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VIDEO LINK
Big Mal Tribute(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

VIDEO LINK
Mals 1990 2nd Test ashes saving Try(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au) you know what Old Quig's loves about this one - I was there, I saw it live.

VIDEO LINK
Mals 1993 SOO try(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

Video Clips -
0. State of Origin "Miracle" try featuring Big Mal
1.Canberra Raiders Mal Meninga scores an intercept try against the Canterbury Bulldogs
2.Canberra Raiders Mal Meninga scores a try against the Canterbury Bulldogs.
3. Canberra Raiders Mal Meninga scores a try against the Sydney Roosters
4. Canberra Raiders & Australian captain Mal Meninga scores a try against the Sydney Roosters.
5. Big Mal's fight (boxing) with Mark Jacko Jackson AFL - charity bout

To view just click the Links below
0. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTXcDLRmA_E
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrGmmoeU_lA
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY96DS5LItk
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMTZJOYfodw
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76ymTuhG-Jg
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1jrbR4WFA

Stats -

Big Mal and his last game in the Premiership and of course it was a victory in 1994 Grand Final Victory


Big Mal Meninga has done it all, simple case of been there, done that. And done that with courage and grace.

His records speak for themself.

An unprecedented 4 Kangaroo Tours - 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994 - including 2 as captain.
An Australian record of 45 test-match appearances.
A world record 270 points in test Rugby League.
23 tests as Australian captain.
A total or 86 appearances in an Australian jumper including Tests, World Cup and touring matches.
A record 38 appearances for Queensland.
A record 32 appearances in State of Origin football.
A record 161 points scored in State of Origin football.
A total of 306 grade games for his 3 clubs Brisbane Souths, St Helens and the Canberra Raiders.
3 Grand Final wins with the Canberra Raiders (1989, 1990 and 1994 - all as captain)
2 Grand Final wins with Souths.
11 Grand Final appearances (5 with Canberra and 6 with Souths)
An incredible total of 465 first class games in all.

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MALS ENTRY IN THE HALL OF FAME.

Mal MENINGA (b.1960)

Clubs: Souths Brisbane, St Helens, Canberra (1979-94) QLD: 38 games (1979-94) includes 32 Origin games Australia: 45 Tests, 1 World Cup Game, 2 Internationals, 28 Tour Matches (1982-94)

Merely possessing a Test career that extended 13 seasons - including four Kangaroo Tours - puts Meninga into the level of the greats. Throw in club premierships in two states, State of Origin success, stirling captaincy and a remarkable resilience to come back from a broken arm on four occassions, elevates 'Big Mal' to one of the best rugby league players of all time.

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Greatest players

Ray French
Rugby League legend

Lots of players have pace to burn. Most possess good handling skills. A few have the ability to unlock the tightest of defences.

But only a handful are blessed with the full range of weapons

Mal Meninga

A giant of a man who, as skipper of Australia, terrorised British defences in the centre.

Though often towering above the opposition forwards, Mal displayed all the deft handling skills and running angles of a perfectly balanced three-quarter.

A tough but fair competitor in many an Ashes battle in the 1980s and 1990s.

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He was an amazing player big Mal, absolutely amazing, a freak, a once in a generation sort of player. An absolute brute of man, but he had the skills to play in the backs. Wow.

I tell ya a great moment that no one ever talks about involving him? first half of the '91 grand final, penrith on attack, barwick kicks ahead from broken play...straight into the arms of big mal! Mal starts sprinting down the touchline like a bastard, looks like he about to score for a moment but young freddy fittler has him sized up....and makes an amazing, absolutely textbook, cover defending tackle around the legs.

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My favorite Big Mal yarn involves one of my all time favorite games. I rattled on about it in previous threads but here goes again. I am old and I can get away with it.
I was lucky enough to be on the 1990 Kangaroo Tour with the RLW supporters. there were hundreds of us.

The 2nd test at Old Trafford. Five minutes to go and we are behind after the Poms Laughlin had latched onto a Ricky Stuart pass and scored.


The bloody Poms were one up in the series and were on their way to winning the 2nd test and the series for the first time since 1970. Twenty bloody years and I thought I was going to witness it.

They were singing in the bleachers.....


Stuart was quoted after the game as saying it was the worst moment in his life, like a death in the family.

One minute to go - the game apparently lost, the series going to the Poms. From deep within his own 25 Stuart makes a break, throws a dummy and is in the open.....

ET is supporting him on his outside and we all rose as one..... this was our last desperate chance.

I remember someone near me said something like, "check out Mal" I looked to see Big Mal busting his own blokes, the Poms out of his way as he bulldozed his way up to be in support of Stuart.

Big Mal gave ET a friendly shove and at full bore just positioned himself and waited. Stuart gave him the ball about 45 out and the rest was history. He left Poms strewn everywhere as he smashed his way to the tryline. Nothing could of stopped him that 10th day of November 1990.
Not even an elephant gun.

We won the test 14 - 10 and went on to win the third test and the series.

I will still be smiling about that try when they are putting my coffin in the fire.

