76 replies to this topic

[Steve May]

The setting of the Leeds Road ground was, to these southern eyes, glorious...

There's further footage available of the old ground (Fartown, as pointed out elsewhere) if you search for Fartown vs Wigan 1981 on Youtube. Now that's an interesting match - "The Battle of Fartown". Well worth looking up. Just the six players sent off, nothing out of the ordinary...

[trakl]

There's further footage available of the old ground (Fartown, as pointed out elsewhere) if you search for Fartown vs Wigan 1981 on Youtube. Now that's an interesting match - "The Battle of Fartown". Well worth looking up. Just the six players sent off, nothing out of the ordinary...

Thanks Steve, just had a look. The gorgeous surroundings were not so much in evidence this time!

I'd like to know about Huddersfield's Tony Johnson and although I recognise Keith Macklin as the main commentator, is his co-commentator David Watkins or somebody else altogether?

[southstand loiner]

I know that, but I'm sure there was another lad called Burke who was actually from Saint Helens, who played for Keighley at the same time Gary Moorby (a Keighley lad) was playing for Saints. I'm sure I didn't imagine it. (perhaps I did )

there was tony burke who saints got from bramley around that time .
another good hard working forward

[southstand loiner]

Thanks Steve, just had a look. The gorgeous surroundings were not so much in evidence this time!

I'd like to know about Huddersfield's Tony Johnson and although I recognise Keith Macklin as the main commentator, is his co-commentator David Watkins or somebody else altogether?

ah the co-commentator was the great lewis jones of leeds fame .
brilliant game i watch it 3 or 4 tiimes a year on dvd just to remind me that the game has indeed changed

[Trojan]

there was tony burke who saints got from bramley around that time .
another good hard working forward

He could be the one

[trakl]

ah the co-commentator was the great lewis jones of leeds fame .
brilliant game i watch it 3 or 4 tiimes a year on dvd just to remind me that the game has indeed changed

I didn't realise that was Lewis Jones - was his co-commentating career a long one? His manner was so gentle and even a little bemused - in contrast to the violence happening before him...

The more I think about what I've seen on these clips, the more disturbing it seems... Wigan's targeting of Tony Johnson was horribly blatant.

The bravery of the latter - given no protection at all by the referee - was incredible.

If anyone knows, who was Tony Johnson and what happened to his career?

[marklaspalmas]

There's further footage available of the old ground (Fartown, as pointed out elsewhere) if you search for Fartown vs Wigan 1981 on Youtube. Now that's an interesting match - "The Battle of Fartown". Well worth looking up. Just the six players sent off, nothing out of the ordinary...

Just watched it. Hard to recognise as the sport I used to watch, though I think that by 1981 that was an exceptional game.

Awful refereeing. And JOhnson seemed to come in for some special treatment and got little support from the ref or his team-mates

[AndyCapp]

Best Challenge Cup I have ever seen.
I stayed up till the midnight or 1am kick off to watch it.



Brett Kenny was the most naturally gifted Athlete I have ever seen as Centre/Stand off.

Edited by AndyCapp, 21 January 2013 - 10:35 AM.

[marklaspalmas]

Yeah.

Everyone goes on about the 1985 final, and I was there and it was a cracking match.

But there was some really really ordinary defence from both sides all afternoon.

[AndyCapp]

[AndyCapp]

Yeah.

Everyone goes on about the 1985 final, and I was there and it was a cracking match.

But there was some really really ordinary defence from both sides all afternoon.

It had everything.
Great sunny day
Good star English players on each team'
Big name Aussies on each team particularly Kenny V Sterlo the Parra and Australian Half combination.
Great running Footy, Kenny was at his prime.
One of the best games I have seen, rates alongside of Kenny's two tries in all three of Parramatta's Grand final wins and two disallowed tries in a fourth Grand Final win.

Edited by AndyCapp, 21 January 2013 - 11:03 AM.

