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For anyone that remembers Ross Gigg. The Mole Tony Adams did an interview a few years back.
Here it is for anyone that is interested.
Legend on the late Ross Gigg, a great Penrith clubman who passed away in 2014...
By TONY ADAMS
You came through the ranks at Penrith when the club were real battlers?
That's right - I was a Blacktown junior and captained the Panthers in both the SG Ball and Flegg Cups in the early '70s. We made the grand final in both… and would have been the first Penrith team to win them. But we lost both - it hurt. I also loved to run and made it to state level for NSW in the 400 metres, hurdles and javelin as well.
How did you come to first grade?
I made my debut in the old Amco Cup from the bench in 1974. We went all the way through to the final and it would have been the first thing Penrith won. I was still at school so it was all amazing for me. The silly officials had all this champagne on ice in the dressing room before kickoff! We played this mob from the bush, Western Division - and they beat us - but we drank the champers anyway - no point wasting it! They were coached by (former Test winger) Johnny King. We are both on the committee of the Men of League in Newcastle and he still gives me a hard time about it, 40 years later. I just tell him they cheated!
You enjoyed the midweek Cup, didn't you?
It was a chance for teams like us at Penrith to make our mark. One game we played at Lang Park against a Combined Brisbane team and (referee) Barry Gommersal gave us a caning in the penalties. We had a crack at him and he said 'Get back to New South Wales'… unbelievable. The same game, I remember this young Aboriginal bloke from Brisbane got man of the match and won a TV set. I remember congratulating him and he laughed and said 'Now all I need is to get electricity in my house'. Priceless!
Were Penrith professional in their approach back then?
I'd like to say yes - but not really (laughs). We were all young and just wanted to have a good time. I remember we would train on a Friday night - and take our going out clothes with us to the field. Then we went straight to the disco and would be out dancing and drinking till 2am the day of a game. And we'd wonder why we ran out of puff in the last 20 minutes of matches! It wasn't until Tim Sheens came in as coach (in 1984) that we stopped all that. I just wish Tim came in 10 years earlier… I think my career would have been a lot better!
But you had some good players?
Oh yes, (English imports) Mike Stephenson and Bill Ashurst were superstars back then and we had good players like Glenn West and Ray Blacklock. For a schoolkid, it was a dream come true playing alongside these blokes.
There was an infamous 'bust up' between Stephenson and Ashurst - what exactly happened?
Mick was captain and he and Bill didn't get on. Bill ended up 'doing a Sonny Bill' - he left in the middle of the night without telling anyone. The first I knew of it, we were at the pub when (former Test prop) Bob O'Reilly got a phone call and told a journo he had left. And before he did, he sold the his TV and furniture. It all belonged to the club - but that didn't stop Bill selling it (laughs). He was a good fella but he and his wife never settled down in Penrith. It's a long way from the north of England!
Stephenson must have been a great role model in your early days?
Mick was as tough as they come and was a real pro. More than once I would see him get knocked out by a cheap shot, carried off on a stretcher, only to come back on a minute later. And he loved a dollar. One day he was out cold on the deck against Manly and someone called 'get the smelling salts'. Our five-eighth Kenny Wilson yelled out 'Never mind that, get a dollar note and rub it under his nose'. We all got a good laugh out of that. And Mick, of course, saw the funny side - when he eventually regained consciousness.
You were a pretty fiery young bloke on the field?
I came from the wild west and felt I had to show I could dish it out. I remember against Easts one day, I belted Russell Fairfax - got him a beauty, high and late. The ref missed it - but 'Bozo' (Roosters captain Bob Fulton) didn't. He yelled to the ref 'Send that dog Gigg off'. The next three times I got the ball, they came at me with knees and elbows. I eventually retaliated - and got sent off - so Bozo got his way!
You got sent off a few times?
One day I smashed a Souths bloke with a high shot and was given my marching orders. The judiciary boss then was an old bloke called Dick Dunn - he called me 'Mr Gigg from Parramatta' - he couldn't even got my club right… and then he gave me two weeks. A few years later, I went down to the judiciary when (St George's) Steve Linnane was accused of gouging (Penrith half) Greg Alexander. I gave evidence supporting Greg and Linnane was found guilty. Roy Masters was coaching Saints then and he had coached me at Doonside High School - he gave me a serve but I said nothing back - I could only tell them what I saw.