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Big Mal, you cant help but love the him. My fav memory was his last game 1994 GF he took that intercept and went all the way (swating off McCracken )I dont think anyone would have begrudged him that try.

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(Re the 1994 GF Meninga intercept try).

What a try to send him off in a perfect way

From the second he took that intercept i knew he was home, McCracken, Williams, Lamb, a 40ton truck, it wouldnt have mattered

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Games that big mal played in are now classed as 'archive footage'. Meninga is one of the best players Ive ever seen. Him and king wally stand head and shoulders above anyone else Ive seen. That 82 touring side was like a team from a different planet they were literally playing a different game

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McLaren Fields entry is in reponse to Story NO 5. My entry above

Bloody broke my heart did that try Quigs, we knew we'd get stuffed at Elland Road after that, and sitting right in front of a young aussie fan didn't help, he never made a sound all through the match, just kept swinging this green and gold scarf around and around his head, smacking my head with every revolution - when Meninga went in for his try he went beserk, I grabbed hold of his scarf and told him what I was about to do with it - he sat down and shut up, but we couldn't wipe the smile off his face

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RE STORY NO5 (above) From Quigs.....

A cruel story that quigs. Not old enough to really remember it but my Dad says it was one of his worst RL memories.

Wish I was around to see Mighty Mal at Saints.

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RE STORY NO5 (above) From Quigs.....

I was watching it on TV. I was 15, and didn't really know what this good version of rugby was. Growing up in Derbyshire I'd been brainwashed into believing that union was all there was to rugby, but knew enough that a few times a year rugby got much better with better players and skill on show!

Still, I knew enough to be watching Grandstand and cheer GB on. And then Meninga popped up. I didn't even follow the game but was gutted!

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My memory of Mal is one off the pitch. Back in the '80s we used to have a Cup Final night bash at the old Clarendon in Hammersmith ( long flogged off to developers by the brewery for a reputed £4.5 million ).

After the '85 final a lot of the Oz and NZ players turned up, including Big Mal who proceeded to have an ice-cube fight across the bar with our Cumbrian hard man Harold Henney (later effectively fired by us after a punch-up with coach Roy Lester on the team bus after a game).

All good fun and the protaganists departed at the end in well lubricated amiability.

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Mal played for Saints in the old Premiership play-off against Hull KR (1985/1986 ??) at Elland Road.

He made a strong break, Rovers' full back, George Fairbairn, came across to give him the big stiff-arm (similar to the one against Craig Young in the '82 Boothferry Park test against Australia). He hit Meninga with everything bar the kitchen sink - Meninga barely broke stride and went on to score - George nearly broke his arm.

Fairbairn had another chance later in the game but decided that discretion was the better part of valour and didn't bother !

On the '86 tour, Australia played Oldham at Watersheddings in a night match - a great match, Oldham went out to smack them and made a pretty good job of it for 40 minutes. I think Stuart Raper played for Oldham that night. Aussie came through to win though but at least we felt a little better for seeing them knocked about a bit. Meninga played that game and one of Hornets old Fijian players, Laitia Ravouvou shook his hand on the way from the tunnel back to the pavillion and he was one of the only people I ever saw who was as big as Mal, or had as bigger hands !

This is all done from a failing memory - if anyone wishes to correct the detail, please feel free.

Keep up the good work - great web-site.

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One of my Dad's mates was Dave Fairclough the Saints "A" centre in the early 80's. He told me a couple of stories like how Mal got called "chicken george" after the team went out for a meal one night and he ate four whole chickens.

Another time a group of players were out in St Helens one night and got completely wasted and decided to go to on to Lowies/Cindys nightclub (whatever it was called at the time). Mal, in high spirits, thought it would be funny to put a waste paper basket on his head, so they get up to the door where the two bouncers spot them. One bouncer looks at the other and says "tell him to take that thing of his head", to which the other one replied "have you seen the size of him? I'm not telling him to take it off" so basically neither had the bottle to get him to take the basket off his head, so they let him in the club wearing it. Not sure how many other blokes would hav got away with that, not many!

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First real memory of Meninga was the Headingley Test in '82.

I'd swapped my GB shirt for a Manly-Warringah shirt with a couple of Aussie lads.

Second half of the game with Aussies playing to the scoreboard end. Meninga on south stand side around 30 metres out from GB line. Surrounded by three would be tacklers and going nowhere, he simply swatted them off one after the other and got the pass away.

Blatantly pushing Carl Gibson out of the way at OT in 1990 and preventing the series defeat.

His try at the SFS in the 1st test in '92. Started and finished the move.

His shell shocked expression after GB thumped the Aussies at Princes Park.

He and Laurie Daley destroying GB at Lang Park in the 3rd test.

The big man taking the time to speak to Danny Scott afte the GB vs NZ game at Huddersfield last November

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There seem to be heaps of stories about Big Mal from blokes in the Old Dart. Here are two of my favourite memories of the guy when I was a Raiders fan (i.e. before Super League ruined our game).

