What’s the Buzz: 1982 Kangaroos Invincibles, where are they now?
To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1982 Kangaroos’ historic Invincibles’ tour, What’s the Buzz has tracked down the players to reflect on their remarkable achievement and where they are now.
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There is the co-op who helps farmers and front-rower who plays Gin Rummy. What about the forward who is a country councillor and winger who plays in a rock band?
Then there is the hamburger king and truck driver. And don’t forget the professional rugby union coach.
This is where our history-making Invincibles have landed since their famous tour through England and France.
This Monday marks the 40-year anniversary of Australia’s first game on the 1982 Kangaroos – the extraordinary touring party that steamrolled through undefeated.
Coached by Frank Stanton and captained by Max Krilich, Australia remarkably won all 22 games, scoring 1005 points to 120 for an average scoreline of 45-5.
On October 10, to start their tour, Australia defeated Hull KR by 30-10 at Craven Park, Hull.
They will forever be known as the Invincibles.
On the eve of Australia’s World Cup in England, The Sunday Telegraph tracked down all 28 players from 1982, plus coach Stanton.
“They were a great bunch of young blokes that came together at one time,” Stanton said. “There was a lot of skill and commitment among them and they got the results they wanted.
“I witnessed their ability first-hand, it was tremendous. I enjoyed that tour immensely.”
Forward Wayne Pearce burst onto the tour as a hard-running Balmain 22-year-old. That tour started fitness freak Pearce’s inevitable climb to the top of rugby league.
“I made my Test debut and got man of the match. I roomed with ‘Sterlo’ (Peter Sterling) for three months. That was another experience. I was only 22-years-old.
“It was the most amazing experience of my footy career,” Pearce recalled. “There were so many legends in that squad. And to go through undefeated …”
Winger Eric Grothe was devastating, scoring 21 tries in 14 matches, which included four Tests.
“It was probably the best time of my life,” Grothe said. “I was playing with players that I used to swap when they were on bubblegum cards. I’m now sitting there on the plane on the way over playing cards with them and we ended up being good friends.
“It was just amazing. It all clicked, worked and fell into place. As I said, it was the best thing I have ever done in my life.”
Forward Rod Reddy was at his creative and aggressive finest throughout the tour, playing four Tests.
“I don’t think it started out as an extraordinary football team but when we got over there we gelled,” Reddy said.
“The biggest thing was Frank Stanton. He got hold of four or five of us and emphasised that, to be successful, we needed to get on with each other. We all went out of our way to make sure everyone felt included.
“The more games we won, the better we got. In those days, everyone had jobs. I had my own business, I had a brewery truck.
“So to go away and train professionally for three months – twice a day – meant we were all at peak fitness right through the tour. In ’82, compared to the tour in 1978, we trained harder and shorter.”
1982 INVINCIBLES – WHERE ARE THEY NOW
Captain: Max Krilich – Retired plumber and Manly Leagues Club director. Plays golf off a five handicap at Monash on Sydney’s northern beaches. Loves walking his dog, Ollie.
Vice-captain: Wally Lewis – Reads the sports report on Channel 9 News in Brisbane. Calls NRL matches for Triple M and plays golf off 14 at Wynnum golf course.
Chris Anderson – Retired. Moved to Ocean Shores near Kingscliff. Plays golf three days a week and also enjoys bush and beach walks while keeping fit at the local gym.
Kerry Boustead – Lives in Brisbane. Works for All-Pro, supplying chemicals to the mining industry. Was playing old boys footy up until two years ago. Enjoys golf and working out at the Kenmore gym.
Les Boyd – Elected councillor on Cootamundra-Gundagai Council. Enjoys a bet. Lives in Cootamundra and owns a 250-acre farm in Cootamundra Valley.
Greg Brentnall – Works several days a week at a co-operative in Wagga, helping farmers, whom he refers to as “cockies”. Worked at Melbourne Storm for 20 years in coaching and administration.
Ray Brown – Retired from the poker machine industry and is currently travelling around Australia, last spotted in Whyalla, South Australia. Lives on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Greg Conescu – Lives in Brisbane. Director and founder of Hawk Hire, which provides equipment and power solutions for Australia’s largest mines.
Steve Ella – Manages an Aboriginal health service, Nunyara, at Gosford Hospital. Was a drug and alcohol counsellor. Enjoys boating and camping.
Eric Grothe – Plays in a rock band called Eric Grothe and the Gurus. Grothe and son Eric Junior run and own Marquee Hire in Sydney.
Rohan Hancock – Lives in Roma. Company director at Killarney Abattoir on the Queensland-NSW border. His daughter, Steph, was captain of the Jillaroos.
Brett Kenny – Business development manager for employment service company, APM. Still attends the local gym and plays the odd round of golf.
Paul McCabe – Lives at Main Beach, Gold Coast. Works for Australian Building Solutions, which specialise in water proofing and renovating commercial roofs.
Don McKinnon – Retired policeman who won a bravery medal. Big baseball fan and also plays Gin Rummy several times a week with former player John Gibbs. Also plays golf with Krilich.
Mal Meninga – Coach of Australia’s Kangaroos and high-performance senior adviser at Gold Coast Titans. Lives in Canberra.
Gene Miles – Executive chairman of Queensland FOGS. Remains a Queensland Maroons selector. Is father-in-law of Broncos winger Corey Oates.
Rod Morris – Runs and owns at least four McDonald’s franchises in southeast Brisbane. Owned three more before selling. Has other real estate interests. Loves to ski.
Steve Mortimer – Previously managing director Shuffleboard Australia. Lives in a care home after being diagnosed with dementia.
John Muggleton – Head of the Colts program at Hunter Wildfires rugby union club, who compete in the NSW Shute Shield competition. Been a professional rugby union coach since 1994.
Mark Murray – Works as a sales and marketing consultant at Ray White real estate in Scarborough, near Redcliffe. Previously a schoolteacher for 10 years.
Wayne Pearce – ARL Commissioner who led the NRL’s Project Apollo during Covid. Also a peak and leadership performance facilitator at his company, Wayne Pearce Advantage, Enabling Peak Performance.
Ray Price – Retired bus driver who lives in Tweed Heads. Has been diagnosed with early onset dementia. Watches all Eels games and plays up to 27 holes of golf in a day.
John Ribot – Owner of QCM (Queensland Clubs Management), a company which manages and owns hospitality sites. He oversees more than 500 staff.
Rod Reddy – Drives water trucks in tunnel construction on the WestConnex project. Split his time between living in Sydney and Adelaide.
Steve Rogers – Tragically died in January, 2006.
Ian Schubert – Semi-retired. Continuing rehab for injuries from a serious motorbike accident in 2019. Helping former club Sydney Roosters with the club’s record-keeping and data base.
Peter Sterling – Retired Channel 9 commentator. Lives in Nelson Bay and enjoys golf, travel, family and reading. Just returned from a holiday in Cook Islands.
Craig Young – Retired policeman and hotelier in Wollongong. St George Illawarra Dragons chairman. Loves his footy and spending time with his grandchildren.
Coach: Frank Stanton – Aged 82, retired and living at Banora Point, near Tweed Heads. Keeps busy by shopping, cooking and walking his dog, Charlie. Attends Men of League functions.
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