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loosehead 1998 article: The Worst St George team of all time"

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,227
Peter Sullivan from Gordon Rugby Club. Peter O'Sullivan was probably related to Kevin O'Sullivan a former Saints centre.

Peter Sullivan was Australian RU captain who came to the Dragons and played one first grade game in the late 60's and couldn't hack it. Peter O'Sullivan was a ex Penshurst RSL player like his brothers Kevin & Vincent and they all played grade.Peter gained notoriety with his stints with Melbourne & Rorters and bookmakers as well. Don't think he is too popular in his family.

Denis o'Callaghan ex Randwick & nsw breakaway in 69 . Never even made it to First grade. And here is a real rare one not many would know about. Also in the late 60's Peter Osborne who played a RU test for Australia on the wing .Came from Melbourne so may have been selected on political grounds ,couldn't even get past the trials to play with us.
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
Worst St. George team
Stephen Butler
Ken Batty
Rex Terp
Chase Stanley
Clinton Mohr

Cameron Wade
Ben Kusto
Steve Funnell
Jeremy Donagher

Stephen Hurworth
Peter Spring
Jake Marketo
Andrew Hart

Cameron Wade was a pretty handy three-quarter, who didn't receive nearly enough opportunities.

Jake Marketo doesn't deserve to be on this list.
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
Players recruited despite a proclivity for injury should be considered.

Nominees include Nathan Long, Josh Miller, Pene Tagive, and going much further back, there's Jason Alchin.

As for Berridge's list, Djura was a five-eighth (not a centre), and Gill was a five-eighth/lock (not a hooker). Graeme Wynn was still playing good footy at th time of his departure, and shouldn't be mentioned at all.
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,620
Ian "Chook" Heron makes that side, the most awkward, unco-ordinated player ever to pull on a Saints jersey. If it wasn't for his goal kicking ability I don't think he'd ever have come close to 1sts. A really nice guy apparently and you don't want to be mean but he was good for a laugh. I remember him scoring a rare try right in front of where I was sat one game and you've never seen a happier man in his silly white knee-length padded tights under his shorts, all gangly knees and elbows, our cheers were mixed with quite a bit of laughter - but genuinely happy for the lad.

McCrone might end up on future lists as might Benji I'm afraid.
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,227
Players recruited despite a proclivity for injury should be considered.

Nominees include Nathan Long, Josh Miller, Pene Tagive, and going much further back, there's Jason Alchin.

As for Berridge's list, Djura was a five-eighth (not a centre), and Gill was a five-eighth/lock (not a hooker). Graeme Wynn was still playing good footy at th time of his departure, and shouldn't be mentioned at all.
Wynnie was sensational for the first three years but then spent most of his time bludging on the blindside. Fact he worked for Penfolds probably extending his stay with us.
 

Leigh Howlett

Juniors
Messages
661
Ian "Chook" Heron makes that side, the most awkward, unco-ordinated player ever to pull on a Saints jersey. If it wasn't for his goal kicking ability I don't think he'd ever have come close to 1sts. A really nice guy apparently and you don't want to be mean but he was good for a laugh. I remember him scoring a rare try right in front of where I was sat one game and you've never seen a happier man in his silly white knee-length padded tights under his shorts, all gangly knees and elbows, our cheers were mixed with quite a bit of laughter - but genuinely happy for the lad.

McCrone might end up on future lists as might Benji I'm afraid.

Those silly white knee-length padded tights you mention are/were called Torpedoes and were the latest cutting edge design for performance and protection, weird how St George were the only club to play in them.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,949
Peter Sullivan was Australian RU captain who came to the Dragons and played one first grade game in the late 60's and couldn't hack it. Peter O'Sullivan was a ex Penshurst RSL player like his brothers Kevin & Vincent and they all played grade.Peter gained notoriety with his stints with Melbourne & Rorters and bookmakers as well. Don't think he is too popular in his family.

Denis o'Callaghan ex Randwick & nsw breakaway in 69 . Never even made it to First grade. And here is a real rare one not many would know about. Also in the late 60's Peter Osborne who played a RU test for Australia on the wing .Came from Melbourne so may have been selected on political grounds ,couldn't even get past the trials to play with us.
Just on the union theme Trevor Lake came to us after representing South Africa and showed a lot of promise but had a really bad injury that stopped his career dead in its tracks.
I remember seeing him score a blistering try at the SCG.
Of course George Evans and Kevin Ryan also made the most of it after coming over from union.
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,227
Just on the union theme Trevor Lake came to us after representing South Africa and showed a lot of promise but had a really bad injury that stopped his career dead in its tracks.
I remember seeing him score a blistering try at the SCG.
Of course George Evans and Kevin Ryan also made the most of it after coming over from union.

