Popular family’s great choice to move to Ipswich

Coynes made a lifetime devotion to Swifts and Ipswich rugby league. Jets relive 2015 grand final glory. Remember this?

Former Canberra Raiders footballers Gary Coyne, Phil Carey and Steve Lidbury.

JETS BUZZ

Michael Nunn

IF you are driving along Chermside Road and you get to number 44, you should maybe stop and give a knowing nod to one of Ipswich's first league families.

Vince Coyne was born in Laidley but moved to Ipswich at 17 and started his family at Eastern Heights.

It was not long until the Coynes found Swifts and a lifetime devotion to Ipswich rugby league.

Gary Coyne reflected on his childhood life in Ipswich.

"It was a great place to grow up, footy in winter and cricket in summer,'' he said.

Vince was confident they had made a great family choice.

"Swifts was the family club,'' Vince said. "You had my five boys and the Walters boys. That's 10 children.

"Then you had the Boettchers as well.

"We always felt welcome at Swifts and that's where all our boys played."

Ipswich's famous footballing family, the Walters, included twins Kerrod and Kevin, pictured with their parents Kevin and Sandra and brother Steve.

The Coyne family would have to move away in 1974 but leave son Gary in Ipswich to complete his carpentry apprenticeship.

"We moved because the floods closed the mine I worked in but Gary stayed and kept playing football, he lived with my mum,'' Vince said.

"We had five boys and two girls and we couldn't think of a better city for them to grow up, we had the local pool not far from us and they would all be off to swim and of course Swifts and netball.''

If you are wondering where the sporting talent came from Vince Coyne was timid.

"Well if I wasn't sitting here next to my wife I would say me but I will say Marie,'' he said.

It would be son Gary Coyne that would win a premiership with Swifts in 1981 and then become a foundation Jet in 1982 and then leave for Wynnum when one of Ipswich's best Des Morris came knocking.

"Gary went to Wynnum to be coached by Des Morris, what a player he was for Ipswich,'' Vince said.

"Any Ipswich boy would want to be involved with Des Morris."

Gary would have success at Wynnum winning the premiership in emphatic style 42-8 against Souths as a red-hot Wynnum side ran rampant over Brisbane leaving all in their wake.

It would then be 'Little Queensland' that would need Coyne's services and off to the Raiders in 1986 who were chock full of Queenslanders living away from home in the nation's capital.

"We were very excited by Gary going to Canberra, we would fly down to Canberra and across the aisle would be Kevin and Steve Walters dad and mum going down too,'' he said.

"Just two Ipswich families going to watch their boys.

"We had lots of great trips to Sydney and we didn't miss many finals games."

The Coyne's frequent flyer points would be rising quicker than stocks in Video Ezy.

Coyne's time at the Raiders from 1986-92 brought about 17 finals appearance including four grand finals for the Raiders and two wins.

Coyne would play an unbelievable 10% of his games as finals games. In a lime green era that inspired young and old football watchers.

Vince was sure about one thing about all those trips to Sydney and one game stands above all others.

The 1989 grand final classic between the Raiders and Balmain.

"I loved the 1989 grand final. It was such a classic game. I still sit and watch it whenever it is on FOX."

Vince loves nothing more than sitting and talking Ipswich league.

"It's such a league city. It's almost just built into who we are and what we do, what choice do you have in Ipswich.

"I think that's why Ipswich has produced so many great players, it's part of us."

Jets captian Keiron Lander and Neville Costigan of the Townsville Blackhawks ready for the 2015 Qld Cup grand final. Picture: Darren England.

Jets finest moment

FIVE years ago this week, the Ipswich Jets won their first Intrust Super Cup.

On Friday, the players and staff will gather to reminisce about that great day in September.

Five hundred and 63 men had played for the Jets at the stage of the grand final - being part of grand final losses in 1988, 1989, 2002 and 2008.

It was 33 years of waiting - 12,245 days of anticipation achieving the final goal.

I have so many great memories of that day. We trained at the Brisbane Broncos Red Hill base and left from there for Lang Park.

On the way from Red Hill to Lang Park an almighty spring storm struck and it poured rain that would be more suited to the 'Gabba in December than Lang Park in September.

We got to the ground and I was standing in the tunnel watching the Bears win the Colts. Ben Walker was beside me watching the storm. I remember saying I was worried about the weather and how we do not need this.

Ben Walker, in his no emotional way, just said "Would you like to tackle Marmin Barba in the wet?"

Then he walked away.

Jets coaches Shane and Ben Walker prepare for the 2015 Q Cup grand final. Picture: Darren England.

My role had been for a few years to film the first half for Ben and Shane Walker from the end of the ground, then come and see them with a few minutes to go in the half. They would tell me what they wanted me to find - things like that missed tackle that led to the Hughes' try and show the Jet involved.

I would find the footage I had filmed and then show the player so they could see what went wrong and why.

Tom Humble scored just before halftime and I had to find the try and then load the footage to show Jets centre Liam Capewell.

I found the footage and showed Liam and my role was completed I sat the second half on the bench watching history.

I spoke to some Jets from that day to find out what their little known memories of a great day were.

 

Jets tryscorer Marmin Barba celebrates with teammates during the 2015 Intrust Super Cup Grand Final between the Townsville Blackhawks and the Ipswich Jets. Pic Darren England.

Marmin Barba: Four runs, 126 metres, two offloads, one line break, one try assist, one try, one goal.

"I remember how it poured down with rain; I knew a slippery track would work in our favour."

Dane Phillips: Four runs, 18 metres, one offload, one line break assist, two try assists and one try.

"In the sheds we were relaxed and music pumping, we knew their shed was super quiet so I knew they were nervous.

"We played our pre-game song which we played every week and we were ready."

Dane Phillips

Liam Capewell: Eight runs, 54 metres and 14 tackles.

"It was about 20 minutes into the game after we had a really nervous start, dropped ball and plenty of good field position for Townsville.

"They put us on our try line again and were lined up ready to jam us down there. Dane Phillips gives Nemani the ball on the second tackle and he skips out around about four of them and puts Marmin into the clear 80m out.

"Somehow they cover defend and pull him up before the try line, which didn't happen often, but somehow our portly little halfback had done as all great halves do and he made his way up field on the inside.

"It ends with one of the more elaborate dives over the line and Dane Phillips celebrating like only he can. It was 6-4 to us after one of our worst starts for the year and I just felt it then, it was our day and no matter who it was in front of us we weren't going to be stopped."

Keiron Lander: Six runs, 22 metres, 29 tackles, one try.

"I remember the storm before the game and I remember the look of Marmin Barba before the game. When we came together before the kick-off I looked at Marmin and he looked on. Marmin was a great read of how the team was going to go.

Sam Martin: Five runs, 43 metres, 15 tackles.

"The memory that I keep looking back on was after the game, I was walking into the dressing room and Danny Coburn threw me a beer and gave me a hug and said we did it Marto we did it.

"That was special moment. Club legend that has been trying his whole career to win a premiership with the Jets saying that to me, he was just so proud.''

Cooper's stat

GARY Coyne: FOG # 62 - 11 games, six wins, 65 runs, 145 tackles, 338 minutes, 417 minutes, four offloads.

The Jets kicking game was outstanding on grand final day, turning the Blackhawks around and finding space. There were 22 kicks for 666m compared to 16 kicks for 340 metres.

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