May 4, 1997: Rugby league's soap opera at its melodramatic peak
The Sun-Herald 25 years ago today is a snapshot of an era that was a gossip columnist's dream.
What was your average paper like in 1997 when it came to rugby league coverage?
Let’s start with Danny Weidler’s column in the Sun-Herald on this day 25 years ago. Geoff Toovey, Paul McGregor, Paul Harragon and Mark Coyne had missed the ARL captain’s meeting during the previous week. Glenn Lazarus had been (wrongly) accused of cheating at Sydney Casino, leading to police being called. Laurie Daley was teased about dropping trophies after the Anzac Test. Warrior team-mates Grant Young, Denis Betts and Stephen Kearney had got involved in a fight with each other at Bullwinkles in Townsville. Tom Raudonikis’ first bonding session as NSW coach was eagerly anticipated. Ray Hadley’s 2UE was tipped to top the rugby league radio ratings.
On the same page, David Fairleigh’s Origin chances skyrocket with the departure of Phil Gould as NSW coach.
Further into the section, Nathan Brown to sign a $2.5 million, five-year contract with St George and Perth to tear up Julian O’Neill’s $2 million contract. O’Neill claimed to have been in a car which was pulled up with the driver over the limit - but he had done nothing wrong. An un-named team-mate said O’Neill woke players up on a trip to Canberra, asking them for money.
A picture, another page in, highlights the poor crowd of 6219 at the South Sydney-Parramatta the day before. Newcastle Brett Grogan is on the comeback trail from meningitis.
Next page, Paul Crawley explains why coach John Monie was sacked, saying it was “an unacceptable recruitment policy”, “an inability to mix with players on a social level and relate to Polynesian culture”, “an inability to meet the expectations of the New Zealand public” and “a series of heated confrontations with leading players”.
Columnist Gladys Craven tells the the story of the Penrith player observed by many having sex on a bonnet in the carpark of Panthers Leagues Club.
Anthony Mundine describes being pulled over by police in Ipswich, alleging what we would now call racial profiling.
Paul Crawley says the ARL is suing the Rugby Football League for unpaid monies from the World Cup and has not yet paid some participants and staff from the 1997 World Sevens.
Ian Heads quotes Tom Bellew about solving player dissent and tells us New Zealand referee Jack Percival was the first to “march” teams 10 metres for the offence.
I did not know that!
ALL SQUARE AFTER DAY OF DRAMA
Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, May 5 1997
ILLAWARRA 34
MANLY 34
By STEVE MASCORD
WIN Stadium
MANLY captain Geoff Toovey lodged an on-field protest with referee David Manson as the Sea Eagles snatched a late draw with Illawarra in a remarkable contest at WIN Stadium yesterday.
The Steelers grabbed a 34-22 lead with just 13 minutes left, only to be reduced to 11 men when five-eighth Trent Barrett was dismissed for a high tackle and replacement forward David Cox was sent to the sin-bin for a professional foul.
The Sea Eagles, who a week earlier against Western Suburbs had suffered their first loss of the season, stormed home with two converted tries to centre Terry Hill in the final six minutes.
Manly coach Bob Fulton told reporters his players were "shitty" after one of the most dramatic games this season but stopped short of directly criticising Manson.
The Australian Rugby League ruled two weeks ago that even implied criticism of a referee was punishable by a $10,000 fine.
Fulton confirmed that Toovey had lodged a protest with Manson about Illawarra players allegedly holding Sea Eagles attackers down in tackles and claimed the tactic was "not in the spirit of the game".
"He didn't have to get any instructions from me to approach Manson," Fulton said. "I thought there were some things from the sideline that were obvious. I'm not going to say any more."
Fulton appeared to choose his words carefully at a post-match media conference but made it clear he felt opposing sides were getting away with unfair tactics against the premiers.
"There are things that happened during the course of the game that we are going to have to seriously address or the League are going to have to," Fulton said.
"Teams are getting away with slowing us down at the play-the-ball to an extent where we consider it's not in the spirit of the game or the best interests of the game.
"That has happened to us two or three times this season and we've said nothing, but I think this would be an opportune time to say it.
"The League are going to have to address the way their referees are approaching it. What's good for one (team) has to be good for another.
"Certain referees, without being critical, allow it to happen more than others."
Visibly drained after watching his young side fall behind 12-0 after just 2 minutes, then fight back to grab the lead in the 53rd minute, and then muff a couple of field-goal chances in the dying seconds, Illawarra coach Andrew Farrar was unimpressed by Fulton's comments.
"We didn't do anything in the play-the-ball area that we don't do every week," Farrar said.
"He can say what he wants, especially after he's got to consider himself unlucky not to come away from here with two (competition) points.
"But I think, overall, Manly held down just as much as we held down. I didn't see a marked difference one way or another."
Like any truly memorable match, yesterday's game was littered with stories of controversy, over-achievement and courage.
They included:
+Barrett, 19, laying on two tries with special passes against the best league defence in the world, scoring a try himself, and then being pointed to the dressing-room by Manson and by controversial Manly winger John Hopoate. The dismissal followed Barrett's 70th-minute hit on second-rower Steve Menzies.
+Manly's Kiwi centre Craig Innes scoring his side's first three tries as the Sea Eagles targeted Illawarra's right-side defence.
+Illawarra second-rower Brad Mackay suffering a severe sternum injury in the first half yet returning in the second only to be forced off again and watch helplessly as his teammates tried to repel a Sea Eagles side with a two-man overlap.
+Manly halfback Craig Field's conversions from the sideline, described by Fulton as "Matthew Ridge like".
+The sin-binning of Manly hooker Jim Serdaris in the 52nd minute for ball-stealing in a tackle. During his absence, Illawarra scored two tries.
+Cox kicking the ball away after Manly were awarded a late penalty and ordered to follow Barrett to the dressing-room, reducing his side to 11 men.
+Steelers fullback Brendon Reeves hoisting a wide field goal shot inside the last minute.
"Today was all positive," said Farrar. "We showed today we can more than match sides like them. Manly are the top side."
GAMES
Australian Rugby League round nine:
Sydney City 18 Balmain 14 at Leichhardt Oval
Illawarra 34 Manly 35 at WIN Stadium
Super League Australasia round 10: