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Sterling snubbed
LES MUIR
20 Apr, 2010 02:31 PM
WAGGA Junior Rugby League has handed football legend Peter Sterling a shock snub by failing to name a ground after him at a new facility in the city.
Regarded as one of Wagga's greatest ever rugby league exports, Sterling was overlooked for recognition when the grounds at the Parramore Park junior rugby league complex were officially tagged.
Born in Queensland, Sterling came to Wagga as an early teenager, attending Kooringal High School on the way to launching his glittering league career from Group Nine club Kangaroos.
After five years in Wagga, Sterling was recruited by Parramatta and subsequently won four premierships with the Eels in the 1980s.
Despite the remarkable rugby league resume, the champion halfback missed out on a gong at Parramore Park.
WJRL president Steve Kimball yesterday revealed the State of Origin and Test star, who is a television league commentator on Channel Nine, had been considered, but eventually overlooked.
Kimball said junior league officials had passed over Sterling due mainly to his limited playing time in the Wagga junior competition.
"Peter Sterling missed out because he came to Wagga as a 13-year-old," Kimball said yesterday.
"Steve Martin played in the juniors from the under sevens."
A halfback of the same generation as Sterling, Martin was born in Wagga and played all the way through the Wagga junior league before signing with Manly.
Martin, who played one Test compared to Sterling's 18 Tests, had four years with the Sea Eagles before joining Balmain.
The omission of Sterling's name at Parramore Park surprised another of Wagga's football celebrities yesterday.
Peter Mortimer, one of the celebrated Mortimer clan, said he believed Sterling "deserved" to have a ground named in his honour.
"Maybe they'll (WJRL) do something later on," Mortimer said.
The Mortimer family has been included on the Parramore Park honour roll, with Peter Mortimer describing the action as a "very nice gesture".
"I'm thrilled, but I would think it is more to recognise our dad," he said.
"After all he did start two football clubs in Wagga."
The Mortimer family, including brothers Peter, Steve and Chris, have powerful links with Wagga junior league.
Steve and Chris Mortimer, Steve Martin and Greg Brentnall, another of their league contemporaries, are all members of the Sporting Hall of Fame in Wagga.
Kimball said a long list of candidates had been assessed before six of the eight the grounds were named.
The remaining two fields will be tagged before the official opening on Saturday week. "So many people really deserve it," Kimball said.
"We need 20 fields, not just eight."
Other celebrated players to be honoured include Eric Weissel and Alan Staunton, while junior league administrators were also bestowed a ground.
WJRL founding fathers Ted Nye and Ken Street have been remembered, with the amenities block at Parramore Park named in their honour.
http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/sterling-snubbed/1807832.aspx
LES MUIR
20 Apr, 2010 02:31 PM
WAGGA Junior Rugby League has handed football legend Peter Sterling a shock snub by failing to name a ground after him at a new facility in the city.
Regarded as one of Wagga's greatest ever rugby league exports, Sterling was overlooked for recognition when the grounds at the Parramore Park junior rugby league complex were officially tagged.
Born in Queensland, Sterling came to Wagga as an early teenager, attending Kooringal High School on the way to launching his glittering league career from Group Nine club Kangaroos.
After five years in Wagga, Sterling was recruited by Parramatta and subsequently won four premierships with the Eels in the 1980s.
Despite the remarkable rugby league resume, the champion halfback missed out on a gong at Parramore Park.
WJRL president Steve Kimball yesterday revealed the State of Origin and Test star, who is a television league commentator on Channel Nine, had been considered, but eventually overlooked.
Kimball said junior league officials had passed over Sterling due mainly to his limited playing time in the Wagga junior competition.
"Peter Sterling missed out because he came to Wagga as a 13-year-old," Kimball said yesterday.
"Steve Martin played in the juniors from the under sevens."
A halfback of the same generation as Sterling, Martin was born in Wagga and played all the way through the Wagga junior league before signing with Manly.
Martin, who played one Test compared to Sterling's 18 Tests, had four years with the Sea Eagles before joining Balmain.
The omission of Sterling's name at Parramore Park surprised another of Wagga's football celebrities yesterday.
Peter Mortimer, one of the celebrated Mortimer clan, said he believed Sterling "deserved" to have a ground named in his honour.
"Maybe they'll (WJRL) do something later on," Mortimer said.
The Mortimer family has been included on the Parramore Park honour roll, with Peter Mortimer describing the action as a "very nice gesture".
"I'm thrilled, but I would think it is more to recognise our dad," he said.
"After all he did start two football clubs in Wagga."
The Mortimer family, including brothers Peter, Steve and Chris, have powerful links with Wagga junior league.
Steve and Chris Mortimer, Steve Martin and Greg Brentnall, another of their league contemporaries, are all members of the Sporting Hall of Fame in Wagga.
Kimball said a long list of candidates had been assessed before six of the eight the grounds were named.
The remaining two fields will be tagged before the official opening on Saturday week. "So many people really deserve it," Kimball said.
"We need 20 fields, not just eight."
Other celebrated players to be honoured include Eric Weissel and Alan Staunton, while junior league administrators were also bestowed a ground.
WJRL founding fathers Ted Nye and Ken Street have been remembered, with the amenities block at Parramore Park named in their honour.
http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/sterling-snubbed/1807832.aspx