You played the terrible day in 1978 when a scrum collapsed on your team-mate John Farragher, making him a quadriplegic?
We didn't quite realise how serious it was at the time. We went to see him in hospital that night and he was laughing and seemed okay. Next day we found out his neck was broken and he would never walk again. We were all shattered and the boys didn't train for days. All we did was visit John… and get on the drink to numb the shock. He could have been a great player - he was just young. It was so tragic.
Why did you leave the Panthers for two years in 1980-81?
Len Stacker came in as coach and we had a falling out. There was only going to be one winner there - he dropped me so me and a mate went out to Lithgow Shamrocks. We made a grand final and had a great time, before Penrith gave me an offer to come home. I was going to quit at the end of 1983 but Tim (Sheens) took me for a drink at Blacktown Workers and said 'Mate, I've got no players' so I signed on. I'm glad I did - Tim was a great coach and even though I was nearing the end, 1984 was one of the best years I had. I played every game and we missed the finals by just one win. The next year, we made the finals for the first time ever and I was filthy I missed it. Penrith came of age under Tim back then and it was exciting to be part of it. He was the right man at the right time for us… and a few years later the Panthers won their first comp.
AFTER retirement in 1984, Ross Gigg entered the sometimes murk world of rugby league officialdom.
"I started as development officer and then became assistant secretary at Penrith," Gigg recalls.
"I soon found out why they have assistant secretaries - so they can do all the work for not much pay.
"I ended up enjoying it and signed Peter Kelly and Chris Mortimer, who were probably two of the best players Penrith has ever brought in.
"But I could see that (club boss) Roger Cowan was going to be there forever and I got fed up with the hard work.
"I then went to Perth to be the CEO of the West Australian Rugby League and it was a hard sell over there.
"For the last 20 years or so I have been CEO of the Newcastle Harness Racing Club and I'm enjoying the challenge."
Here it is for anyone that is interested.
Legend on the late Ross Gigg, a great Penrith clubman who passed away in 2014...
By TONY ADAMS
You came through the ranks at Penrith when the club were real battlers?
That's right - I was a Blacktown junior and captained the Panthers in both the SG Ball and Flegg Cups in the early '70s. We made the grand final in both… and would have been the first Penrith team to win them. But we lost both - it hurt. I also loved to run and made it to state level for NSW in the 400 metres, hurdles and javelin as well.
How did you come to first grade?
I made my debut in the old Amco Cup from the bench in 1974. We went all the way through to the final and it would have been the first thing Penrith won. I was still at school so it was all amazing for me. The silly officials had all this champagne on ice in the dressing room before kickoff! We played this mob from the bush, Western Division - and they beat us - but we drank the champers anyway - no point wasting it! They were coached by (former Test winger) Johnny King. We are both on the committee of the Men of League in Newcastle and he still gives me a hard time about it, 40 years later. I just tell him they cheated!
You enjoyed the midweek Cup, didn't you?
It was a chance for teams like us at Penrith to make our mark. One game we played at Lang Park against a Combined Brisbane team and (referee) Barry Gommersal gave us a caning in the penalties. We had a crack at him and he said 'Get back to New South Wales'… unbelievable. The same game, I remember this young Aboriginal bloke from Brisbane got man of the match and won a TV set. I remember congratulating him and he laughed and said 'Now all I need is to get electricity in my house'. Priceless!
Were Penrith professional in their approach back then?
I'd like to say yes - but not really (laughs). We were all young and just wanted to have a good time. I remember we would train on a Friday night - and take our going out clothes with us to the field. Then we went straight to the disco and would be out dancing and drinking till 2am the day of a game. And we'd wonder why we ran out of puff in the last 20 minutes of matches! It wasn't until Tim Sheens came in as coach (in 1984) that we stopped all that. I just wish Tim came in 10 years earlier… I think my career would have been a lot better!
But you had some good players?
