Remembering 1963

[innsaneink]

thnx fibro

 

[happy_tiger]

I think the fact that Harrigan was able to bring it up in his autobiography and was not sued by Lawler's family says something

These blokes were tough nuts thats for sure

Uncle Dud Beattie was involved with the Jets (Ipswich) and to hear the story how he broke his arm in a Test Match and because in those days there was no replacements he purposely picked a fight with another Pom player so they both would get sent off

Back in the day when Ipswich supplied the entire Australian front row Dud ,Noel Kelly and Parcell

Wow, that’s sensational happy. It was a legendary match and a it was a legendary action by your uncle. You should be proud – he took one for the team and for Australia.

That was the third test of 1962\. A very powerful England team had cleaned up Australia in the first two tests and we were attempting to avoid a whitewash.

Your uncle was badly injured and could not continue. In those days no replacements were allowed, so, to even things up, he picked the most dominant pommie player that day – Rocky Turner their lock, walked up to him and belted him. Turner decked your uncle and Lawler sent them both off. Turner realized he had been conned and was filthy; he wanted to go on with it over the sideline but your uncle was too badly hurt to join in.

Your uncle’s quick thinking and selfless actions were the talk of rugby league for year’s to come. We would certainly lost and suffered the humiliation of a clean sweep, if Turner had stayed on the field.

In the end, Australia scored a try on full time in the corner and Ken Irvine converted from the sideline to win, what is probably, the best test match ever played in Australia.

Sorry Ink he's not my Uncle everyone calls him Uncle Dud in Ipswich

 

[fibrodreaming]

I think the fact that Harrigan was able to bring it up in his autobiography and was not sued by Lawler's family says something

These blokes were tough nuts thats for sure

Uncle Dud Beattie was involved with the Jets (Ipswich) and to hear the story how he broke his arm in a Test Match and because in those days there was no replacements he purposely picked a fight with another Pom player so they both would get sent off

Back in the day when Ipswich supplied the entire Australian front row Dud ,Noel Kelly and Parcell

Wow, that’s sensational happy. It was a legendary match and a it was a legendary action by your uncle. You should be proud – he took one for the team and for Australia.

That was the third test of 1962\. A very powerful England team had cleaned up Australia in the first two tests and we were attempting to avoid a whitewash.

Your uncle was badly injured and could not continue. In those days no replacements were allowed, so, to even things up, he picked the most dominant pommie player that day – Rocky Turner their lock, walked up to him and belted him. Turner decked your uncle and Lawler sent them both off. Turner realized he had been conned and was filthy; he wanted to go on with it over the sideline but your uncle was too badly hurt to join in.

Your uncle’s quick thinking and selfless actions were the talk of rugby league for year’s to come. We would certainly lost and suffered the humiliation of a clean sweep, if Turner had stayed on the field.

In the end, Australia scored a try on full time in the corner and Ken Irvine converted from the sideline to win, what is probably, the best test match ever played in Australia.

Sorry Ink he's not my Uncle everyone calls him Uncle Dud in Ipswich

No matter Happy; he is one man I would be proud to call uncle. But when I think of it, all my mother's family came from Ipswich; in fact, my great grandfather was mayor of Ipswich way back when.

So , perhaps I could call him Uncle Dud as well. In fact I think I will from now on - pity is that modern fans wouldn't know who I was talking about anyway.

 

[Paris_Cobbs]

Ink, with regard to that ‘try’ to Johnny King, the issue is not just whether King was held. The Wests players involved are adamant that Lawler called out ‘held’ and to get off the tackled player. King regained his feet and scored.

Another factor regarding the refereeing in that match (apart from the disallowed try to Macdougall) is that Wests were slaughtered in the penalty count: 18 – 7 (and we thought that 14 – 7 last weekend was bad).

Cheers

Fibro

Thanks Fibro, some of my memory of the details is shot. PC

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Some great anecdotes in here. Would have been fantastic to watch the game when men simply played for the love of the game.