Early 90s I think and Canberra played Manly in Adelaide or Perth or somewhere else ridiculous. Plenty of talk that Mal was past it (what is it with people in this country writing off champions too soon?). Destroyed them. At one point, was first receiver from a penalty restart. Left a trail of hapless silvertails in his wake. Is there a greater sight in league? Doubt it.

89 Grand Final. That weasel Elias gets the ball from a kick and runs straight into Mal's shoulder. Next movement is arse over tit on his way to the deck. Bloody beautiful. Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke.

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Its the lancashire cup final at central park.

A Saints Wigan final.

Big Mal saints legend is running up the wing, shaun edwards goes to tackle him and is just swatted off just like an annoying insect.

Oh what memories.

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Missed the 1984 Lancashire Cup Final when Meninga playing for St.Helens destroyed Wigan single handed, I was in Majorca on my hols, but I've watched the highlights on video many times.

Saints just moved the ball to the left hand side and Meninga kept on delivering, whether setting up a try or scoring...Wigan or I doubt anyone could have handled him that day.

His first try was a quick dummy half move from 5yds out, he threw a dummy and reached over, the next team try saw Paul Round break through due to the attention placed on Meninga, gaps were appearing. Round was dragged down yards from the line and a quick play the ball saw Roy Haggerty blast onto the ball to put Saints up 12-2.

Then Meninga took full control. The ball was passed swiftly to the left and on the burst with ball tucked under his left arm he proceeded to hand David Stephenson off with his right hand, switched the ball under his right arm and handed off John Ferguson with his left hand and passed the ball out to the winger Sean Day another conversion made it 18-2.

Then came the try of the match, ball out to Meningas side he collects the ball on the burst again and is met by a hopeful 'Mark Cannon' with outstretched arms - Meninga hands him off right in the 'mush' and its left to a little weedy 17 yr old Shaun Edwards at full back to stop a charging Rhino...using the same hand he drills Edwards into the turf and dives over for a 60yd one man exhibition try that I have never seen surpassed yet for sheer power....the guy was a god !!!

Wigan came back in the second half but St.Helens were just too far ahead because of one great man - Mal Meninga....

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I have fond memories of the great man, that mountain called Meninga. In the 84-85 season while playing for St.Helens we were in an end of season competition called the Premiership Trophy. This was played at Elland Road in Leeds. I can still see Big Mal going the full length of the field with Hull KR players David Laws,George Fairburn and NZ International Gary Prohm chasing him down. None could get anywhere near, let alone attempt to tackle the giant.

Frightening.

My Hero, Mal Meninga.

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(Memories of the First State of Origin Clash 1980)

From reserve grade to QLD captain. AND he (Arthur Beetson) lead from the front.

We were standing on the hill at the XXXX brewery end.

Artie came on and the ground trembled under the roar from the crowd. We had been flogged year in and year out by NSW sides containing ex pat Qlders and we were dead set filthy. We sensed it, the crowd sensed it,
the players sensed it....we were seeing something extraordinarily special and we knew we were about to see probably the greatest sporting moment in Qld's history.

It was the end of being walloped.

To see Close and Meninga dominate Rogers and Cronin like they did will stay with me forever.

Likewsie Arthur standing up toe to toe with allcomers..what a night

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In 1963, the 1st test was a night game at Wembley and Gasnier was at his imperious best. He's still the greatest centre I've seen. He never looked as though he was moving, but nobody could get near him. He had class to burn. Then we had the 50 - 12 game at Swinton. The die was cast and I think it gave Australian players the self belief to upset history. Since then of course we've only won one test series (1970), but I believe it was won on the back of my favourite all time player Malcom Reilly; and Roger Millward. They were the difference on that Tour. Many of the series around that time were close and different players stood just above to make the difference. I believe that in 67 it was a John Raper / Ron Coote combination as the game breakers. The test when they won in the snow typified the Australian never-say-die spirit.

In 73 Artie was head and shoulders above the rest.

In 74 it was Ron Coote's famous tackle on Steve Nash that broke our resolve.

In 78 we would have won that series but for the half back combo of Tom R and Bobby Fulton. Fulton was the finest captain of a touring team that I've seen and he lead from the front. Most of the players were young and inexperienced and making their first Tours, but players like Rod Reddy and Craig Young came up trumps. It was also the best test debut I have seen in the decider at Headingley. Les Boyd tortured us for an hour and came off injured, but by then the game and the series were run.

Apart from 1990 when we was within a minute of squaring the series, but for Ricky Stuart's breakout and Big Mal Meninga; since then we've been an embarrassment since 1978. But then we don't have players of the calibre of Reilly, Huddart, McTigue, Millward, Ashton, Murphy, Mick Sullivan.

Personally, I deride the modern game. The scrums are a joke and the 10 metre rule has killed off the great ball playing backs like Murphy and Millward in the British game. Same in the forwards. In those days you had to have the skills to break defences, because they were stood on top of you. Artie was the best ball playing forward I've seen and McTigue wasn't far behind.

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Never forget big Mal's try in the semis at the SCG, flattening poor David Trewella on his way over.

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