Chippy Frilingos

[magpiemax]

LEGENDARY rugby league journalist Peter Frilingos, 59, died of a heart attack at his desk at The Daily Telegraph yesterday afternoon.

His death came in the week he was to celebrate 40 years covering the sport he loved.

Tributes to Frilingos flowed in from rugby league stars and from John Hartigan, chief executive of News Limited, publisher of The Daily Telegraph and The Australian.

"He was one of the greatest sports writers this country has produced, a master writer of rugby league," Mr Hartigan said. "Although celebrating his 40th anniversary as a league writer, he retained the infectious enthusiasm of a person on the first day of the job.

"Legend is a word that is often overused, but that is what he was.

"Rugby league was his passion, but his great love was his wife and family. Our thoughts are with them."

Campbell Reid, editor of The Daily Telegraph, said: "More than any other person, Peter was the heart and soul of The Daily Telegraph and of rugby league. And more than any other person, we considered him bulletproof.

"In the last couple of days, we had celebrated with Peter an unbelievable career as this city's leading rugby league writer, a job he performed with unsurpassed passion and professionalism. He said to me last week that 'The day I don't want to watch a football game is the day I stop' - but that day had not arrived yet."

Frilingos - known affectionately as Chippy because of his Greek background - started on the Daily Mirror as a copy boy in February 1962. Radio presenter Ray Hadley, who worked with Frilingos on 2GB's Continuous Call, said: "Chippy was my mentor. He took me under his wings. He helped mould my career.

"Rugby league was a passion for him, but his greatest love was his family.

"The greatest piece of advice he ever gave me was that your family comes first, second and third." National Rugby League chief executive David Gallop said: "Rugby league won't be the same without Chippy. He was one of the most dedicated men to his profession that you could imagine.

"He was part of the game for four decades and his death represents an enormous loss. I offer his family the deepest sympathy from everyone in rugby league."

He is survived by his wife Maureen and children Matt, Anna and Alison.

The Australian

 

[HappyTiger]

Yeah pretty sad indeed.He was contoversial at times but also one of the good guys of the game.He will be missed .

 

[Gobbso]

i had very little respect for him as his alliance was with News ltd. and Super League. He also said some rude and nasty things about the Magpies too, in those last few years that made my blood boil, but at the end of the day you don't wish death upon anyone...

Although he gave the Game of Rugby League great service through his indepth knowledge, passion and expereince in sports journalism. He provided exposure and coverage which was his main aim, to let people know about the greatest game of all.

 

[yappy]

Mum said if you can't say something nice about someone don't say anything at all.

Therfore all I can say about the man and his passing is

 

[magpiemax]

i had very little respect for him as his alliance was with News ltd. and Super League. He also said some rude things about the Magpies too, in those last few years that made my blood boil, but at the end of the day you don't wish death upon anyone...

Although he gave the Game of Rugby League great service through his indepth knowledge, passion and expereince in sports journalism. He provided exposure and coverage which was his main aim, to let people know about the greatest game of all.

Yeah,must admit I too was'nt his greatest fan either,but love him or hate him Whenever you heard the name 'Frilingos'you affiliated it with League for as far back as I can remember anyway.And as far as his alliance with super league...,Well I suppose when one has worked for an organisation since 1962,one tends to have biase towards it.

 

[magpiemax]

Mum said if you can't say something nice about someone don't say anything at all.

Therfore all I can say about the man and his passing is

Geeeeez Yappy,I thought you were a bit smarter than that. And that you would probably be the last person I would expect to write something of that description.League is'nt everything Yappy!!! But obviously some grudges never end do they?????????????
p.s....I would'nt even expect that from Tugger.
p.s.s..Im sure his wife and three kids would love reading this. :idea:

 

[axl rose]

. He also said some rude and nasty things about the Magpies too, in those last few years that made my blood boil.

Peter Moore, Porky Morgan, Peter Frilingos hmm.

Mr SL Laurie Dayley was the main culprit when it came to saying nasty things about the magpies. He said he couldnt lift himself to play them and that they were a waste etc. Prick.

