Remembering some of the game's special characters

WHILST I have been away for a few weeks a couple of my favourite rugby league identities have passed away.

Rugby League identities John Payne and Billy J Smith have passed away. Picture: LETTINI ISABELLA

WHILST I have been away for a few weeks a couple of my favourite rugby league identities have passed away.

John Payne was a legend in the BRL competition, where he played for Valleys, Easts and Norths. He was arguably one of the toughest forwards to play the game in the '70s.

I was a Valleys tragic as a young bloke and while I wasn't happy with John's shift to archenemies Easts I followed his career and loved the way he played.

I travelled by train to Brisbane when he was picked to play for Australia against France in 1975, which was his proudest achievement but typical form of that era, being run by NSW, he never got a run. Because of that, it was never recorded as playing for Australia but John knew and Queenslanders knew and just added to another reason why Origin was a good idea, hating the Blues.

I got to know John in later years and he was a wonderful bloke and he put up a sterling battle against Parkinson's. RIP champion.

The other was Billy J Smith who passed away last week. He was definitely a larger than life character in the media, rugby league and XXXX Brewery.

Quick witted would be an understatement and he was relentless when he got on a role. When you look like me and win a raffle prize when Billy was compering, the smart thing to do was throw it in the bin. I said smart, which I wasn't so for years I used to try and retaliate which was best described as going into a gunfight with a butter knife.

Eventually, I figured out no response and raffle ticket in the bin was the way to go. Billy did a lot for footy and a lot for regional areas in footy and pubs and clubs. Nothing was too much trouble for him and wherever he went laughter usually followed. He will be sadly missed. RIP mate.

I HEAR lots of rumours re elite ironman/woman racing in surf lifesaving with SLSA rumoured to be taking over the running of the series from its current promoter Oceans 6's Trent Golding who, as far as I can see, has done an outstanding job.

The latest is a strong rumour to revamp the series and add SUP racing and an obstacle course on the beach. Wow.

I find that quite odd. Wouldn't it be better to look at retention rates from nippers to Bronze Medal age and figure out how to lift the numbers that continue in the movement?

Wouldn't it be better to throw some prizemoney and support into the series, add under-17s and possibly a masters section, a bit like the triathlon model, to get more numbers on the beach, which I am pretty sure is what Kellogg's is after? But what would I know?

REIGNING QFA Division one AFL premiers Maroochy Roos have an interesting afternoon at their clubrooms at Fishermans Rd tomorrow, with a footy function featuring a couple of legends of the game in Carlton's Brendan Fevola and the Bulldogs' Doug Hawkins.

Hawkins played 350 games at the top level and is a renowned character and I would think would be worth the ticket price by himself even if it was just to ask him what motivated him to run for the Palmer party back in 2013. For inquiries ring their hardworking president Matt on 0408400999.

Originally published as Remembering some of the game's special characters