SPORT
HARPO ’ s MARKS
T ’ was way back in the winter of 1967 and I was a proud member of Penrith Panthers ’ very first Jersey Flegg Under 17 years junior rugby league representative side .
We played four matches and because we lost one of them , we didn ’ t progress to the finals stage of the competition .
If memory serves me correctly , one of those games was definitely against Canterbury-Bankstown , and the other opponents were Easts , North Sydney and I ’ m pretty sure the other was Newtown ,
We easily accounted for the Bluebags , the Roosters and the Bears but found the Berries , as they were tagged back then , a shade too strong on their home track at Belmore Oval .
I was a versatile little footballer , able to play anywhere in the backline , but throughout that series , I was used at fullback .
It was a memorable day for yours truly because I sustained the second most traumatic injury during my rugby league career . May I digress for a moment ? The worst occurred at Richmond Park two years later , when playing A Grade for Riverstone , I put my boofhead into the wrong side of the hip of a ball carrier and was knocked out .
On my coming round after a minute or so ( I was told ), as usual the zambuck performed the normal concussion test back then - asked me to squeeze his finger and asked my name .
Got ‘ em both right , and I was allowed to stay on the field and continued to , well , play footy .
Around 40 minutes later I really “ came to ” just as the half-time hooter sounded and I asked a team-mate where we were . Cutting a long story short I was off work for six weeks . I can ’ t believe how today ’ s KO ’ d players are given a week or two off ( or even allowed to return to the fray )!
Anyways , back to 1967 and Belmore Oval .
Just before half-time , the ball swung along the Berries ’ backline on our 25-yard line and their tall , fleet-footed fullback chimed in between the outside centre and winger .
He took the pass and immediately chipped over my head as I ran across in cover .
I turned around to give chase as the fullback joined me in the race for the ball . On the tryline , the ball sat up nicely and the fullback and I dived for it .
He snaffled up the ball , and I snaffled up one of his knees into my solar plexus – end result , he scored , and I spent an agonising and terrifying few minutes trying to breathe .
“ That ’ s very interesting ,” I hear you say . “ But where ’ s all this going ?”.
“ Its ” going into the future – more than half a century later !
Mrs Harpo and I were invited to join her old friends , whom she hadn ’ t seen for yonks , for a short holiday down the South Coast at marvelous Mollymook .
So , I had the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with Cliff and Helen Haynes and Graeme and Kerrie Fleming .
Both Graeme and Cliff had devoted their lives at the coalface in local government where they were much honoured by their peers .
As we were savouring welcoming drinks on that first night in Mollymook , talk got around to rugby league and Cliff revealed he supported the Bulldogs , and Graeme , the Sea Eagles .
During the chat , Graeme said his job in local government took him far and wide throughout bush NSW and he modestly said he played first grade wherever he was posted .
Cliff revealed he had a part-time career refereeing in the then NSWRL Sydney grade ranks after playing junior representative league at Canterbury .
I asked Cliff his age , and when he told me it was the same as mine , I then asked if he had played in the 1967 Jersey Flegg team , and he replied in the affirmative .
I looked at this tall man and asked if
Barrier with RiseTONY BRASSEL
SILMARILLION is only early in his preparation so there was a lot to like about his cruisy 2 nd behind Bengal in 792m trial at W ’ Farm on July 15 . Raced well against best of his age during first campaign .
VISUAL is bred to be a champion by I am Invincible out of the classy Alizee . He ’ s trialed superbly twice , the latest in effortless 792m trial win at W ’ Farm on July 15 .
SILENCIO PORFAVOR is an unraced Yes Yes Yes colt out of the Matthew Smith yard . Ran slick time in easily winning W ’ Farm 788m trial on July 15 . All his rivals were under heavy riding .
THE GIFT could be a good gift to punters at a bit of odds in something suitable when he resumes . He was under a stranglehold throughout on the rails when last of nine in W ’ Farm 740m trial on the synthetic at W ’ Farm on July 15 .
MAD DEEL is a smokey and shouldn ’ t be allowed to get under your
card in a suitable race when resuming . Never let go at any stage when close fifth in Randwick 1045m trial on July 19 .
GOLDEN STRAAND is an unraced colt out of the Matthew Smith yard . Was absolutely cruising throughout and was strong 6 th in Randwick 1045m trial on July 19 .
SHANGRI LA EXPRESS and ENRICHED finished first and third respectively in 740m trial at Randwick on July 19 . Both are primed to fire when they resume . he had played fullback . “ Yes , I played fullback throughout that Flegg competition ,” he said . “ You bastard ,” I laughed . “ I owe you a knee to the solar plexus !” Small world !
The Third State of Orangutan was much more akin to a clash of two Neanderthal clans instead of a game of rugby league .
Throughout the 80 minutes duration of the clash , it was bash and barge with only one or two glimpses of attacking rugby league .
Only on a handful of occasions did the ball travel more than two passes off the play-the-ball .
No free-flowing attacking raids out in the backs – just two sets of forwards trying to , yeah , maim each other .
In the end it was the bigger Blue Bear Cave Clan members which prevailed over their smaller Red Reindeer Clan rivals .
You all obviously noted that in State of Orangutan , the normal rules of rugby league areas are ignored .
Grabbing around the head , giving facial massages , interminably slowing down the play-the-balls , and second and third man flops , well after the ball carrier has been put on the ground .
I ’ m just thinking about 100 years down the track – if mankind is still around and league is being played .
Going on the growth spurt of humans over the past century , players will be nearing seven feet tall ( 2.1 metres ) and weigh in around 120kgs .
Crikey , all defensive lines would have to do is just stand arm-widths apart to make a chain of defensive across the field ! Finally on the Orangutan decider . Bear Clan fullback , Dylan Edwards was the best player on the field – no doubt about that .
But I felt like having an up and under when those imbecile broadcasters kept going on about the high number of metres he made in possession .
Of course , he was you imbeciles – he was the bloke regularly fielding Red Reindeer Clan kicks deep downfield and then running 20 or so metres before he hit the defensive line . Aah , bah humbug !
SAD MARKS : Passing of renowned sportscaster , David Morrow . David was a fellow member of the Les Darcy Club and it was always a pleasure meeting up with him at our regular club lunches .
HAWKESBURY • HILLS DISTRICT • BLACKTOWN CITY
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