 

[LCA]

Hmmm..with all due respect to those who came before us, the clock's turned and it's now and it's the current mob who matter to me. I am going to the SCG on Sunday but I wish it was being played elsewhere. It's a crap venue (by contemporary standards) for rugby league. I am going because the Tigers are my team. Not because it's at the SCG, not because it's 50 yrs since 1963\. I really couldn't care less about that stuff.

 

[Fade_To_Black]

Ink, with regard to that ‘try’ to Johnny King, the issue is not just whether King was held. The Wests players involved are adamant that Lawler called out ‘held’ and to get off the tackled player. King regained his feet and scored.

Another factor regarding the refereeing in that match (apart from the disallowed try to Macdougall) is that Wests were slaughtered in the penalty count: 18 – 7 (and we thought that 14 – 7 last weekend was bad).

I don’t think that there can be much doubt that the match was fixed. Lawler has been more recently referred to as a ‘colourful identity’ which is media code for ‘crook’ and the players knew it at the time.

In Ray Chesterton book “100 Years of Rugby League: A Celebration of the Greatest Game of All he records Ian Walsh as saying:

“if it was going to be a good day for me he would call me by my Christian name [and] if he called me by my surname it was going to be a tough day at the office”

while in the same publication Noel Kelly is recorded as saying that Lawler had winked at him when giving final instructions before the 1961 semi-final against Balmain; a game that the Magpies went on to win in controversial circumstances.

**Bill Harrigan in his book refers to the “ugly shadow of doubt (that) has settled over Lawler’s career. Harrigan looks at the evidence and seems to come to the conclusion that the allegations are true.**

The point is that, at the time, noone cared. The allegations were presented to the NSWRL, who did nothing.

The media didn’t want to know. St George at that time were the biggest glamour team of my experience and the media fawned all over them. In those days the media performed the role of saint’s cheer leaders, and were certainly not going to rain on their parade.

That’s what sickens me most about the whole affair: no one cares – the biggest scandal in our game’s history, and noone cares.

Cheers

Fibro

Jeezus, Bill Harrigan is one to talk! The way he refereed the crucial stage of the 89 GF it was as if he had money riding on a Raiders victory and he made sure he got them over the line.
He wasn't exactly known as an impartial ref in his day either. Hate the bloke.

 

[fibrodreaming]

Hmmm..with all due respect to those who came before us, the clock's turned and it's now and it's the current mob who matter to me. I am going to the SCG on Sunday but I wish it was being played elsewhere. It's a crap venue (by contemporary standards) for rugby league. I am going because the Tigers are my team. Not because it's at the SCG, not because it's 50 yrs since 1963\. I really couldn't care less about that stuff.

The current mob matter to me as well LCA - the pain of a loss is still palpable. It's crazy isn't it. You think that you would grow out of it; after all, it's only a game, but after all these years, the team, and their success, still means a hell of a lot to me.

But the matches from the old days and the incidents are part of who we are. The past matters to me. It still resonates in me. But that doesn't detract from my support for the WT of today - I'm as passionate as I ever was. And who knows. maybe in 30 years time you will be reminiscing about the WT of today; hopefully it will be about our triumphs and not about being dudded.

I agree about the SCG by the way. It is a crap venue for rugby league.

 

[happy_tiger]

I think the fact that Harrigan was able to bring it up in his autobiography and was not sued by Lawler's family says something

These blokes were tough nuts thats for sure

Uncle Dud Beattie was involved with the Jets (Ipswich) and to hear the story how he broke his arm in a Test Match and because in those days there was no replacements he purposely picked a fight with another Pom player so they both would get sent off

Back in the day when Ipswich supplied the entire Australian front row Dud ,Noel Kelly and Parcell

Wow, that’s sensational happy. It was a legendary match and a it was a legendary action by your uncle. You should be proud – he took one for the team and for Australia.

That was the third test of 1962\. A very powerful England team had cleaned up Australia in the first two tests and we were attempting to avoid a whitewash.

