Former Queensland Reds flanker Ron Price leaves a lasting legacy as a record-setting premiership coach and as a significant mentor when Wallabies great John Eales was finding his way in rugby as a teenager.
Price's passing at 81 from cancer on Saturday is being mourned widely in the Queensland rugby community which he immersed himself in from the moment he stepped off a plane from Auckland in 1969.
The much-admired figure coached Brothers to five successive premierships between 1980-84 during one of the most dominant eras of the Hospital Cup when the side bristled with Wallabies Tony Shaw, Paul McLean, Brendan Moon and Mark McBain.
He was a clubman supreme and put his hand up to coach the club's 1989 Colts team.
That underdog outfit became a premiership class with a stripling named Eales in the pack before he'd gained any representative recognition.
Eales has never forgotten what Price engendered that season. When the 1989 Colts had a 35-year reunion last year at Brothers Rugby Club, it was as precious as a Wallabies reunion.
"'Pricey' inspired a sheer love of the game. Rugby was much more than 15 versus 15. It was the whole experience," Eales told author Jim Tucker for Brothers In Arms, The History of Brothers Rugby Club.
Price knew what buttons to press. When the Colts were behind at half-time on a cold night against Wests, he knew more than words were needed. He produced a tray of glasses and a bottle of port. The teenagers duly had a comeback win.
"Pricey was special. We were a bunch of misfits from many different schools. He pulled us altogether and gave us a license to have fun. We played with a cheeky Ron Price smile on our faces," said Jason McCall, a halfback in the 1989 Colts side.
Price's own playing career was substantial.
It was shaped in the mid-1960s in the tough Auckland club competition when the likes of Wilson Whineray, Mac Herewini and Des Connor were on the scene and rucking rivals off the ball was the standard.
Price hopped on a flight to Brisbane in 1969 imagining that he'd only stay long enough to earn the cash for a trip to England before heading back to New Zealand.
Life started to change direction when he landed at Brisbane Airport albeit a day late after missing his initial flight. The young lady sent to collect him at the airport became his wife. Ron and Judy Price celebrated 54 years of marriage and laughter together only last month.
Price quickly made an impression in the backrow for Brothers in 1970 even if press reports after a fine game in the win over University saluted "Rod Price."
The young Kiwi was selected for his Queensland debut as Red #840 against the NSW Waratahs at Ballymore in May that year.
The 9-8 success was followed by more celebrations when he was part of a famous 16-13 victory over Scotland at the same ground.
He played 20 games in all for the Reds (1970-72) and figured in the Wallabies selection trial in Sydney in 1972.
After winning three first grade premierships (1971, 1973 and 1974) as a player, he became the perfect fit as coach for an unstoppable golden era for Brothers.
Those were the days when Wallabies like Shaw would throw everything at a Test in Sydney on a Saturday and still be kitted up in the butcher's stripe jersey to play club rugby for Brothers in Brisbane on a Sunday.
"The pressure I felt with those great teams was having to win because of all those Wallabies. Everyone expected it," Price said in Brothers In Arms.
"When 'Shawry' came back to the side from the Wallabies, he'd take over doing scrums and lineouts. Paul (McLean) and 'Benny' (Moon) would orchestrate the moves for the backs.
"It was when the Queensland players were away that I did the coaching of the side."
The genial Price would downplay his role but team manager Peter Hoare and others close to the team knew how essential he was.
"Pricey's input was extraordinary," said Wallabies great McLean. "He had the happy knack of being a mate and the boss.
"You know how committed Kiwis are about their rugby. It was all-important to him. He was able to transmit it to us so that it made every game feel important."
As a catering supervisor for an airline at Eagle Farm, Price had to do some juggling to fit in his passion for his club and coaching.
On late shifts, mates would sometimes cover for his sprints to Crosby Park at Albion for training. Price reckoned that he could do the trip in a tick over eight minutes with some fancy driving.
Ahead of Brothers honouring Price with Life Membership in 2003, long-time mate Joe Tully put it best: "Brothers owe you more than Life Membership."