Yes OT . Was really a celebrity as he came over just after Xmas in 67 so he was mobbed at Sydney Airport by the media with questions such as " what is the 4 tackle rule like " as he played with St Helens in the first year of this . Took a couple of games to gel with us and then scored 2 tries at the SCG match of the day and won Frank Hyde's Seiko watch. Broke his leg two games later and wasn't heard of again. Sports science wasn't flash on leg injuries in that era.The great Reg Gasnier did a cruciate ligament on Cumberland oval in 66 which today means 4 to 6 max but for him the rest of the year.
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
Other nominees since the JVs creation include Junior Langi, Solomon Haumono, Daniel Heckenberg, Luke Branigan, Wes Pattern, Lee Hookey, Willoe Peters, Wade Forrester, Ben Jeffries, Craig Stapleton, Jamie Fitzgerald, Wise Katierevata, Andrew Bobbin, Garry McBride, Nathan Tutt, Shane Loata, Jason Kent, Michael Howell, Leo Clarke, Damien Bower, Hassan Saleh, Brett Firman, John Cross, Chris Nero, Peter Ellis, Ryan Tandy, Dean Byrne, Henry Penenara, David Howell, Ian Donelly, Ryan Howell, Tony Jensen, John Carlaw, Daniel Holdsworthy, Wheatley (first name long forgotten), Lachlan Russell, Andrew Frew, Shane Martene, Nick Youngquest, John Wilshire, Quentin Pongia, Robbie Simpson, Luke McDougall, Keith Leiliua, Richie Williams, Simon Woolford, Adam Peek, Tony Caine, Sam Isemonger, Tom Hewitt, Ben Ellis, Andrew Price, Corey Payne, Daryl Millard, Colin Best, George Ndara, Lee Tee Maari, Chris Shepherd, Ricky Thorby, Stuart Webb, Michael Lett, Ben Rogers, Nick Emmett, David Gower, Michael Greenfield, Peni Tagive, Cameron King, Bronx Goodwin, Jack Bosden, Chase Stanley, Kyle Stanley, Jeremy Latimore, Nathan Green, Atila Vea, Jack Stockwell, Bronson Harrison, Michael Henderson, Josh Drinkwater, Dylan Farrell, Sam Williams, Shane Pumipi, Craig Garvey, Eto Nabuli, Rory O'Brien, Heath L'estrange, Luke Page, Mark Ioane, and Dunamis Lui,


Some recruited locally, some not.

None were worthy of donning the iconic Red V jumper.

All filler, no killer. Enjoy the trip down Memory Lane.
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
3,620
Other nominees since the JVs creation include Junior Langi, Solomon Haumono, Daniel Heckenberg, Luke Branigan, Wes Pattern, Lee Hookey, Willie Peters, Wade Forrester, Ben Jeffries, Craig Stapleton, Jamie Fitzgerald, Wise Katierevata, Andrew Bobbin, Garry McBride, Nathan Tutt, Shane Loata, Jason Kent, Michael Howell, Leo Clarke, Damien Bower, Hassan Saleh, Brett Firman, John Cross, Chris Nero, Peter Ellis, Ryan Tandy, Dean Byrne, Henry Penenara, David Howell, Ian Donelly, Ryan Howell, Tony Jensen, John Carlaw, Daniel Holdsworthy, Wheatley (first name long forgotten), Lachlan Russell, Andrew Frew, Shane Martene, Nick Youngquest, John Wilshire, Quentin Pongia, Robbie Simpson, Luke McDougall, Keith Leiliua, Richie Williams, Simon Woolford, Adam Peek, Tony Caine, Sam Isemonger, Tom Hewitt, Ben Ellis, Andrew Price, Corey Payne, Daryl Millard, Colin Best, George Ndara, Lee Tee Maari, Chris Shepherd, Ricky Thorby, Stuart Webb, Michael Lett, Ben Rogers, Nick Emmett, David Gower, Michael Greenfield, Peni Tagive, Cameron King, Bronx Goodwin, Jack Bosden, Chase Stanley, Kyle Stanley, Jeremy Latimore, Nathan Green, Atila Vea, Jack Stockwell, Bronson Harrison, Michael Henderson, Josh Drinkwater, Dylan Farrell, Sam Williams, Shane Pumipi, Craig Garvey, Eto Nabuli, Rory O'Brien, Heath L'estrange, Luke Page, Mark Ioane, and Dunamis Lui,


Some recruited locally, some not.

None were worthy of donning the iconic Red V jumper.

All filler, no killer. Enjoy the trip down Memory Lane.

That's a harsh list.
A lot of those guys weren't with us long enough or given a real opportunity and others like those high - lighted put in some great games for us, blokes like Hookey, the injury prone Stanley brothers, Best, Latimore all put in and were regular starters.
 

Saint_JimmyG

First Grade
Messages
5,067
That's a harsh list.
A lot of those guys weren't with us long enough or given a real opportunity and others like those high - lighted put in some great games for us, blokes like Hookey, the injury prone Stanley brothers, Best, Latimore all put in and were regular starters.

Seemingly I am harsh with the Stanley brothers, but Chase should never been regained following his failed Melbourne foray, and Kyle's career was stifled by injury too.

As for the others you've mentioned, Hookey failed to each any great heights, Best's defensive liabilities are reminiscent of MacDonald, and Latimore has been through more clubs than Tiger Woods.
 
Messages
277
he sure did and thats just a sad list...

G.Wynn was a dam fine second rower the first few years..he did get worse as the years wore on...i think its a pity parramatta never bought him or we didnt buy his brother...
Johnny Fifita another second rower and as hard as a bit of concrete...that list is just plain sad....bet John would like 5 minutes with the bloke that wrote that sh*te
Osborne was so bad? Canberra bought him to play front row down there - hes got about 10 kids now and is a polly from memmory..won a grand final or 2 with Canberra too i think...
Henry Tatana was like a small bull...

Edward Berridge this flip sounds like he was left right out....
goose.

While we're going down memory lane a little.
Re Osborne going to Canberra.
He was not consistent with the Dragons, so I was not overly disappointed that he left for Canberra.
But in a subsequent GF with Canberra he absolutely WON the game for them in the opening fifteen or twenty minutes, via some powerhouse runs and two or three magical offloads that led to tries.
It was unbelievable stuff.
And slightly "sickening".
He had saved his best ever performance for (maybe?) his last ever game.
 
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