 

[Tigerpete]

There can be no doubts that the game is a little poorer now with chippy's passing. We may not always agree with his actions but i know that he loved the game probably more than most of us ever will, it was his passion, his life and he certainly left this place a very well respected league identity. sad to see him go but his influence will live on through out many people in the game.

 

[Henson Park Hornets]

I don't see just because he made a living out of RL that he had more of a passion for the game and anyone else? Sure he was passionate about the game, but so are many other people who were not lucky enough to have a job in the media.

I was never a fan on his during SL or after. He continually pushed the idea of SL dispite being an "alleged" Souths fan and putting the boot into them when ever he could. As a journo, he had NO credability with me (would he care? No.). I never met the bloke so I can't comment on him as a person, but I'm sure he was a good bloke and it's sad that someone could pass away at the young(ish) age of 59 with so much still to give his family.

 

[magpiemax]

Im not saying that one has to love him. And people like Gobbsie and myself have made it quite clear that we have never been great fans of Frilingos.But the fact is that he provided exposure and coverage which has been much needed to this game of ours, not to mention the 16 hour days he spent working doing so.Because in the greater scheme of things as opposed to Soccer,Tennis,Golf,Formula 1 etc...etc...etc...No one really cares about Rugby League apart from Australia(in some states only) and the North of England.So I just find it a little innapropriate for some people to try and post things and make a lighter side to it about a man who's body is'nt even cold yet.

 

[super_coach]

very sad to see anyone of his age die,and i do enjoy most coverage of rugby league,of which a heap came out of his pen.
but his super league stance and constant baging of the tigers and the magpies,back in those day,hints of cash for comment.to call him a master scribe-i dont think so,in the class of the great roy masters.ian heads,i dont think so.but he was a rugby league man.anyway sad to see him go-but not a hall of fame-just an old pro

 

[Lochie]

. He also said some rude and nasty things about the Magpies too, in those last few years that made my blood boil.

Peter Moore, Porky Morgan, Peter Frilingos hmm.

Mr SL Laurie Dayley was the main culprit when it came to saying nasty things about the magpies. He said he couldnt lift himself to play them and that they were a waste etc. Prick.

Thats probably why in 99 he left the field early because people were throwing rocks at him whilst he was playing. Serves him right

 

[Gobbso]

Laurie Daley Quote "I'll never play for the ARL again..." (In '96 after the court ruling was handed down that Super League was not allowed to happen) 4 weeks later he was! :roll:

Frilingos wrote an article in '99 which i still have. It was back page material and the headline was "Waste of Time" That was a forntight before the NRL season kicked off. I don't care who he was, but you don't come out and make opinionated judgements like that. That was morally crippling as a supporter and would have hurt the club as well.

This sort of journalism and his comments on the Continous call during the Super League war and post war days in regards to Western Suburbs and battling ARL clubs, is where i lost my respect for him. But as i stated previously, prior to all of that he gave the game great service and got it tremendous exposure. You don't wish death upon anyone.

 

[B_Tiger]

any journalist paid to write about league, writes about league. He gave exposure to league because he was paid to do it, if not him then someone else. The telegraph's approach to journalism is rubbish. They believe scandals sell and so they sell them. Frilingos critisized clubs and players that struggled and praised those who were performing well, he never really seemed to have a particularly strong understanding of the game and often capitalised on scandals in league. His articles rarely contained in-depth analysis of league. Not much of a journalist really.

I don't think it's neccesary to praise a person simply because they die. Being respectful is essential but there is no need to bullshit. I never liked him as a journalist and his death doesn't change that.

 

[axl rose]

Laurie Daley Quote "I'll never play for the ARL again..." (In '96 after the court ruling was handed down that Super League was not allowed to happen) 4 weeks later he was! :roll:

.

Daley "SL has always been about the game" oh yeh just did wonders for it didnt it you toss! has anyone heard if Laurie is big in Beijing yet?

Pity about those rocks missing him (ill work on my aim)

I wonder how he would have felt if someone said kick out his (broke)Raiders oh wait its St george now isnt it? what a sell out.