Wigan Riversider Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELBOWSEYE Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The British Lion Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 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 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopping Mad Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 (edited) 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. Edited January 29 by Hopping Mad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longboard Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Very sad news. What a cracking player he was. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweaty craiq Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 (edited) Facebook Watch 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 Edited January 29 by sweaty craiq 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leyther_Matt Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumby Magic Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Love the pic started on the great RL photos thread. Dessie, Offiah, Gill and Sir Billy Boston. What a quartet of wingers. Like poor jokes? Thejoketeller@mullymessiah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrewxi Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastLondonMike Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 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. Newham Dockers - Champions 2013. Rugby League For East London. 100% Cockney Rugby League!Twitter: @NewhamDockersRL - Get following! www.newhamdockers.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adelaide Tiger Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RL Sonja Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Terrible news. A very great player. I hope someone can track down the famous Leigh diving “try, no try” too. "There has never been a Challenge Cup semifinal of 65,000 either individually or combined" - Damien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDINTHEHIZZOUSE Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Told my 83 year old mother that Sir des has died, her very were words and I quote, "I think I want to cry" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlno1 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 (edited) 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. Edited January 30 by rlno1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The storm Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 What a great player and such a loss at a relatively young age. Des was one of the very best God bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo5 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 A really great player,taken far to soon. RIP Dessie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Future is League Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave T Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELBOWSEYE Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMEGA Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMEGA Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMEGA Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live after death Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 48 minutes ago, OMEGA said: In my opinion he was a better player than Boustead Yes, but not as good as Grothe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live after death Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 19 minutes ago, OMEGA said: Awesome try Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 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. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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