I politely introduced myself to Roger and congratulated him
on the "bloody Poms" winning the test
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Story by
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Club supported by author
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Year of story
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Date of Submission
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Quigs
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Webmaster.
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27/10/90
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27/11/2003
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I
had the pleasure of meeting Rodger the Dodger in our Hotel
on the night of the First Test Match of the 1990 Tour. The
Poms had beaten us at Wembley and they were all on a high.
First test and one up and all.
I was part of the brilliant RugbyLeague Week Supporters Tour
and we were booked into a very classy Hotel to the side of
Buckingham Palace in London. It was right opposite where the
Queen parks all her stagecoaches.
As was the practice over there, if patrons of the Hotel were
still drinking then the Bar remained open. I happend to wander
into the Hotels bar late in the evening and slightly merry.
I was in the process of trying to drown the taste of defeat
from my mouth.
As I was talking to a small group of fellow tourists I noticed
that Sir Roger was at the Bar also.
I politely introduced myself to Roger and congratulated him
on the "bloody Poms" winning the test. I told him
that I was an old Shark supporter and his eyes lit up. He
asked me about the Shire, and was sincerely upset that the
transfer ban had stopped him from finishing his career in
Australia and with the Sharks. We had a great conversation
about the Shark days and as he was talking to me he introduced
me to another gentleman, whom he said captained the Lions
in "ex" year. My apologies for not remembering the
gentlemans name, then he pointed two elderly gentlemen sitting
down at a table near us. He animately gestured to these two
"old" guys to get up and get over here, indicating
the bar where both I and the other ex captain where. Roger
then introduced me to these other two older gentlemen. Both
were ex Great Britain Captains. (Sorry I can't remember their
names but they were great old gentleman) So here was I with
four Great Britain Captains sharing their stories and enjoying
their company. I thought if this is early in the tour then
I am in rugby league hevan.
A FOOTNOTE HERE: Another person who was in Rogers company
was a gentleman whose name I believe to be Jack Thurgood,
he was the chairman of the Club Roger was coaching...... we
were involved in some indepth conversation about league, and
me being the experienced front rower from the Emu Park Reserve
Grade side in the 2nd Division in Central Queensland I offered
my services to his club the following year. He told me without
hesitation, that there was two reasons why I wont be playing
at his club the next season, One, "Yur toooo foookinn
old" and Two, "We don't foookinnn want you".
Handling rejection as I usually do, we both had a good laugh
and another pint.......
Appears in the following pages ....P85_Roger MILLWARD
Date of posting ... 01-May-2001
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