Dream QRL/BRL series ..... pass comment !

[mud n blood]

Bit bored today, so thought I'd post an old one from a couple of years ago. Feel free to comment, suggest changes, whatever .......
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Below is my "dream team" and my dream series .... not necessarily all the "best-ever" players, but players I have seen, or would like to have seen play, and play together. The two squads were constructed from personal opinion, news clippings, match reports, books, video footage and word-of-mouth. I could very easily come up with another two squads that would no doubt rival these as well !!! On that basis, yes - there are many "greats" which didn't make the cut, especially in the pre-1950 side (ie Purtell, Webster, McAllister, Broadfoot, Crouch, Stanley - just to name a few) If I sat down and started this process again tomorrow, I'm sure my sides would be different YET again.

Secondly, I've given some thought to many of the original rules which are now long-gone. (unlimited tackle, scoring, marking, scrummaging etc) I think there were plenty of playing styles which would not be out of place today, but sadly we'll never see. Thus, the differing match rules.

The dream
This series is to be played under a 4-match series concept, between teams comprising of players who made their club debut either pre- or post- 1950. Criteria included having played a minimum of two seasons in the senior Brisbane competition. The teams are as follows:

Post-1950 Team

Fullback: Norm Pope (Valleys)
Wings: Frank Melit (Brothers) and Lionel Morgan (Wynnum-Manly)
Centres: John Gleeson (Brothers, W/Manly) and Mal Meninga (Souths)
Five-eighth: Wally Lewis (Valleys, Wynnum-Manly)
Half-back: Barry Muir (Wests)
Lock: Ian Massie (Norths)
2nd Row: Des Morris (Easts, W/Manly) and Bob Lindner (Souths, W/Manly)
Props: Brian Davies (Souths) and Arthur Beetson (Redcliffe)
Hooker: John Lang (Easts)
Reserves:
Forwards: Peter Gallagher (Brothers) and Duncan Hall (Wests)
Backs: Chris Close (Valleys, Redcliffe) and Bill Pearson (Norths)
Coach: Bob Bax
Captain: Arthur Beetson

Pre-1950 Team

Fullback: Dan O'Connor (Valleys)
Wings: Ron O'Malley (Brothers) and Cec Aynsley (Wests)
Centres: Jack Reardon (Brothers, Norths) and Tom Gorman (Brothers)
Five-eighth: Jack Stapleton (Norths)
Half-back: Ron Stanton (Souths, Easts, Brothers)
Lock: Bill Tyquin (Souths)
2nd Row: Harry Bath (Souths) and Vic Armbruster (Valleys)
Props: Les Heidke (Brothers) and "Babe" Collins (Norths)
Hooker: Jack Little (Brothers, Valleys)
Reserves:
Forwards: Norm Potter (Wests) and Tom Drysdale (Easts)
Backs: Hugh Melrose (Norths, Wests) and Col Thorogood (Coorparoo)
Coach: "Firpo" Neumann
Captain: "Babe" Collins

Match Officials
David Manson, Eddie Ward, Henry Albert, S.W. "Digger" Chambers
(Three appointed per match - each centring one)

Match schedule
Game 1: Brisbane Cricket Ground - Gabba (Day match)
Game 2: Davies Park (Day match)
Game 3: Exhibition Grounds (Floodlit night match)
Game 4: Lang Park (Floodlit night match)

Special series rules
Game 1: 3-point tries, 2-point goals & field goals, unlimited tackle, 5-yard defence, single penalty-kick
Game 2: 3-point tries, 2-point goals, 1-point field goals, six-tackle & scrum, 5-metre defence, single penalty-kick
Game 3: 4-point tries, 2-point goals, 1-point field goals, six-tackle & scrum, double penalty-kick, 10-metre defence
Game 4: 4-point tries, 2-point goals, 1-point field goals, six-tackle & changeover, 10-metre defence

Media Coverage
Radio: George Lovejoy and John McCoy (assisted by Fonda Metassa and Bernie Pramberg)
Television: David Wright, George Doniger, and Alan Thomas


Any thoughts, amendments, things missed, suggestions .....

 

[Big Tommy]

Mud

About the media coverage - do you remember all the "booths" at Lang Park for the different media outlets. Geez I reckon just about every radio and at least 2 or 3 tv stations covered games from that place. The list of names you've got here is great but do you know some of the other media people who worked for their respective stations covering rugby league in Brisbane.

I'm sure there'd be a few great stroies from those guys

 

[XXXX Cap]

4BK - John Sweeney and Ripper Doyle ???
4QR - Arthur Denovan ???
4IP - Billy J Smith, Rod Tiley etc ??

Got me thinking now.

 

[Big Tommy]

Billy J ......... Billy, Billy, Billy.

I'm pretty sure at one stage when Billy was calling for 10 or 7 I think on the telly that there was a season where he got about 20 percent of players names right.

Mind you that was probably right in the middle of the time when he was a frequent visitors of sveral illegal casinos dotted around Brisbane which technically didn't exist!

Judging by the clinical nature of today's legal casinos where if you fart or start to have a good time you get thrown out - maybe you could have a better time in the illegal shows.

 

[oxenham]

Mud
I think Babe Collins was a lock.Now that makes for an interesting conumdrum.......what do you do with Bill Tyquin?From what I have read about Babe, he picks himself.

 

[mud n blood]

I think on the whole ur right .... but I know he played every position in the forward pack, including hooker once after both rakes had been sent off in a Bulimba Cup match after "repeated infringements and unacceptable 'rough' play" ..... :lol: gotta laugh !

Funny you should say he picks himself. I read he often had more than a leading hand in picking sides !

But for a forward, he was a try-scoring freak. He scored 38 tries one season in the 30's including rep games. Not too shabby at all, in an era of tough footy where half your time was dodging coat-hangers and getting belted by farm-boys and miners ! :shock:

Billy J was hopeless at times. We all now the rumours about his "movie" escapade don't we ? :lol: I remember in the 1992 grand final coverage on channel 9, he kept calling wests hooker Paul Fitzgerald, "Fitzpatrick" ..... :roll:

 

[oxenham]

He (babe) died in the last few years in Sydney and rated a couple of lines in the Courier Mail..........how is Justin Hodges going?
In 39 he scored 37 tries and in 40 he scored 39 tries in seasons that were probably around 15 rounds duration.
He would have had some say in rep selections as he was either capt./coach or capt. of many rep teams :lol:
I always thought that Babe and Jack Reardon were somewhat forgotten at Norths......as were some of the great players of the 60s(Bill Pearson)...other than some premiership photographs.Clubs can do worse than publicise their history.

 

[mud n blood]

yep. A legend, and hardly anyone knew he died. I had to ring 4BC and ABC to tell them when Normie Pope died too !! Pathetic :x They had no idea ....

And Jack :lol: ..... he was a laugh. Never short of a word.

Albeit, Greg Cary was a bit shocked. So the following night he had me on air reading out a little piece on the great Popey. At least I got to know him before he died.

And you're right about what the papers rate as "news" .... recently, I cancelled my Courier and Sunday Snail subscriptions. I much rather follow the real footy at places like this.

 

[oxenham]

If you met Norm later in life,it would have had to be at the front bar of the Everton Park......Is that how you spende your spare time

 

[mud n blood]

hahahahaha - you could probably describe him as a "patron" .... yes !

I met him both there, and mainly at his home.