Farewell Tommy: Sydney says goodbye to people’s champion
One of rugby league’s greatest characters, Tommy Raudonikis, has been remembered as “devious” on the field and a “saint” off it during a public memorial service.
NSW
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Rugby league legend and larrikin Tommy Raudonikis is being given a heartfelt send off at a memorial service at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The former Western Suburbs and Newtown Jets star has been farewelled by current and former players and coaches and hundreds of fans.
The entire playing squad of Wests Tigers including Moses Mbye and James Roberts joined the fans and league legends including Benny Elias, Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach and Mal Meninga to pay tribute the former player and coach.
Ray Warren opened the service to celebrate “one of the greatest” players in the game who would “stoop to any devious resort” on the field but off the field was “a saint”.
He said Raudonikis has “written his name in rugby league history” as a man who “hated defeat” who would say “if anything else fails we’ll bring on the cattle dog”.
Former teammate John Dorahy said: “Yes he was a larrikin, yes he was a working class man but he was also a bloody good mate.”
He recalled Tommy as a ferocious competitor with “tremendous tenacity and drive” and a competitive nature that made him “the rugby league fighter of the era”.
He said Tommy would call him up during a game and say: “Come with me and we will belt him when he gets the ball.”
But after the game he loved “a bet, a beer and a fag”.
“You will be missed forever but not forgotten, RIP mate,” he said.
Newton benefactor Tommy Rowney who signed up Raudonikis for the Jets said: “Tom’s signing was bombshell, unbelievable, it was like a nuclear explosion.
“He brought to Newton a fierce competitive drive,” he said. “Losing just was not in his DNA.”
He said Raudonikis was “a person who leads from the front … who makes it very clear, follow me boys.”
The appreciative audience of hundreds of fans, players and celebrities including 2GB host Ben Fordham, chuckled to tales of thrown shovels and larrikin escapades after the game. His long term friend John Singleton was unable to attend and sent his apologies together with Olympic boss John Coates who said: “We all have our heroes and Tommy was mine.”
“There are so many people who loved Tommy,” Rowney said. The legend would be up in heaven “with his footy mates, God help God,” he said.
In a video tribute former coach Roy Masters said; “What you see is what you get and people loved him for it.”
Kangaroo teammate John Quayle recalled walking the Kokoda Track with him despite hips and knees that had suffered in the game. Raudonikis would reflect on what the troops went through and said “how lucky we all are.”
Teamate Steve Mortimer recalled rooming with Raudonikis and putting his gear on the big bed, leaving Raudonikis with the small bed. “He picked up my bags, opened up the window and threw it out,” he said.
Teammate Ian Schubert also shared with him and said “I have never seen a filthier room” while Wests teammate John Ribot recalled his “love for Trish”.
Wests Tigers director Rick Wayde said he could not recall a player receiving such an outpouring of emotion and accolades “even Queenslanders liked him.”
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys paid tribute to the selflessness of Raudonikis in his life. “He would try his hardest for his mates, he would try his hardest for his state and for his country.
“When he was diagnosed with cancer there was a young lady there, about 29 years of age, with two young children,” he said. “His whole heart was for that lady and what those kids were going to do without their mother.”
Mr V’landys said he defined selflessness. He also thanked the NSW Government ministers for attending but added: “You should have given him a state funeral.”
Current Newtown Jets director Alby Tarico wore a T-shirt printed with the words: “Thanks Tommy.”
“He is the biggest loss to rugby league in decades,” he said. “He may not have been one of the immortals but he was close enough to be immortal to me.”
Raudonikis was a formidable halfback for Western Suburbs and Newtown who represented NSW on 24 occasions, the last time in the first ever State of Origin match in 1980. He also represented Australia in 29 tests and world cup matches.
But fans loved him for being a larrikin who loved a beer and a scrap and invented the ‘cattledog’ cry that would spark an all in brawl on the footy field.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Western Sydney Minister Stuart Ayres were among dignitaries at the service. “The success of Western Sydney we see today is built on foundation stones put into the ground by people like Tommy Raudonikis,” Mr Ayres said.
The NSW Government ruled out a state funeral for Raudonikis. Sports Minister Geoff Lee waived the cost of the venue for today’s memorial service saying the memorial was “a fitting tribute” to “one of rugby league’s great characters and players at club and state level”.
A private funeral for Raudonikis was held on Friday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church at Clear Island Waters near his home on the Gold Coast.
His widow Trish travelled to Sydney to attend the service with son Lincoln and daughter Corryn.
There has been an outpouring of mourning since his death.
He was remembered at his beloved Henson Park by his former team the Newtown Jets, on Saturday.
ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys said today’s service is a fitting way to honour a great of the game.
“Tommy was one of a kind. He was the people’s champion who reached the pinnacle of our game, it’s fitting the rugby league community will come together on Monday to pay tribute to one of the most popular players in the game’s history,” he said.
“We have worked with Tommy’s family to ensure a memorial that fittingly celebrates a legend of our game.”
The former Australian halfback died on April 7 in a Gold Coast hospital after a long battle with cancer, six days short of his 71st birthday.
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Originally published as Farewell Tommy: Sydney says goodbye to people’s champion
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