I was looking through some stuff the other day and came across a bloke called Dene Petty playing for Casino RSM Cougars in the NRRRL. He is possibly the oldest bloke playing Rugby League in Australia. He must be 70.
I remember reading an article in one for the league mags a few years ago about an old timer that was still playing. He would have been in his late 60's - early 70's. Can't for the life of me remember the club or his name though. I'll see if I can dig it up
League's uber-oldie
TFF has long loved the concept of Golden Oldies, with older blokes running into older blokes. Far more impressive, though, is when really old blokes play full-on with the young 'uns and give them a good belting.
Such appears to be the case with one Dennis Gleeson who, at the age of 68, plays with the State Rail Apprentice team in the Student league comp, and could be seen giving it to the Sydney Uni players last weekend. The Uni lads did not back off, and hit him hard in return, with TFF's operative reporting there was no quarter asked or given. Mr Gleeson has played more than 250 games just in the Student comp, these past few years mostly off the bench. He is a second-rower-cum-hooker and is said to be the oldest active rugby league player in the world. We dips our lid.
Dene Petty? I think I remember him. Was he a young lout that played for Kyogle in the early nineties. Had a flashing mullet and a penchant for big fillies?
Dennis Gleeson. Used to play for State Rail Aprentices in the NSWSRL.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/18/1058035206364.html
That article was posted in 2003 and I am pretty sure he played on until at least 2006 and maybe into 2007.
He was a hard man and a very fit man.
I believe that could be him. Apparently spent some time at the Nightcliffe Dragons in Darwin in the late 70's. Bit of a Reg Reagan by the sounds of things. Do you know him? Does he have to where different coloured shorts so they do not tackle him too hard.
He used to wear red shorts. Unfortunately his buttocks have expanded so greatly that no one can tell what colour shorts he has on.