Three-time premiership winner and Rothmans Medal recipient Allan Currie recalls the golden days of Brisbane Rugby League and reflects on a career that made him an Easts Tigers legend.

ALLAN CURRIE built a decorated sporting career, winning three premierships with Easts Tigers during Brisbane Rugby League’s golden eras.

A proud Indigenous man, Currie was a household name in the old BRL competition and is the uncle of former Queensland great Tony Currie.

As the 1977 Rothmans Medal winner for Brisbane’s best and fairest player, Currie is still regarded by many as desperately unlucky to have missed Queensland selection.

Whilst many Tigers devotees still view Currie as one of the greatest players to have donned the Eastern Suburbs jersey, he will also go down as one of the toughest.

“I was born in Murwillumbah in the Tweed Valley of northern New South Wales, but moved up to Queensland when I was four,” he said.

“My dad got a job with Queensland Rail, so we moved up to Queensland.

“My father was a well-known player in his day as well and could play.

“He was among the finest Indigenous footballers of his era, representing New South Wales Country against City at the Sydney Cricket Ground among his many achievements.

“You might think I started playing rugby league at a young age, but I came to the game later, taking it up when I was about 15.

“Before that, I had been playing Aussie Rules, but once I switched to rugby league, it turned into a wonderful career for me.

“I began my league career with the Mt Gravatt Eagles, which became my pathway to Easts Tigers.

“Those early years were special because rugby league was deeply tribal in your local district.”

However, Currie’s league career would be put on hold when, in 1968, he was called up for National Service duty in the army, where rugby union was the only game being played by servicemen.

“I suppose it wasn’t all bad having to switch to union because I ended up being selected for the Combined Services team that took on the All Blacks at North Sydney Oval.

“I remember the All Black Meads brothers. Colin was a giant of a man and both brothers were absolute powerhouses.

“It’s not every day you can say you came from a league background but ended up playing against the All Blacks.”

After completing his National Service, Currie’s love of rugby league remained strong. He trialled with BRL clubs Wests Panthers and Souths Magpies before eventually joining amateur side Normanby Hounds.

His time with the Hounds led him to Easts Tigers, where he found a lasting home and became one of the greatest players in the club’s history.

“I won three premierships with Easts during my time at the club in 1972, 1977 and 1978.

“In the 1970s, the BRL competition was the second-best competition in Australia and you’d get crowds of over 30,000 at Lang Park.

“The 1970s were also a golden era for the Tigers and I played alongside some great players such as Des and Rod Morris and Johnny Lang.

“The minute I walked into the club I was accepted straight away.

“Easts were like an extended family to me; they really looked after their players and supporters.

“When I joined the Tigers, we had former Brisbane and Queensland legend Ted Verrenkamp as coach, who had a decorated career in England with Leeds.

“Back in those days we used to get thousands of supporters at our home games, something you don’t see these days in the Queensland Cup, which is a shame.”

Currie’s run of Brisbane Grand Final appearances began in 1972 when the Tigers defeated Valleys at a packed Lang Park.

The game is still talked about to this day for Easts’ Jeff Fyfe, who was an unlikely hero, slotting a field goal right on full-time to give the Tigers a dramatic 16-15 win.

“Nobody would have ever predicted Jeff kicking that field goal, but he did and we got out of jail right at the death.

“It’s probably one of the BRL Grand Finals that people still remember and talk about because of that field goal.”

Easts made another Grand Final appearance in 1976 against the highly fancied Western Suburbs, but there was no fairytale win this time for the Tigers, who lost 16-1.

But perhaps Currie’s best year for the Tigers was 1977.

A premiership trophy and Rothmans Medal as the BRL’s best and fairest player capped off what was a tremendous season for the bustling lock forward.

“I was up against some great players that night, so to win the Rothmans Medal was a massive highlight of my career.

“Not only that, but both my nephew Tony and I have won that award, something you don’t see often.”

Currie played a pivotal role in the Tigers’ next premiership victory in 1978 and, at the age of 33, was the oldest player on the field in the Tigers’ 14-10 victory over Valleys at Lang Park.

“In 1978, we had another great season and the buzz around the club and the suburb was incredible.

“We made another Grand Final against Valleys that year and the Diehards had a young lock in Wally Lewis who was my opposite number that day.

“I still remember the crowd and think it was over 30,000 people at Lang Park. The noise was absolutely deafening.”

After Currie retired, his legendary standing at Easts was recognised through the creation of the Allan Currie Medal.

“The Tigers approached me and asked if I would be willing to support the Allan Currie Medal, awarded to the club’s best player in Indigenous Round.

“That meant a great deal to me. It showed I was still remembered long after retiring and gave me another way to stay connected with the club.

“As a young Indigenous player, I wanted to prove myself and show the club I had what it took to play first-grade. Easts gave me that chance, and the Tigers will always hold a special place in my heart.”

First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 524 (September 2026)