Your uncle was badly injured and could not continue. In those days no replacements were allowed, so, to even things up, he picked the most dominant pommie player that day – Rocky Turner their lock, walked up to him and belted him. Turner decked your uncle and Lawler sent them both off. Turner realized he had been conned and was filthy; he wanted to go on with it over the sideline but your uncle was too badly hurt to join in.

Your uncle’s quick thinking and selfless actions were the talk of rugby league for year’s to come. We would certainly lost and suffered the humiliation of a clean sweep, if Turner had stayed on the field.

In the end, Australia scored a try on full time in the corner and Ken Irvine converted from the sideline to win, what is probably, the best test match ever played in Australia.

Sorry Ink he's not my Uncle everyone calls him Uncle Dud in Ipswich

No matter Happy; he is one man I would be proud to call uncle. But when I think of it, all my mother's family came from Ipswich; in fact, my great grandfather was mayor of Ipswich way back when.

So , perhaps I could call him Uncle Dud as well. In fact I think I will from now on - pity is that modern fans wouldn't know who I was talking about anyway.

I'm sure Uncle Dud wouldn't mind you calling him Uncle Dud Fibro

 

[innsaneink]

Hmmm..with all due respect to those who came before us, the clock's turned and it's now and it's the current mob who matter to me. I am going to the SCG on Sunday but I wish it was being played elsewhere. It's a crap venue (by contemporary standards) for rugby league. I am going because the Tigers are my team. Not because it's at the SCG, not because it's 50 yrs since 1963\. I really couldn't care less about that stuff.

Without history, there's no present

Some do care.

I wonder why you'd bother reading the thread if you dont care about it

 

[Goose]

Hmmm..with all due respect to those who came before us, the clock's turned and it's now and it's the current mob who matter to me. I am going to the SCG on Sunday but I wish it was being played elsewhere. It's a crap venue (by contemporary standards) for rugby league. I am going because the Tigers are my team. Not because it's at the SCG, not because it's 50 yrs since 1963\. I really couldn't care less about that stuff.

The current mob matter to me as well LCA - the pain of a loss is still palpable. It's crazy isn't it. You think that you would grow out of it; after all, it's only a game, but after all these years, the team, and their success, still means a hell of a lot to me.

But the matches from the old days and the incidents are part of who we are. The past matters to me. It still resonates in me. But that doesn't detract from my support for the WT of today - I'm as passionate as I ever was. And who knows. maybe in 30 years time you will be reminiscing about the WT of today; hopefully it will be about our triumphs and not about being dudded.

I agree about the SCG by the way. It is a crap venue for rugby league.

love hearing this stuff. Im in my early 30's so obviously dont remember '63

I reckon in 30 years time I will be talking about the '89 grand final still, complaining about the penalty against Bruce McGuire and "if only" thoughts of Benny hitting the cross bar

BUt equally Ill be boring the youngsters about 2005 GF and Benji's flick pass, the heroics of Pat Richards playing injured and alike.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

this thread hurts- the anguish is excruciating.
My poor maggies.

 

[happy_tiger]

I'll talk about the GF to the grandkids , but the game I will always talk about will be the Saints semi of the same year

 

[snowleopard]

When u get so close in a gf and lose you never forget it…..especially if you think you are hard done by.

I have never recovered from the 89 gf,its a scar I wll have for life.

And Id like to extend deepest sympapthies to our magpie brothers.

Just for the record,King looked well tackled to me.....

Yes it was a day I will never ever forget.. when people ask me have I ever been totally depressed and inconsolable I say..only once in my life..and that was the day..can't really explain why but just know in 57years that was the worst I have ever felt

 

[innsaneink]

Despite being a fan for over forty years, Ive never really experienced anything like Wests fans did in 63, or Tiges fans in '89

Never ever really been that close to lsoe it…..'78 was the closest I recall, great season but out in straight sets

77 mid week and 05 we won it

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The present & past