[walter sobchak]

Huge shoulder pads and violence, must be the 80's. Ellery Hanley is a beast, best player I've ever seen and the reason why I fell in love with the great game.

[AndyCapp]

Huge shoulder pads and violence, must be the 80's. Ellery Hanley is a beast, best player I've ever seen and the reason why I fell in love with the great game.

Fair Call, Hanley lit up the field in his stints in Oz and when I saw him for GB.
He had everything needed to be the best in this game.

[walter sobchak]

It had everything.
Great sunny day
Good star English players on each team'
Big name Aussies on each team particularly Kenny V Sterlo the Parra and Australian Half combination.
Great running Footy, Kenny was at his prime.
One of the best games I have seen, rates alongside of Kenny's two tries in all three of Parramatta's Grand final wins and two disallowed tries in a fourth Grand Final win.

I was too young to remember this final but have seen replays of the game obviously on YouTube but also ESPN classics and have to agree its the best final ever. BTW was kenny and sterling playing in England during the off-season in Australia on short term contracts?

[AndyCapp]

I was too young to remember this final but have seen replays of the game obviously on YouTube but also ESPN classics and have to agree its the best final ever. BTW was kenny and sterling playing in England during the off-season in Australia on short term contracts?

Yes they played the off season in England, I am sure playing the game at the same time now is a good thing but when it was a split between the Leagues seasons it made for some great short signs ups like Sterlo Kenny, Ella, Grothe, Lewis, Meninga and Miles.
On the other side we had Hanley, Lydon, Offiah, Gregory, Crooks, Schoey, Ward and many others that did really well in Oz

[walter sobchak]

Anybody know which ropati that is playing for Warrington, good strong centre and having a great game in that clip and as for les Boyd what a player he was, but a dirty bast##d.

[AndyCapp]

Anybody know which ropati that is playing for Warrington, good strong centre and having a great game in that clip and as for les Boyd what a player he was, but a dirty bast##d.

Joe Ropati.
http://www.rugbyleag...ti/summary.html

Boyd the Baby Faced Assassin. Dirty as buggery but a good man to have alongside you in a fight, by all accounts he was a bit mental on the field but a quiet soft spoken Gent off the field

Edited by AndyCapp, 21 January 2013 - 11:38 AM.

[walter sobchak]

Joe Ropati.
http://www.rugbyleag...ti/summary.html

Boyd the Baby Faced Assassin. Dirty as buggery but a good man to have alongside you in a fight, by all accounts he was a bit mental on the field but a quiet soft spoken Gent off the field

Boyd and Hanley seem to have a thing going in that match, lots of talking and pointing of fingers. I'm almost certain they had a bit of a do in a exhibition match in the US, I've seen it on YouTube. As for Peter ropati looks like a great player, I'm only familiar with saints stand off tea ropati and iva who played for Oldham I think.

[trakl]

Anybody know which ropati that is playing for Warrington, good strong centre and having a great game in that clip and as for les Boyd what a player he was, but a dirty bast##d.

...and what about the way Andy "Popeye" Gregory runs in and throws Boyd over his shoulder!

Wigan have had better wings but in Gregory, Hanley and Kevin "The Beast" Iro they still had more match-winning stardust than the Wigan of today - the dazzling Tomkins excepted.

John Woods is rivalled only by Tony Myler as this country's best stand-off from the modern era - but I think that perhaps this game shows him at a stage when he was past his best?

[walter sobchak]

...and what about the way Andy "Popeye" Gregory runs in and throws Boyd over his shoulder!

Wigan have had better wings but in Gregory, Hanley and Kevin "The Beast" Iro they still had more match-winning stardust than the Wigan of today - the dazzling Tomkins excepted.

John Woods is rivalled only by Tony Myler as this country's best stand-off from the modern era - but I think that perhaps this game shows him at a stage when he was past his best?

How much would Hanley be worth today? Sad thing is with union going professional we would probably have only see Hanley until his early 20s if that in league if he was playing today.