No one holds reunions for runners-up which tells you everything about the special staying power of a premiership.
The 1985 Wests premiership side gathered at the club’s Sylvan Road headquarters today to relive past glories and exaggerate others.
Forty years on and plenty of the same old gags and niggle are still getting laughs among the likes of Julian Gardner, Troy Coker, Peter Slattery, Michael Hayes, John Heinke and Co.
Most of all, it reinforced what a unique bond is created with a trophy on grand final day when the exertions of a long career have the perfect pay-off.
Grand final dates in 2025 for the StoreLocal Hospital Cup (August 31) and StoreLocal Founders Cup (August 30) at Ballymore Stadium have been set for men and women.
Today’s Old Dogs Reunion Lunch also brought together premiership teams across lower grades and Colts as far back as the 1975 Under-18s premiership team.
It did highlight just how good Roger Gould was and for how long. The champion fullback had a Prince Valiant haircut as Wests’ outstanding junior in the 1975 U18s title team and was a key figure in the 1985 premiership side.
That’s not even including the Reunion Lunch he has to look forward to in 2027 to mark 50 years since the club’s maiden first grade premiership in 1977.
Those with long memories will recall the 1985 grand final for the Tim Lane field goal that squirted over the crossbar for a 10-7 victory over University.
“It was a wobbly, ugly sort of thing the way the ball moved in flight. The ball plateaued and was dipping and the ref saw it the way he did,” said Gardner, captain that day.
There are still Uni players who insist the ball flew under the crossbar.
“I got the kick away and ‘Ginge’ (Uni flanker Jeff Miller) knocked me to the ground. I rolled, looked up and didn’t see if it went over,” Lane recalled.
“Had it not been a field goal, the ref (Kerry Fitzgerald) said he would have awarded a penalty anyway and we would have taken the shot.”
Former Wallaby Lane made the trip from Port Macquarie to be at Friday's lunch. Kent Bray timed a trip home from London.
It’s wonderful that the lean into the precious history of a club will continue on Saturday at Old Dogs Day when Wests host Norths at Sci-Fleet Stadium.
With just two rounds to play before the semi-finals, Wests (60 points), Brothers (58) and Easts (56) have three spots locked up.
Bond University (42) can seal fourth spot on Saturday with a victory at home over GPS on the Gold Coast.
“Absolutely, we want to get the job done on Saturday. It’s a big prize,” Bond coach Mick Heenan said.
The Bull Sharks got home in the final minutes 33-31 over Sunnybank last weekend with a try to flyhalf Luke Depiazzi, the North Queensland product who has found his feet more and more at the club.
Fifth-placed Souths (40), last-gasp victors over University of Queensland in a thriller last weekend, will only have their hopes kept alive by a GPS upset because the Magpies have a bye this weekend.
ALL-FEMALE CREW OF MATCH OFFICIALS IN CAIRNS
A moment to celebrate in Cairns with three women officiating a senior women’s premiership game for the first time last weekend.
More accurately, the trio are actually teens and the future of the game.
Referee Keira Child, 17, had sister Maddie and Jami Parker as assistant referees for the match between Barron Trinity Bulls and Southside Crusaders at Machans Beach.
Keira is in her final year at school and staying connected to the game on weekends during Year 12.
Well done.
The trio personify the hope of the Queensland Rugby Union’s Girls Can Tackle Anything Program which has been funded under the Australian Government's $200-million Play Our Way Program.
The Girls Can Tackle Anything program, through nine hubs around the state, is striving to facilitate more girls-only teams, more female coaches and more female rugby officials to capitalise on the growth of women’s rugby in the 15-a-side game and sevens.