Oh yes, (English imports) Mike Stephenson and Bill Ashurst were superstars back then and we had good players like Glenn West and Ray Blacklock. For a schoolkid, it was a dream come true playing alongside these blokes.
There was an infamous 'bust up' between Stephenson and Ashurst - what exactly happened?
Mick was captain and he and Bill didn't get on. Bill ended up 'doing a Sonny Bill' - he left in the middle of the night without telling anyone. The first I knew of it, we were at the pub when (former Test prop) Bob O'Reilly got a phone call and told a journo he had left. And before he did, he sold the his TV and furniture. It all belonged to the club - but that didn't stop Bill selling it (laughs). He was a good fella but he and his wife never settled down in Penrith. It's a long way from the north of England!
Stephenson must have been a great role model in your early days?
Mick was as tough as they come and was a real pro. More than once I would see him get knocked out by a cheap shot, carried off on a stretcher, only to come back on a minute later. And he loved a dollar. One day he was out cold on the deck against Manly and someone called 'get the smelling salts'. Our five-eighth Kenny Wilson yelled out 'Never mind that, get a dollar note and rub it under his nose'. We all got a good laugh out of that. And Mick, of course, saw the funny side - when he eventually regained consciousness.
You were a pretty fiery young bloke on the field?
I came from the wild west and felt I had to show I could dish it out. I remember against Easts one day, I belted Russell Fairfax - got him a beauty, high and late. The ref missed it - but 'Bozo' (Roosters captain Bob Fulton) didn't. He yelled to the ref 'Send that dog Gigg off'. The next three times I got the ball, they came at me with knees and elbows. I eventually retaliated - and got sent off - so Bozo got his way!
You got sent off a few times?
One day I smashed a Souths bloke with a high shot and was given my marching orders. The judiciary boss then was an old bloke called Dick Dunn - he called me 'Mr Gigg from Parramatta' - he couldn't even got my club right… and then he gave me two weeks. A few years later, I went down to the judiciary when (St George's) Steve Linnane was accused of gouging (Penrith half) Greg Alexander. I gave evidence supporting Greg and Linnane was found guilty. Roy Masters was coaching Saints then and he had coached me at Doonside High School - he gave me a serve but I said nothing back - I could only tell them what I saw.
You played the terrible day in 1978 when a scrum collapsed on your team-mate John Farragher, making him a quadriplegic?
We didn't quite realise how serious it was at the time. We went to see him in hospital that night and he was laughing and seemed okay. Next day we found out his neck was broken and he would never walk again. We were all shattered and the boys didn't train for days. All we did was visit John… and get on the drink to numb the shock. He could have been a great player - he was just young. It was so tragic.
Why did you leave the Panthers for two years in 1980-81?
Len Stacker came in as coach and we had a falling out. There was only going to be one winner there - he dropped me so me and a mate went out to Lithgow Shamrocks. We made a grand final and had a great time, before Penrith gave me an offer to come home. I was going to quit at the end of 1983 but Tim (Sheens) took me for a drink at Blacktown Workers and said 'Mate, I've got no players' so I signed on. I'm glad I did - Tim was a great coach and even though I was nearing the end, 1984 was one of the best years I had. I played every game and we missed the finals by just one win. The next year, we made the finals for the first time ever and I was filthy I missed it. Penrith came of age under Tim back then and it was exciting to be part of it. He was the right man at the right time for us… and a few years later the Panthers won their first comp.
AFTER retirement in 1984, Ross Gigg entered the sometimes murk world of rugby league officialdom.
"I started as development officer and then became assistant secretary at Penrith," Gigg recalls.
"I soon found out why they have assistant secretaries - so they can do all the work for not much pay.
"I ended up enjoying it and signed Peter Kelly and Chris Mortimer, who were probably two of the best players Penrith has ever brought in.
"But I could see that (club boss) Roger Cowan was going to be there forever and I got fed up with the hard work.
"I then went to Perth to be the CEO of the West Australian Rugby League and it was a hard sell over there.
"For the last 20 years or so I have been CEO of the Newcastle Harness Racing Club and I'm enjoying the challenge."
