Memories

Bring back Olaf Prattl said:
Thanks HalBrowne61, memories are important for supporters, it takes the mind off what’s currently going on ( or not going on ) with the club.
For balance 2 memories,Balmain memory, Larry Corowa’s kick return against Wests at the SCG, 70 metres around all of them without a hand laid on him,breathtaking. Wests memory, Neville Hornery in a scrum against Easts, belting the daylights out of Easts front row from the second row, arm pumping like a piston . Think he may have got the record suspension at the time.
Once again, appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Nev's mum used to be a barmaid at the Royal Sheaf Hotel at Enfield. Nobody messed with her, not because we were worried about Nev, we were afraid of Mrs Hornery.
 
coivtny said:
A football story of sorts. Wests used to have a centre named Roy Ferguson, a gun player who later played for the Dragons. One night in the early 70s my mates and I were at a pub at The Rocks. One of my mates said that a girl at the bar kept staring at me. I should have known he was having me on because this girl was a full-on glam. I went over and started talking to her. She was really nice but said she was there with her boyfriend and he was the jealous type. Being no fool I said my goodbyes and headed back to my mates.
About 30 seconds later I looked up and who is walking towards me but Roy Ferguson,. I put my hand out to shake hands and was about to tell him how much I enjoyed watching him play. Without any fanfare he grabbed me by the collar, lifted me six inches off the ground and told me if I ever went near his girlfriend again he'd cave my head in for me. We agreed he was dispensing good advice and parted company. My mates thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen.
I never really liked Roy after that.
Click to expand...
A similar thing happened to me at Easts Leagues club after their defeat vs Dogs in the GF (Gearin Try WOW!) Got dancing with a xxxx who seemed lonely by herself on the dance floor. Nothing un-gentlemanly occured, then with deceptive pace and leg drive I was asked "May I cut in" by the late great Johnny Raper. It was his wife! I went to the soldiers to wash my face.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My greatest memory of football growing up was not being at the game but in the kitchen at home with mum and dad with the old Bakerlight radio on with Frank Hyde calling the games "If its long enough and straight and its straight between the posts?

Then waiting for the around the grounds scores to come thru hoping the Maggies had got up

They were great days, geez I miss them - brings a tear to the eye
 
Neville hornery ,singularly ,used to pick blokes up and pile drive opposition players headfirst into the ground.
Some days he got away with it too.The bloke always got up though.
Occasionally the bengal lancer would run onto the field and spoil the fun and tell the referee.
No bunker interference in those days.
At Pratten park one day billy rayner from parra lay motionless on the ground after a scrum broke up. Billy Rayner was a highly regarded scrum winner for parra.So who got the blame?
Noel Kelly,of course.
 
eyewondertoo said:
Neville hornery ,singularly ,used to pick blokes up and pile drive opposition players headfirst into the ground.
Some days he got away with it too.The bloke always got up though.
Occasionally the bengal lancer would run onto the field and spoil the fun and tell the referee.
No bunker interference in those days.
At Pratten park one day billy rayner from parra lay motionless on the ground after a scrum broke up. Billy Rayner was a highly regarded scrum winner for parra.So who got the blame?
Noel Kelly,of course.
Click to expand...
Loved Noel but in an era when hookers could win you games Noel was a terrible ball winner. But he always won the ball when he needed to. Like Billy Rayner in your story above, Noel knew how to use his knuckles to win the ball. Ross Warner from Norths was about the best hooker in the comp but knew it wasn't good for his health to out-hook Noel.
 
Noel Kelly was one the hardest blokes I have seen on a field. I remember one of the first games I ever went to was at the old sports ground from memory. It was between Wests and Balmain. My favourite player was Kelly and I was also excited to watch Yow Yeh as I thought he was dynamic. We got to the game a few minutes after the start of the game to find Yow Yeh carted off on a stretcher and Kelly receiving his marching orders.
 
jadtiger said:
Bwaith will be very upset you have forgotten him
Click to expand...
I have not forgotten him…

He managed to screw us when he kicked that field goal in 2010 semi final when they lost the scrum against the feed in the last 30 secs to send it into extra time…

If the Tigers win that game …might have won the premiership

Another snatching defeat from the jaws of victory moment
 
When Balmain were doing it tough in the 90s, we had a 5/8 called Mick Gillet…

I remember we beat Norths…packed full of stars…9-7 at Leichhardt.

I he scored a try and a field goal and Michael Withers kicked a penalty goal to win the game. Still my favourite underdog victory for Balmain.

ARL 1997 Optus Cup - Round 7 - Balmain Tigers 9 def. North Sydney Bears 7 - RLP

Match info page for the Balmain Tigers vs. North Sydney Bears game in Round 7 of the 1997 ARL season. Tigers won 9 to 7 at Leichhardt Oval.
www.rugbyleagueproject.org www.rugbyleagueproject.org
 
Clearing out my dear old mum’s place and I came across my Dad’s old Balmain Leagues 20 & 30 year membership appreciation key rings. Lots of old memories there, one even has his name on it, naturally I now have it on my keys. I probably better remember that if I ever lose my keys that the name on them is not mine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Staff online

Members online

Total: 1,502 (members: 28, guests: 1,474)
Back
Top