What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Gilchrist Park

Messages
6,003
Has anyone here seen the St George/South Sydney mural at Gilchrist Park in Bexley North? Despite having played soccer at the ground a number of times I only noticed it the other week.

I spoke to a local of ten years who said it had been up for as long he's lived there. It features a Souths player running down the wing with a Saints defender wrapped around his legs attempting a Sattler like tackle. The backdrop is that of a leafy suburban oval with a picket fence. It really was quite lovely.

Any way I was down there today and some low merkin has defaced the whole thing by painting over the Saints player and graffiting in the background. :evil: :evil: I'm really pissed off cause the mural predated SL and seemed like a relic of a time when Rugby League was King in this city.

Any way I'll give the council a buzz and ask them what the deal is with things like this – do they have them repainted ect...

p.s It features the writing 'NSWRL, 1971' – Is there any significance of this year in terms of Saints/Souths rivalry?
 

Anonymous

Juniors
Messages
46
sh_gf1971.jpg
 

Anonymous

Juniors
Messages
46
It's considered by some to be one of the great grand finals - the leadup to it was getting quite a lot of interest as TV got right behind it. Saints were underdogs and behind 11-10, and actually looked liked they were getting on top. Bobby McCarthy scored the winning try and Souths won 16-10.
 

Benny

First Grade
Messages
9,500
Mate i'd say its been there for anout 7-8 years max.
I am a Bexley North local and have often gone and hit tennis balls there and a good friend of mine lives across the road in Shaw St.
It got defaced about a month or so ago and a real shame as a beautiful bit of work!
 

Foz

Bench
Messages
4,121
I saw that game.
Souths Reserve Grade Hooker won them the game by raking the ball back in the play the ball a couple of times.
He turned the match.
The guy was filling in for Elwyn Walters who was out injured.
George Piggins was his name. Not a bad fill-in.
Your side looked the goods for most of the match.
 

MC

Juniors
Messages
300
I saw the grafitti when i was doing some school study @ bexely north libaray. i am assuming that it is only recent the grafiti, say the last 3-4months

i remeber going past it ageeeeeeeez ago and asking my dad about it, and he explained it to me and everytime i've driven past it i think of saints...and another tragic loss!
 
Messages
6,003
Benny said:
Mate i'd say its been there for anout 7-8 years max.
I am a Bexley North local and have often gone and hit tennis balls there and a good friend of mine lives across the road in Shaw St.
It got defaced about a month or so ago and a real shame as a beautiful bit of work!

Yeah it was. If it was a Souths fan he's cut of his nose the smite his face because the whole thing is ruined.

ps I'm and honorary Bexley North local having gone the school and played for the Bombers. ;-)
 

Benny

First Grade
Messages
9,500
How old are you mate?

Had a few mates who went to Bexley North and played for the Bombers and my mum taught at the school!
 
Messages
6,003
I'm 17.

I would have left Bexley North in 98 so if your mum was there before then there's every chance I was one of the little bastards that she had to put up with.

I haven't played for the Bombers for a few years. We won the Minor Premiership and the GF so I decided that that was the ideal time to hang up the boots and leave in a hail of glory. :lol:
 

Benny

First Grade
Messages
9,500
Mrs Howard? My mates all finished in 1994 i think as i am 21.

She might of been there for a few of your earlier years -big Dragons fan!
 
Messages
6,003
The name rings a bell but I don't have any real recollection. Nevertheless I'll keep an ear out for a Mrs Howard at the fifteen year reunion. ;-)

Maybe by then we'll a premiership or two to talk about.
 

Rexxy

Coach
Messages
10,604
Denis'saints'Freak said:
The name rings a bell but I don't have any real recollection. Nevertheless I'll keep an ear out for a Mrs Howard at the fifteen year reunion. ;-)

Maybe by then we'll a premiership or two to talk about.

I'd like to know what happened to Miss Burns, my first class teacher from Bexley North 1968.

While some kids played British Bulldog, I was re-enacting the French Student Riots and holding my own Anti Vietnam Rallies between free milk in the mornings and pack away time in the arvo.

Is there still a home attached to the school?

And then tell me if they still charge 5cents for pies and if they still sell Sunny Boys in th tuck shop.
 
Messages
6,003
Rex mate, I had Mrs Burns as my first teacher at that school as well!!!

There wasn't any home attached to the place when I was there, pies cost a dollar or so and Sunny Boys have been replaced by Super Doopers.

There weren't any rioting French or much of note going on in the world in my time there so the extent of my political activity was skipping Catholic class to join the Salvo Army kids from next door!

No Pope!!!
 

Rexxy

Coach
Messages
10,604
LOL @ The Pope. FTP

Den, it couldn't be the same Mrs Burns could it? I mean, given she was a young woman when she taught an even younger Rex, could she really have done 30 years there? Wow.

And the Salvos is the home I was referring to. It was some Boys Reform school back then.

I really should go back and have a look. i dont remember too much excpet there was a dirt area where we played marbles.
 
Messages
6,003
Well I'd estimate that the Mrs Burns I had was in her late fifties or early sixties so the glove fits. It does happen that teachers stay at a school for their whole career. My old art teacher had been at the same school for 35 years.

And the Salvation Army place next door is grand. If you ever go back to Bexley Nth I'd recommend you pop your head in over there and have a look around. Lets just say that I think we know where all those donations are going…
 

Latest posts

Top