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2018 RL Hall of Fame

parra pete

Referee
Messages
20,534
I know Lynch was an exceptional player. Do you think he was better than either Dick Thornett or Bob O'Reilly? What's your opinion, Pete?

Yes..I would have Ron Lynch over both Dick and The Bear..Gees Thirsty was consistent, Rarely played a bad game. Scored a try off a Bob Bugden goal kick which rebounded off the goal posts to put Parra into the 1963 preliminary final beating Balmain 7-6.....BUT, in saying that I was a huge fan of both Dick and The Bear. Bear actually played with Brian Hambly, Dick and Ron Lynch when he first burst onto the scene - and I think the opportunity to play with this great trio helped shape his career...certainly would have learned a lot from just mixing with them.
 
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parra pete

Referee
Messages
20,534
Tallis definitely deserves to be in that list.
He was a fantastic player. I don't see why the contract stuff should matter.

Totally agree. Would have loved him to have been an Eel.....Mad eyes, heaps of ability, and one tough dude...
 

Gazzamatta

Coach
Messages
14,145
I know Lynch was an exceptional player. Do you think he was better than either Dick Thornett or Bob O'Reilly? What's your opinion, Pete?
Thirsty and The Bear were phenomenal players who are very much deserving but Id vote for Moby myself. Out of the three he was the one who could truly turn a game. Strength, skill, speed and a magnificent boot.
Of the three though my personal favourite would be The Bear. The first Parra jnr to go all the way to being an international when playing RL for your Country was massive. He was also there the day 57333 supporters at the SCG witnessed our beloved Eels kill off that wicked witch. Love The Bear.
 
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42,876
Thirsty and The Bear were phenomenal players who are very much deserving but Id vote for Moby myself. Out of the three he was the one who could truly turn a game. Strength, skill, speed and a magnificent boot.
Of the three though my personal favourite would be The Bear. The first Parra jnr to go all the way to being an international when playing RL for your Country was massive. He was also there the day 57333 supporters at the SCG witnessed our beloved Eels kill off that wicked witch. Love The Bear.
Anyone who can play footy alright and then make a song that plays over the Bourne credits deserves recognition.
 

parra pete

Referee
Messages
20,534
Thirsty and The Bear were phenomenal players who are very much deserving but Id vote for Moby myself. Out of the three he was the one who could truly turn a game. Strength, skill, speed and a magnificent boot.
Of the three though my personal favourite would be The Bear. The first Parra jnr to go all the way to being an international when playing RL for your Country was massive. He was also there the day 57333 supporters at the SCG witnessed our beloved Eels kill off that wicked witch. Love The Bear.

Excellent comment...I would hate to have to decide between the three champions. I personally think Dick played better football at International level, than he did with Parra. That is why I went with Thirsty....on a Club level...
 

parra pete

Referee
Messages
20,534
Excellent comment...I would hate to have to decide between the three champions. I personally think Dick played better football at International level, than he did with Parra. That is why I went with Thirsty....on a Club level...

Gazza, that era was fantastic, and I loved every minute of it. Am very pleased I was able to experience it - and see these wonderful players in action. I actually met Tombstone Noel Dolton on a cruise a couple of years ago, and enjoyed having a chat with him about those days.... so many memories....I used to write to the Telegraph 50/50 Letterettes under "Parra Pete"...(I was as parochial then, as I am now)..and I consider those 'letterettes helped me later on when I applied those skills with a little Country newspaper I purchased with two other partners....
 

lingard

Coach
Messages
11,136
Excellent comment...I would hate to have to decide between the three champions. I personally think Dick played better football at International level, than he did with Parra. That is why I went with Thirsty....on a Club level...

I'd agree with that. I think I'm a couple of years younger than you, so I didn't see quite as much of those three players as you did. I do remember radio commentators (and my father) saying that Dick Thornett only performed at his best when rep games came around.
And Bob O'Reilly is just a great story, isn't he? I remember him as a fairly fast, mobile young foward with good ball skills when he first started at Parra. And then to come back all those years later as a lumbering, tough as nails prop (still with ball skills) and play in a winning grand final. Unbelievable. I think I saw less of Lynch than the other two. But my father always raved about him. At one point he was regarded as being just a shade behind John Raper, I think.
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
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150,753
he always played second row for the Kangaroos and Raper always played lock, but anyone would have looked good playing in that St George team of the Sixties, there really wasn't much between them imo
 
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2,627
I had the the absolute pleasure of meeting Bob when I was 16/17. I was working at High Speed Plating on Daking St. He was a rep for Hardies I think and had made his rounds and we were doing plating for them.
I had just bundled up a big pallet of school fencing. Back then, you used a ratcheting device to tighten some high tensile steel strapping that held it all down to the pallet. After you got it tight you had to break the strapping off the roll with this ratchet tensioner thing and fold it over a clip with your thumb and then hammer the retaining tabs over to hold it secure. I had put too much tension on it this day and the strapping came undone and sliced my thumb to the bone. I got a rag and some tape and taped it up and went on working. Big Bob was standing there and told me I was a tough lil merkin and he was impressed. I felt so proud that day. That's my Bob story.
 

Gary Gutful

Post Whore
Messages
51,727
I had the the absolute pleasure of meeting Bob when I was 16/17. I was working at High Speed Plating on Daking St. He was a rep for Hardies I think and had made his rounds and we were doing plating for them.
I had just bundled up a big pallet of school fencing. Back then, you used a ratcheting device to tighten some high tensile steel strapping that held it all down to the pallet. After you got it tight you had to break the strapping off the roll with this ratchet tensioner thing and fold it over a clip with your thumb and then hammer the retaining tabs over to hold it secure. I had put too much tension on it this day and the strapping came undone and sliced my thumb to the bone. I got a rag and some tape and taped it up and went on working. Big Bob was standing there and told me I was a tough lil merkin and he was impressed. I felt so proud that day. That's my Bob story.
So I assume it was Bob who christened you ‘Stoppa’?
 
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2,627
So I assume it was Bob who christened you ‘Stoppa’?
Lol, no. My Brother came up with that the day John goosed that merkin. I thought it was a ripper and knew if I ever did sign up here, that's what I'd go with. I was surprised not to see someone come up with it, reading on here over there years.
 

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