HARPO ’ s MARKS
Each Tuesday , I play a round of golf with the Richmond Rovers , a group of old mates who , despite knowing each other for most of their lives , still enjoy each other ’ s company .
One such Rover is Paul “ Wally ” Wayling , Windsor Rugby League Club legend as player , administrator and supporter .
To say Wally loves rugby league is to say Russ Hinze and Clive Palmer enjoy second helpings !
Anyways , one day last month , Paul hitched a ride to and from our golf game at Dunheved , and on the way back home he suggested we call in on one of his ( and mine ) favourite footballers – Terry “ Dollar ” Geary . It is truly one of the great nicknames ! No , it wasn ’ t because Dollar loved a dollar – it was because during his youth , there was a champion racehorse called Dhaulagiri , named after a towering mountain in Nepal .
The horse was a towering presence on a racetrack , winning 17 races against the
Terry “ Dollar ” Geary was always on the money in getting ball in hand and charging into defenders . Backing him up is the revered Denis Tutty , the man responsible for professional rugby league players throwing off the serf shackles imposed by the NSWRL .
best gallopers of his time .
His victories included a string of topclass weight-for-age races including the 1961 W . S . Cox Plate in which he beat the brilliant New Statesman and champion Sky High into the minor placings .
A grandson of the great Hyperion , Dhaulagiri was sold to stand at stud in France where his low fertility rate ended up with him being euthanised .
Sadly , not long after he went to that big racetrack in the sky , one of Dhaulagiri ’ s progeny , Dhauvedi , established himself as a top-class galloper , winning one of the French classics . But I digress . Terry Geary ’ s parents were also pretty good at the sire and mare caper , producing a footballer who , during his career with Penrith Panthers , earned a reputation as one of the best prop forwards in the game .
Dollar didn ’ t have the toe of Ken Irvine , the ball skills of Arthur Beetson , nor the sidestep of Graeme Langland ’ s , but boyoh-boy , he possessed two gifts which earned him the respect of all who played the game .
He was tough – so tough that where he spat , the pavement cracked !
And he was a workaholic in attack and defence .
It has been your writer ’ s fortune in having developed friendships and acquaintances with many great footballers from my days working at the Sunday Telegraph , and the sadly departed evening rags , The Daily Mirror and The Sun .
Four of those men were masters of prop forward play when the blokes holding up the hooker were skilled and as tough as teak – John Sattler , Kevin Ryan and the late Noel Kelly and John O ’ Neill .
Each of them told me Dollar Geary was always one of their toughest and most respected opponents in scrums and general play .
Former Great Britain and Penrith hooker , Mike Stephenson , one of the best footballers to have ever laced on a boot ,
Barrier Rise with
TONY BRASSEL was once asked who were the best props he ever packed down with , and he named Dollar as one of them .
Dollar did play when scrums were fair dinkum contests , where , as they say , possession is nine tenths of the law !
Other renowned scrummagers from Dollar ’ s era were Manly ’ Bill Hamilton , Cronulla and English great , Cliff Watson , Easts ’ Artie Beetson and the formidable Kiwi , Henry Tatana , who had stints with both Canterbury and St George .
Anyways , Wally and I rocked up to Dollar ’ s South Windsor home where we were greeted and feted by he and his lovely wife , Carol .
Over a cup of coffee and a biscuit or two ( or 10 for Wally ), we talked footy and had a great old-time reminiscing about “ the good old days ” and the demise of scrums as a skilled art .
“ But I suppose the blokes in the front row these days won ’ t end up with these ,” Dollar laughed , rolling up his trousers legs and showing his ankles .
Both ankles have had more surgery than Joan Rivers but thankfully they can still keep Dollar mobile .
“ I suppose your tap-dancing days are over ,” I quipped .
“ Very funny ,” he replied . “ Each scrum back when I was playing was a battlefield and heads , ankles , and on occasions , scrotums , came in for a bit of attention .”
In 2006 , to celebrate its half century in elite rugby league , Penrith named their Team of Legends and listed as one of the props was our man Dollar .
The team was : 1 Rhys Wesser , 2 Bob Landers , 3 Grahame Moran , 4 Ryan Girdler , 5 Alan McIndoe , 6 Brad Fittler , 7 Greg Alexander , 8 Terry Geary , 9 Royce Simmons , 10 Tim Sheens , 11 John Cartwright , 12 Bill Ashurst , 13 Col van der Voort . Reserves : Craig Gower , Brad Izzard , Mark Geyer , Tony Puletua .
“ It was a tremendous honour being named in that team – not bad for a young bushie from Gympie ,” Dollar said .
A few days after our visit to Dollar , I called in for a quick chat and unlike his usual jovial self on opening the door to friends , the man was downcast .
He then explained his melancholy was due to him just being informed of the passing of Bill Ashurst .
Bill Ashust , for the information of younger readers , was ( and not arguably ) the most exhilarating forward to have played rugby league .
The tall , athletic second-rower played three Tests for England before heading to Australia where the big money was on offer for his services .
Bill accepted a lucrative contract to play for Penrith Panthers , alongside his Great Britain team-mate , the brilliant hooker , Mike Stephenson .
There never was or has been a forward with his attacking skills .
Sure , Bill wasn ’ t all that interested in the tackling caper , but , man-oh-man , was he something to behold with the ball in hand or on his feet !
No forward before or since could do what he could do when in possession , using his speed , strength , sidestep , swerve , and deft kicking skills in terrorising defensive lines .
Dollar was particularly distraught because he developed a very strong friendship with Bill who always spent time with him and Carol during his regular three-yearly visits to Australia after returning to England in 1977 .
In fact , the brilliant footballer and his daughter , Katherine , visited Dollar and Carol at their South Windsor residence on their most recent visit back to Oz , just a few weeks before returning home and his passing .
SAD MARKS : Bill Ashurst ’ s passing . There will never , ever be a more talented attacking forward to ever lace on a football boot . Bill , thanks for the memories .
CINQUE TORRI has shown some ability when previously in work but crikey , there was a lot to like about the way the lightly raced I Am Invincible youngster let down in bolting away with a 1030m trial at Rosehill on June 20 .
SHADES OF ROSE is unbeaten in three outings and is primed to return add to her imposing record going on the manner she put away her rivals in winning a 900m trial at Rosehill on June 20 .
NASTURTIUM was never extended at any stage when second behind Shades of Rose in that 900m hit out . Snitzel youngster which looks to have a very bright future .
ANOTHER COGNAC is a Zoustar colt out of the Bryce Heys ’ stable and looked good when third in 900m trial at Rosehill on June 20 . Showed a great turn of foot and never let go at any stage down the running .
GOLDEN AGE is an unraced 2YO I
Am Invincible out of the Hawkes yard which indicated he is ready to fire first-up after showing speed and then giving a lot extra when clicked up over the final 200m in winning 900m trial at Rosehill on June 20 .
PASSEGGIATA couldn ’ t have been more impressive in easily setting the time standard for the session in winning 900m trial at Rosehill on June 20 . Unraced Winning Rupert 2YO ready to shine first-up .
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THE HILLS INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 85 // JULY 2022 37