Des Drummond awful news

[Wigan Riversider]

52 minutes ago, Anita Bath said:

Absolutely wonderful player, but disagree he would have replaced his Aussie counterparts in 82 team. Boustead and Grothe were outstanding. GB scored one try in the entire series, and that was after the series was decided.

None of that takes away from Des’s accomplishments.

 

GB were absymal in the 1982 series.

Des Drummond was not.

He played well in the 1984 series Down Under when Frank Myler took the moronic decision to play Ellery Hanley on the wing and didn't select Henderson Gill for the Tour. He rated neither player apparently.

Subjective granted, but Drummond  in 1982 was as good as Groth and Boustead and should have played in the 1986 series IMHO.

Groth played for Paramatta and Boustead played at Hull KR and were not selected for the Kangaroos.

[ELBOWSEYE]

25 minutes ago, Wigan Riversider said:

GB were absymal in the 1982 series.

Des Drummond was not.

He played well in the 1984 series Down Under when Frank Myler took the moronic decision to play Ellery Hanley on the wing and didn't select Henderson Gill for the Tour. He rated neither player apparently.

Subjective granted, but Drummond  in 1982 was as good as Groth and Boustead and should have played in the 1986 series IMHO.

Groth played for Paramatta and Boustead played at Hull KR and were not selected for the Kangaroos.

Spot on, the decision to drop him from the tour over the incident with the Widnes fan was wrong, he was found not guilty before the tour was started. And comparing him with Grothe and Boustead, how would they have performed for GB with a weaker side. He and Schofied at the time definitely matched the Kangaroos. 

[The British Lion]

I was (as many) upset to read of Des Drummond passing away. Such an exciting, and fans favourite at Warrington. I'd just started to watch Wire in 1990, and if Des wasn't on the team sheet, I was disappointed. One of my all time favourites. Pace to burn. The tries he scored, and the audacity to nail down some bigger players despite his size... a Leigh, Wire, and GB legend. Unique player and fans favourite 

[Hopping Mad]

This is very sad news. I always found Des a tremendously exciting player; the sort of athlete spectators relished getting his hands on the ball.

[longboard]

Very sad news.

What a cracking player he was.

[sweaty craiq]

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Watch from 14.33

Was told whilst out earlier, he was often at LSV and looked fit as a fiddle last year - still cant believe this.

I was in the colts as Des was making a name for himself, a genuinely lovely man, but the memory I will always have is the sheer size of his shoulders for such a small guy.

 

RIP Dessie, your memories will live forever at Leigh

[Leyther_Matt]

I’m too young to have seen him play, but obviously the stories have been passed down the generations. A top player and a top bloke, by all accounts. RIP Dessie

[Mumby Magic]

Love the pic started on the great RL photos thread. Dessie, Offiah, Gill and Sir Billy Boston. What a quartet of wingers.

[thebrewxi]

Don't remember him at Leigh (age), but what a player at the Wire. He was one of those players that you found yourself standing up and shouting watching Grandstand whenever he had the ball in his hands; always felt something was going to happen. Didn't realise how many GB caps he got, nor that he had a stint at Barrow too!.

Fantastic, exciting, rapid, hard winger from the golden era I remember. Sad news indeed. RIP Des.

[EastLondonMike]

Sad news. RIP Des. I think Kevin Iro’s face still hurts after that punch in the challenge cup final. 
 

one of the games greats.

[Adelaide Tiger]

That is a big shock.  I was only watching highlights of the 1984 tour a couple of weeks ago and he and Schofield combined to score some cracking tries.

Condolences to everyone who knew him.

[RL Sonja]

Terrible news. A very great player. I hope someone can track down the famous Leigh diving “try, no try” too.  

[JDINTHEHIZZOUSE]

Told my 83 year old mother that Sir des has died, her very were  words and I quote, "I think I want to cry"

[rlno1]

5 hours ago, Wigan Riversider said:

GB were absymal in the 1982 series.

Des Drummond was not.

He played well in the 1984 series Down Under when Frank Myler took the moronic decision to play Ellery Hanley on the wing and didn't select Henderson Gill for the Tour. He rated neither player apparently.

Subjective granted, but Drummond  in 1982 was as good as Groth and Boustead and should have played in the 1986 series IMHO.

Groth played for Paramatta and Boustead played at Hull KR and were not selected for the Kangaroos.

Grothe was selected however he withdrew and his place was taken by Greg Alexander.

Dessie was a fantastic winger, played a vital role in both of Schofield's tries in the 1984 tests v Australia. The best two tries of the series.

RIP Des, taken too early.

[The storm]

What a great player and such a loss at a relatively young age. 

Des was one of the very best 

God bless 

 

 

[Davo5]

A really great player,taken far to soon.

RIP Dessie.

[The Future is League]

15 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Warrington Guardian are reporting the awful news that Des Drummond has sadly passed away aged 63.

https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/19884875.warrington-wolves-vs-wigan-warriors-live-updates/

I can't believe.  What a player and man and only 63.

Possibly the fastest man Rugby League has ever seen, but their was more to his game than just speed

[Dave T]

Gutted when I heard this at the stadium last night. As somebody else said earlier, I don't think I've heard a bad word about Des Drummond. 

He was at Wire when I was just starting watching and he was a legend, a hard, tough player with no shortage of entertainment coming from him. 

Rip Dessie

[ELBOWSEYE]

31 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

Possibly the fastest man Rugby League has ever seen, but their was more to his game than just speed

Probably up there in speed, others at the time were equally as fast Fielding at Salford posted top times on superstars. Recalling my time at leigh in the colts and A team, talk was that the board were reluctant to sign Des with a  £250 signing on fee and Geoff (piggy) fletcher offered to pay it himself. 

[OMEGA]

13 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

Absolutely wonderful player, but disagree he would have replaced his Aussie counterparts in 82 team. Boustead and Grothe were outstanding. GB scored one try in the entire series, and that was after the series was decided.

None of that takes away from Des’s accomplishments.

 

In my opinion he was a better player than Boustead

[OMEGA]

 

[OMEGA]

 

[Live after death]

48 minutes ago, OMEGA said:

In my opinion he was a better player than Boustead

Yes, but not as good as Grothe.

 

[Live after death]

19 minutes ago, OMEGA said:

 

Awesome try

[Harry Stottle]

One thing that Des was not given as much credit for as he deserved was his hands and his ability to pass the ball, I would marvel at some of the passes he would give in situations that it seemed impossible to get the ball away, he was good when he went to Wire but as a Leigh fan I reckon I saw him at his absolute best in the 240+ games he played for the club.