BRISBANE RUGBY LEAGUE GRAND FINAL
Two players were sent off the field and a spectator attacked the referee in a sensational Brisbane Rugby League Grand Final at Lang Park.
Norths, favourites to win, took out their seventh premiership in eight years by defeating Brothers 9‑6 in a gruelling, hard tackling game.
The win was a triumph for Bob Bax, who has coached Norths to six of their premiership wins.
It was Norths' narrowest win. Only one try was scored when Norths' centre Ray Cattanach flashed over near the posts four minutes after the start of the game.
The sensational sending off hap*pened in the 30th minute. Brothers' five‑eighth Johnny Gleeson. was flat*tened by a vicious head tackle after he had kicked the ball. Immediately,Norths’ five‑eighth Grant Mould, was knocked to the ground.
Referee Henry Albert sent Brothers' forward Dennis Manteit off, and also indicated that Mould was included.
Mould, however, at that stage, had no interest. He was unconscious, was placed in an ambulance and taken to hospital.
A spectator vaulted the fence near the northern terraces ran across and pushed Albert. Brothers' players Arthur Connell and Morrie Pinfold grabbed the spectator and rushed him to the side*line and sent him sprawling on his face in front of the grandstand. Two policemen then took over.
There was little between the teams for the full 80 minutes. Brothers looked smarter in attack in the second half when they got away from orthodoxy and varied their tactics.
Fans thought that they must even*tually crack Norths' defence in that period but they just could not beat the final tackle or they ran out of men in support.
During this period winger Neil Porter, five‑eighth Johnny Gleeson, forwards Arthur Connell and Peter Gallagher each got within a yard or two of a try, only to be floored by a Norths defender.
Henry Hegarty and Les Geeves were outstanding in a sound strong Norths team. Hegarty did not make one mistake in any department and his clever positional running often had Brothers defence puzzled.
Geeves, Norths' captain, got through a tremendous amount of tackling and organised his forwards splendidly.
Hegarty won the Owen Weller $20 bonus for the outstanding player of the match.
Barry Dowling played his best game of the season for Brothers. He split Norths defence four times in the first half and twice in the first five minutes of the second half.
Norths defence always was too strong and every threat to their goal line saw the entire team literally pouring back to defend their goal line. Heavy showers made conditions slippery underfoot, but both teams handled the wet ball well.
Fullback Peter Lobegeiger was an*other star for Norths. He engineered Cattanach's try with a great burst through and he showed surprising speed in later runs.
This was not a game for scouters and no one in their side shirked the hard tackles given or taken. The forward clash was tough but exciting, particularly in the second half, when Brothers pack, led by Peter Gallagher switched their atten*tion to the middle of the rucks and did penetrate.
Gallagher, Noel Cavanagh, Johnny Lohman and Connell made ground frequently, but just as frequently, Geeves, Don Simpson, Alan McLean and Peter Hall halted Brothers' pro*gress.
Hall came into Norths' team when Bob Duncan was forced to withdraw because of an eye injury suffered at work.
Hall was a good replacement. He was a great ball distributor, backed up well and did his share in the heavy defence.
Halfback Johnny Brown was sound and orthodox and contributed a valu*able two points from a clever field goal.
Brothers' fullback Morrie Pinfold, playing his first game for many weeks was close to top form. He was at his best in defence when Norths hammered at Brothers' goal line late in the match and he has lost none of his brilliant
penetration.
The heavy showers which started in the suburbs around midday cut the attendance to 22,000.
Brothers' hooker, John Bourke, won scrums 12‑9 over Geeves. Referee Albert lashed Norths with penalties in the first 25 minutes mainly for offside in the rucks. Penalties for the match favoured Brothers 20‑12.
Redcliffe proved too strong for the smart attacking but lighter Easts side in the Reserve Grade grand final.
Redcliffe led by 3‑2 at half‑time and won the match 12‑2.
Angie Day kicked two magnificent long‑distance goals.
Source : “The Rugby League News”, 9th/10th September, 1967
