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God finds God...
by Greg Martin
baptised together.
“Finding God turned my life
around,” Bill says.
Back when I was a cadet on the
“I wasn’t a bad person but I
Daily Mirror, we young journos would
always put myself before all others
have competitions as t o who could
and my decision to change my life
provide a better headline to a story
around by becoming a Christian was
which had appeared in that day’s
the best thing I’ve ever done.”
paper.
After walking out on the Panthers
It was loads of fun coming up
during the 1976 season – he had
with often hilarious (and slanderous)
linked with the club on a huge
alternative headlines and that urge
transfer from Wigan in 1974 – Bill
to find a great headline remains with
returned to England and played for
me to this day.
several more seasons with Wigan,
So you reckon I wasn’t over the
Wakefield Trinity and a short stint
moon when Bill Ashurst returned
with Runcorn Highfield.
to his old stamping ground from
That conversion to Christianity
England last month which gave me
turned Bill’s life around – he gave his
the opportunity to use the “God finds
all to his God, devoted Sheila and
God” headline.
Don’t know about you, but I love it! their seven children.
Who have since provided the
God finds God? Well when he
couple, who still reside in Wigan,
was in full cry on a football pitch, Bill
with 31 grandchildren and three great
Ashurst was a god.
grandchildren!
He had it all! Sizzling speed for
All this has been told with
a big man, superb passing game,
sidestep, swerve, change of pace and brutal honesty in his best-selling
autobiography, T
ries and Prayers
the best – the best I tells ya – chip
which was released last year –
and chase game in the history of the
Australians can grab a copy on Kindle
Greatest Game of All.
or Amazon.
When he was in full stride big Bill
Bill also wanted to put something
was a sight to behold!
back into rugby league and for 27
One was reminded of Olympic
years he has coached in the Wigan
champion Eric Liddell (played by
junior league, working with kids aged
Ian Charleson) in the wonderful 1981
11-16 years.
movie, Chariots of Fire.
“I’m proud to say that 30-odd
Liddell tells his sister he feels
of the kids I’ve trained signed on as
divinely inspired when running, and
that not to run would be to dishonour professionals,” Bill says with justified
pride.
God.
There’s no doubt whatsoever that
“I believe that God made me for a
each of the kids who came under
purpose. But He also made me fast,
his care were taught how to playing
and when I run, I feel His pleasure,”
attacking football!
Liddell said.
Bill laughs when he tells your
And that was Bill Ashurst– he
writer that “tackling wasn’t my go”.
absolutely loved breaking through
“All I wanted was to get that ball in
the defensive line and careening
towards the tryline, looking as though my hand and see what eventuated,”
he said.
he had been, well, touched by God.
“I didn’t know what I was going to
But in those days Bill was far from
do when I had the ball so how could
being a saint – he wasn’t a bad man
the opposition?”
by any stretch of the imagination
When he was “on” which he
but like all young men he was a
admits was generally when there
bit of a handful for his wife, Sheila
was man-of-the-match prizes such
and Penrith Panthers officials and
as a television or expensive watch up
supporters.
for grabs, Bill was unstoppable – and
This brings us to the second God
awe-inspiring.
in our headline.
Bill spent the entire month of
Long-suffering Sheila, always a
April here thanks to the generosity
devout churchgoer, had split with
of a handful of friends who paid
Bill for a period in the 80s but a
for his return flight and provide
chastened Bill returned to the family
accommodation.
fold and in 1988 he and Sheila were
While in
Panther country
the great man
camped with
former teammates, Wayne
Brain and
Ray Blacklock
and longtime Panthers
supporters
Andy and Sandy
Kennedy.
Bill made
the most of the
Bill Ashurst and Ray Blacklock share a cuppa and old memories at visit, attending
Panthers matches
Andrew and Sandy Kennedy‘s home.
16 ISSUE 60 // MAY 2015
Big Bill Ashurst in full flight.
and catching up with a swag of
friends.
On April 13 he had lunch at
Windsor RSL with fellow Panthers
Team of the Century member, Terry
Geary and the following day he and
a small entourage left Penrith for a
drive up to the Gold Coast where he
linked with former Panther and wellknown businessman, Dennis Coffey
and other ex-team-mates, Glenn
West, Paul Langmack, John Klein and
Terry Wickey.
Also at the reunion was former
Richmond and Panthers halfback,
Henry Foster who had relocated to
the Gold Coast earlier that week with
his family.
Along the way up north he called
in at Newcastle to meet Linda Gigg,
the widow of former Panther player
and administrator, Ross, and then
paid his respects at Ross’s grave
site and later that day stopped in at
Forster to say hello to yet another
team-mate, Denis Tutty.
Bill, who turned 67 on April 12 – he
and friends also celebrated the 60th
birthday of Ray Blacklock – returned
home on May 1.
I took the opportunity to ask
Bill which players he most admired
during his illustrious playing career.
“As to my fellow Pommies, Mal
Reilly, Alex Murphy and David
Robinson really stand out,” Bill said.
“The Aussies whom I will always
remember for their skills and
toughness are Artie Beetson – an
absolute champion - Bob McCarthy,
Canterbury’s three Hughes brothers
and the Bear (Bob O’Reilly).
“Two of my Penrith team-mates
will always have an indelible place
in my heart - Denis Tutty and Dollar
(Terry) Geary.
“Denis had an amazing work-rate
and I suppose he also did my share
of the tackling while Dollar was the
best prop I played with or against –
he led by example and never, ever
took a backward step.”
Here endeth the lesson!
HAWKESBURY DISTRICT INDEPENDENT NEWS www.hdinews.com.au