http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/the-godfather-of-leichhardt/story-e6frexnr-1226288867657
SO Johnny Stapleton has a can of WD40 in one hand, lighter in the other.
"Bludgers," he mumbles, taking said DIY flamethrower and aiming straight into a gang of wasps nesting beside the old Keith Barnes stand.
"They've already stung me once, bloody things. Right on the hand. Won't happen again."
All MacGyver ingenuity and Chuck Norris vengeance, Stapleton is the anonymous Leichhardt Oval groundsman who, at age 70, is the undisputed Godfather of the most famous suburban ground in rugby league.
A retired carpenter and grandfather of 10, this balding knockabout has for 20 years been the man who cleans out the sheds, empties the bins and fixes the leaks.
Who kills the wasps, refreshes the toilet rolls and, when you go for a round at the Orange Grove Hotel after games, only to find your wallet missing … well, it's "Stapo" who carries the torch when eventually you come back to find it.
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"But lost jewellery, that's worse," he says.
"And it's amazing how many women lose rings at the footy."
Amazing too how tough it is to move the coffee truck when it bogs on the hill around 9am. Or the number of young lotharios also hard at it when, around midnight the previous evening, "Stapo" was out rearranging his carpark for Channel 9's trucks.
"Poor kids," he smiles. "You look at them like 'sorry, mate just doing my best ... but you gotta go'." And go they do.
Obeying this Balmain legend whose father Des was a Tigers five-eighth in the 1940s. Whose brother Kenny boasts some 35 years service with the Juniors, while son Danny, a prop, played Winfield Cup until a shocking neck injury almost killed him.
"But, thankfully, it worked out and Dan's on the board now," he says. "Kenny, he still lives around the corner too."
Which is handy when you learn Stapleton and wife Christine actually reside in the St George Basin - the groundsman bunking down with his sibling during the week. "Although it's been worse," he shrugs. "For two of my years here I lived on the Gold Coast."
But for real job hazards, think working with a garbage tin on your head during pluvver mating season. Or trying to wave off a German jumbo during a night game."Yeah, that one was just after we'd put the new lights up," he laughs. "Bloody pilot, thought we were the start of Sydney airport."
Then, with the wasp culling momentarily stalled, his mobile rings. "We've gotta go," he moans. "Dunno how, but someone's locked 'emselves in the sh**house."
Sorry for the swearing in the last line mods but the Tele didn;t even hide 'it'.
SO Johnny Stapleton has a can of WD40 in one hand, lighter in the other.
"Bludgers," he mumbles, taking said DIY flamethrower and aiming straight into a gang of wasps nesting beside the old Keith Barnes stand.
"They've already stung me once, bloody things. Right on the hand. Won't happen again."
All MacGyver ingenuity and Chuck Norris vengeance, Stapleton is the anonymous Leichhardt Oval groundsman who, at age 70, is the undisputed Godfather of the most famous suburban ground in rugby league.
A retired carpenter and grandfather of 10, this balding knockabout has for 20 years been the man who cleans out the sheds, empties the bins and fixes the leaks.
Who kills the wasps, refreshes the toilet rolls and, when you go for a round at the Orange Grove Hotel after games, only to find your wallet missing … well, it's "Stapo" who carries the torch when eventually you come back to find it.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
"But lost jewellery, that's worse," he says.
"And it's amazing how many women lose rings at the footy."
Amazing too how tough it is to move the coffee truck when it bogs on the hill around 9am. Or the number of young lotharios also hard at it when, around midnight the previous evening, "Stapo" was out rearranging his carpark for Channel 9's trucks.
"Poor kids," he smiles. "You look at them like 'sorry, mate just doing my best ... but you gotta go'." And go they do.
Obeying this Balmain legend whose father Des was a Tigers five-eighth in the 1940s. Whose brother Kenny boasts some 35 years service with the Juniors, while son Danny, a prop, played Winfield Cup until a shocking neck injury almost killed him.
"But, thankfully, it worked out and Dan's on the board now," he says. "Kenny, he still lives around the corner too."
Which is handy when you learn Stapleton and wife Christine actually reside in the St George Basin - the groundsman bunking down with his sibling during the week. "Although it's been worse," he shrugs. "For two of my years here I lived on the Gold Coast."
But for real job hazards, think working with a garbage tin on your head during pluvver mating season. Or trying to wave off a German jumbo during a night game."Yeah, that one was just after we'd put the new lights up," he laughs. "Bloody pilot, thought we were the start of Sydney airport."
Then, with the wasp culling momentarily stalled, his mobile rings. "We've gotta go," he moans. "Dunno how, but someone's locked 'emselves in the sh**house."
Sorry for the swearing in the last line mods but the Tele didn;t even hide 'it'.
