHT
A weekend in the bush and the amazing hospitality from real down-to-earth people.
HIGHLIGHT II
Matty Bowen’s two tries in his Townsville farewell game on Saturday night. What a player and what a wonderful advertisement for rugby league.
LOWLIGHT
The Warriors’ terrible effort against St George Illawarra to end a hopelessly disappointing season. This team had more than enough ability to make the finals but under-performed throughout.
***
IT’S NO TO JT
Surely the Parramatta Eels are not serious about hiring Jason Taylor as a replacement for Ricky Stuart next year. There is only once choice: sacked Cowboys coach Neil Henry.
He’s done a magnificent job to lift the Cowboys into the finals from a hopeless position six weeks ago.
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BAD BOY BURGESS
Three weeks ago I asked Souths boss Shane Richardson would Sam Burgess be fined after his third suspension of the year. The answer was no.
The Rabbitohs have got a serious problem with his lack of discipline. A squirrel grip, a crusher tackle, facials and high hits. It’s time the club did something about it.
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