"no,we need to keep our composure
and not get drawn into dirty play,there is too much at stake.
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Martin Lea,United Kingdom
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Castleford
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05/12/2003
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I was at this match (1970 World Cup Final) as a 16 year old
and it remains the hardest, roughest match I've seen.
I remember the night before the final, English Prop Dennis Hartley,
from Castleford - The hardest player I've ever seen - being
interviewed on TV.He was asked if he thought the match would
be a dirty game,and he replied "no,we need to keep our composure
and not get drawn into dirty play,there is too much at stake."
Very early on in the game something must have got to Dennis
but rather than hit out he just took his aggression out on the
ball.No doubt he remembered what he had said in the interview
the previous night.
However, as the game went on it spilt into a blood - bath and
Dennis decided to enjoy himself, sorting out the two Aussie
props and anyone else that got in the way.
In one incident I remember an Aussie off - loading a ball as
he fell down. Play went one way and Dennis came rushing in the
other direction kicking the aussie guy right in the face.
(Quigs interrupting here-extract from article by 'History
Of Australian Rugby League' :-The Australian props John O'Neill
and Bob O'Rielly were bloodied and battered ......)
Malcolm Reilly was a Castleford team mate of Dennis's and my
Dad knew Malcolm quite well. Malcolm once said to my Dad there
was only one guy in the whole of Rugby that he was frightened
to play against and that was Dennis Hartley, "thank God he is
on my side" said Malcolm.
Dennis was, as I said, the hardest player I,ve ever seen yet
one of the gentlest and nicest people you could wish to meet
off the field.
Appears in the following pages ....P95_Dennis HARTLEY
Date of posting ... 19-May-2003
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