Balmain Tigers coach Leo Nosworthy passes on .

[Gareth67]

The Tigers coach of the 1960’s and in particular the 1969 Balmain side that triumphed over the almost unbeatable South Sydney side has passed away .

Leo was a great player in his own right and he was the architect who planned the Rabbitohs downfall in one of the best Grand Finals played in that era .

Rest easy Leo and thanks for the memories .

 

[Dragonslayer]

RIP Leo the Tiger

 

[Reddragon]

How old was he? A lot of the players from that period have passed on let alone the coaches.
1969 was a massive upset; almost like St George losing one in the middle of their 11.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

View attachment 47589

The Tigers coach of the 1960’s and in particular the 1969 Balmain side that triumphed over the almost unbeatable South Sydney side has passed away .

Leo was a great player in his own right and he was the architect who planned the Rabbitohs downfall in one of the best Grand Finals played in that era .

Rest easy Leo and thanks for the memories .

I was at that game......Balmain was led by Norms brother Peter Proven..amazing win
RiP Leo...condolences to the family

 

[getsmarty]

RIP Leo...condolences to the family

 

[Gareth67]

I was at that game......Balmain was led by Norms brother Peter Proven..amazing win
RiP Leo...condolences to the family

I was actually playing for my local team Dennistone which was in the Balmain competition , 17 or 18 from memory so we - my mates and I couldn’t get to the match .

However the coach put on a special BBQ for the team and we watched the game on his telly . But it was indeed a fantastic G.F. perhaps more so as the Dragons run had ended only a few years earlier and I disliked the South’s team due to their unnecessary biff that they use in their matches .

Anyway I envy you BSE for being at the match it must had been a wonderful atmosphere and the thrill of watching the Balmain team beat the odds , 3-1 I believe. I hope you had a few bob on them mate .

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

I was actually playing for my local team Dennistone which was in the Balmain competition , 17 or 18 from memory so we - my mates and I couldn’t get to the match .

However the coach put on a special BBQ for the team and I tell you what it was indeed a fantastic G.F. perhaps more so as the Dragons run had ended only a few years earlier and I disliked the South’s team due to their unnecessary biff that they use in their matches .

Anyway I envy you BSE for being at the match it must had been a wonderful atmosphere and the thrill of watching the Balmain team beat the odds , 3-1 I believe. I hope you had a few bob on them mate .

Just a side note on that games Gareth (because the post is paying respects to Leo) on the Monday following the GF I was standing at the counter at the hardware store in Miranda and who should be standing next to me was Peter Provan in his khaki bib and brace work overalls buying supplies obviously for his work business..as a young man back then I was in awe not only of the fact that I was standing next to him but that he was working yes working on the Monday ...looking back now Im thinking Mmmm how times have changed...players back then still had job committments because their livelihoods depended on it compared to the money and conditions they enjoy today...... can you imagine Vaughan, Sims, Fafita, Burgess and the like getting up on the Monday and going to work instead of their bubble bath recovery sessions and someone powdering their bums before they go home....its a different world out there today

 

[blacksafake]

View attachment 47589

The Tigers coach of the 1960’s and in particular the 1969 Balmain side that triumphed over the almost unbeatable South Sydney side has passed away .

Leo was a great player in his own right and he was the architect who planned the Rabbitohs downfall in one of the best Grand Finals played in that era .

Rest easy Leo and thanks for the memories .

I played in the half time match for Leichhardt Coaching Class under 9's.
I remember sitting along the fence during the first half eating hot dogs before playing.

 

[Gareth67]

I played in the half time match for Leichhardt Coaching Class under 9's.
I remember sitting along the fence during the first half eating hot dogs before playing.

I always thought they were called Leichhardt Coaching College , but yes we use to play your mob ! Along with the Leichhardt Wanderers , Kodox (?) maroon and orange jersey, Holy Cross Ryde , Ermington Rydalmere and others that the fogs of time have hidden .

Leichhardt Oval itself use to run East to West in those days, played at Birchgrove near Balmain , Ryde Oval etc .

 

[merahputih]

Tigers players slowed down play by continuously faking injury after being tackled. In those days the old St John's ambo volunteers would run into the field and play was stopped for every injury. It put South's right off their game. I think it led to rule changes after that.

 

[Gareth67]

Just a side note on that games Gareth (because the post is paying respects to Leo) on the Monday following the GF I was standing at the counter at the hardware store in Miranda and who should be standing next to me was Peter Provan in his khaki bib and brace work overalls buying supplies obviously for his work business..as a young man back then I was in awe not only of the fact that I was standing next to him but that he was working yes working on the Monday ...looking back now Im thinking Mmmm how times have changed...players back then still had job committments because their livelihoods depended on it compared to the money and conditions they enjoy today...... can you imagine Vaughan, Sims, Fafita, Burgess and the like getting up on the Monday and going to work instead of their bubble bath recovery sessions and someone powdering their bums before they go home....its a different world out there today

I wonder if many of the players realize just how good they have it nowadays BSE ?

As you say , back then they had to work to earn a living plus the training , but the players themselves seem to have more pride in their club’s jerseys then .

 

[Ghostrider22]

RIP Leo

 

[blacksafake]

I always thought they were called Leichhardt Coaching College , but yes we use to play your mob ! Along with the Leichhardt Wanderers , Kodox (?) maroon and orange jersey, Holy Cross Ryde , Ermington Rydalmere and others that the fogs of time have hidden .

Leichhardt Oval itself use to run East to West in those days, played at Birchgrove near Balmain , Ryde Oval etc .

Gareth
They were Leichhardt coaching class, late 60’s early 70’s then became Leichhardt juniors.
You’re right about Leichhardt oval, not many people know it ran east to west. We used to play all the grand finals there. They changed it because of the sun.
Birchgrove was a windy cold place.

 

[Gareth67]

Gareth
They were Leichhardt coaching class, late 60’s early 70’s then became Leichhardt juniors.
You’re right about Leichhardt oval, not many people know it ran east to west. We used to play all the grand finals there. They changed it because of the sun.
Birchgrove was a windy cold place.

I always thought that they - Leichhardt coaching class were a specially trained side , basically the elite of the competition when I first played them .

And yes that Birchgrove Oval froze ones jewels , a very picturesque place , but as you have said damn cold in the winter months .

Good memories and happy , carefree days .

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Leos Tiger boys were bloody tough back then, just like most teams that played at the SCG.....the middle was as hard as concrete because they didnt have drop in cricket wickets so in the winter months you had to contend with a strip of about 6 or 7 pitches that were used for summer cricket ....bloody tough landing if you got tipped arse up a few times

 

[TruSaint]

RIP

 

[Inisai Toga]

Tigers players slowed down play by continuously faking injury after being tackled. In those days the old St John's ambo volunteers would run into the field and play was stopped for every injury. It put South's right off their game. I think it led to rule changes after that.

The old Zambucks! Whilst i’m not suggesting they should go back to those days, i did like the neutrality that they had. Better than watching ex players without the same medical background simply deliverying coaches instructions.

 

[blacksafake]

I always thought that they - Leichhardt coaching class were a specially trained side , basically the elite of the competition when I first played them .

And yes that Birchgrove Oval froze ones jewels , a very picturesque place , but as you have said damn cold in the winter months .

Good memories and happy , carefree days .

I’d like to think we were a specially trained squad lol.
I’m not sure where the name came from.