Tigerdave
Well-known member
Phil Rothfield
The Sunday Telegraph
July 01, 2012 12:00AM
TERRY Lamb and Ellery Hanley stroll on to the middle of the Sydney Football Stadium. They are here to reminisce about one of the dramatic grand final moments in rugby league history.
The day Canterbury legend Lamb knocked Tigers superstar Hanley out of the 1988 grand final in a back-play incident that became part of folklore.
Lamb puts out the same right hand that decked Hanley and says: "Ellery, the first thing I want to do is apologise."
And the champion Englishman was only too happy to accept it.
"I thought, what a lovely human being," Hanley said.
"The very first thing he did was put his hand out and said he wanted to say sorry for what happened on that day.
"I can't believe I've finally met Terry after 20-something years.
"It's been a pleasure meeting him, catching up and reminiscing over those years."
The pair talk for 10 minutes about the game and that moment. Lamb has only watched it once on video, about a year ago.
"Andrew Farrar tackles him, I went high, jumped up and I clipped him across the head," he recalls as Hanley listens.
"What you do on the field and what happens on the field stays there.
"I was quite nervous to meet Ellery for the first time. Everybody has reminded me for the last 24 years what I did."
They walk to the exact spot where the tackle occurred and pose for these exclusive photos.
Both decked out in their old team colours, of course.
"Terry knew exactly the blade of grass he actually hit me on," Hanley said.
"So we just walked over to that patch and talked about it. I'm glad he knew where it happened because I don't remember a thing.
"I've only been in Australia for three weeks and I get asked probably 30 times a day about the incident.
"They ask whether I feel malice towards Terry - absolutely not. What happened has happened.
"Nobody goes on the field to deliberately hurt anybody. I've got full respect for him."
As they are about to leave, they sign each other's jerseys and then swap them.
"I'll treasure it and keep it forever," Hanley says. "I'm going to frame it and hang it up at home."
* Additional reporting Lucas Townsend.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/confidential/australias-best-sporting-gossip-with-phil-rothfield/story-e6freye0-1226413125749
\
\
\
Bigger man than I Ellery, as a Balmain supporter, I hate Lamb and really did not follow league while he was coaching the Wests Tigers.
The Sunday Telegraph
July 01, 2012 12:00AM
TERRY Lamb and Ellery Hanley stroll on to the middle of the Sydney Football Stadium. They are here to reminisce about one of the dramatic grand final moments in rugby league history.
The day Canterbury legend Lamb knocked Tigers superstar Hanley out of the 1988 grand final in a back-play incident that became part of folklore.
Lamb puts out the same right hand that decked Hanley and says: "Ellery, the first thing I want to do is apologise."
And the champion Englishman was only too happy to accept it.
"I thought, what a lovely human being," Hanley said.
"The very first thing he did was put his hand out and said he wanted to say sorry for what happened on that day.
"I can't believe I've finally met Terry after 20-something years.
"It's been a pleasure meeting him, catching up and reminiscing over those years."
The pair talk for 10 minutes about the game and that moment. Lamb has only watched it once on video, about a year ago.
"Andrew Farrar tackles him, I went high, jumped up and I clipped him across the head," he recalls as Hanley listens.
"What you do on the field and what happens on the field stays there.
"I was quite nervous to meet Ellery for the first time. Everybody has reminded me for the last 24 years what I did."
They walk to the exact spot where the tackle occurred and pose for these exclusive photos.
Both decked out in their old team colours, of course.
"Terry knew exactly the blade of grass he actually hit me on," Hanley said.
"So we just walked over to that patch and talked about it. I'm glad he knew where it happened because I don't remember a thing.
"I've only been in Australia for three weeks and I get asked probably 30 times a day about the incident.
"They ask whether I feel malice towards Terry - absolutely not. What happened has happened.
"Nobody goes on the field to deliberately hurt anybody. I've got full respect for him."
As they are about to leave, they sign each other's jerseys and then swap them.
"I'll treasure it and keep it forever," Hanley says. "I'm going to frame it and hang it up at home."
* Additional reporting Lucas Townsend.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/confidential/australias-best-sporting-gossip-with-phil-rothfield/story-e6freye0-1226413125749
\
\
\
Bigger man than I Ellery, as a Balmain supporter, I hate Lamb and really did not follow league while he was coaching the Wests Tigers.
