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

I was at the Sydney Cricket Ground watching the Match of the Day between the old foes, South Sydney and St George. I was about 15 at the time. We were sitting in the old Sheridan Stand and it was very early in the game.

A scrum had been ordered by the referee, I think it might of been Keith Page or it could of been Col Pearce. I am leaning towards Page. St George were attacking the Paddington end of the ground and were running away from where I was seated. For those of you who don't know the layout of the SCG the Sheridan stand was the southern most stand, right next to the famous "Hill" (Oh the memories of the Hill)

As the scrum went down the St George hooker Norm Henderson came flying backwards out of the scrum. He was spread-eagled across the backs of the two packed St George second rowers and facing skyward with his arms out like he had been crucified. It happend as quick as if he had been shot with a shotgun from close range.

The story goes, (and I hope that someone can varify this for me) that Referee Page just tapped Satts on the shoulder and as the front rower peeled away from the scrum he said to him, I don't know if it was you or not but you are off. Someone has got to go, I think he is dead, indicating the prone body still on the back of the backrowers.

(Have you got a favourite SATTS story, then why not share it with us all)

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When John Sattler moved to brisbane I think he went to Wests, and they played wynnum at lang park, the scrum erupted and the wynnum forward pack was bashing Sattler then sattler wound up and started into them , his first punch went to Nev Honery then someone else then Hornery then someone else then Honery, well you can see how it went, Honery was mad he kept standing there and egging his pack on, any normal person would have quite while the going was good not Nev!!!!

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John Sattler's Broken Jaw
a song by Perry Keyes
( Perry often appears at the Warren View Hotel, Enmore, Sydney, drop in and say hi )

I was just a boy but i remember well
The red and green streamers flyin' outside the Eveleigh Hotel
We skinned our hearts, we skinned our knees on a tacked down lino floor
Walkin' through the twilight the day John Sattler broke his jaw

We lived eight to a house on Hugo Street post-Menzies land of plenty
But there was nothing left for people like us
Back in September 1970 my uncle worked the railway sheds, my Dadda the dirty Botany shore
But no man worked the Saturday that John Sattler Broke his jaw

Saturday mornin' on the Botany road was mean and it was lean
From the pawn shop to the butchers was a sea of red and green
By afternoon each bar was packed behind every hotel door
Even the TAB was empty the day John Sattler broke his jaw

At the kitchen sink my Nanna scrubs her hands
Dadda downs a Flag Ale with the ghost of Dave Sands
Clothes lines are flyin' high as the sun sinks behind the flats
A stoned girl walks in circles but she'll never turn back

Towards the streets of that town that are mostly streets of shame
Where real estate is all that matters and football's just a game
Where you've been sent out to Mount Druitt, Blacktown and St Mary's
While young Labor bought a terrace house, a Swans scarf and a Billy Bragg cd

And it's high enough, long enough, straight between the posts
Drink your beers but shed no tears for these days you miss the most
Every step and sill shinin' of Black-It from door to door
And the tears poured out like Reschs the day John Sattler broke his jaw

Lyrics of a song by Perry Keyes
( Special thanks to Perry and to Ica for organizing it for the Era of the Biff )

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South Sydney Dream Team has been Announced

By Jeremy Monahan

The South Sydney Rabbitohs has announced the greatest Club side in Rugby League history, the South Sydney Dream Team, at a gala dinner at the Westin Hotel in Sydney on July 29, 2004.

17 players were selected in position as well as a coach to represent the South Sydney Football Club from 1908 through to 2004.

The South Sydney Dream Team is:

Fullback – Clive Churchill (164 games for Souths between 1947-58, 27 games for NSW, 34 Tests for Australia).

Winger – Harold Horder (86 games for Souths between 1912-19 & 1924, 9 games for NSW, 13 Tests for Australia).

Centre – Herb Gilbert (23 games for Souths between 1911-12 & 1915, 3 games for NSW, 7 Tests for Australia).

Centre – Paul Sait (163 games for Souths between 1968-78, 5 games for NSW, 7 Tests for Australia).

Winger – Ian Moir (118 games for Souths between 1952-58, 10 games for NSW, 8 Tests for Australia).

Five-eighth – Jim Lisle (102 games for Souths between 1962-68, 8 games for NSW, 6 Tests for Australia).

Halfback – Bob Grant (136 games for Souths between 1966-75, 2 games for NSW, 1 Test for Australia).

Lock – Ron Coote (151 games for Souths between 1964-71, 13 games for NSW, 13 Tests for Australia).

Second Row – Bob McCarthy (217 games for Souths between 1963-75 & 1978, 10 games for NSW, 10 Tests for Australia).

Second Row – George Treweek (120 games for Souths between 1926-34, 7 games for NSW, 18 Tests for Australia).

Prop – John O’Neill (150 games for Souths between 1965-71 & 1975-76, 5 games for NSW, 2 Tests for Australia).

Hooker – Elwyn Walters (129 games for Souths between 1967-73, 11 games for NSW, 12 Tests for Australia).

Prop – John Sattler © (197 games for Souths between 1963-72, 4 games for NSW, 3 games for Queensland, 4 Tests for Australia).

Reserve – Greg Hawick (84 games for Souths between 1950-56, 8 games for NSW, 6 Tests for Australia).

Reserve – Ray Branighan (52 games for Souths between 1968-71, 5 games for NSW, 8 Tests for Australia).

Reserve – Ian Roberts (65 games for Souths between 1986-89, 11 games for NSW, 13 Tests for Australia).

Reserve – Les Cowie (178 games for Souths between 1947-57, 10 games for NSW, 6 Tests for Australia).

Coach – Jack Rayner (Played 196 games for Souths between 1946-57, 11 games for NSW, 5 Tests for Australia. Coached Souths to five premierships in 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955).

This team of absolute champion players spanning the history of the code of Rugby League in Australia have collectively played 2135 First Grade games for the South Sydney Club, 158 games for NSW, 3 games for Queensland and 158 Tests for Australia.

The players have been immortalised in a fabulous painting featuring the South Sydney Dream Team having just won a premiership played at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Living members of the team as well as representatives of those who have passed on were presented with a South Sydney Dream Team print which features the Dream Team painting, as well as a South Sydney Dream Team commemorative jersey with their named on the back.

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I remember a game played at Redfern Oval, back in the early 70's, where Souths were playing Norths.

Well, the Bears had a very hard Kiwi forward, Brian Anderson, I think his name was, and he and Satts had been at each other all game, with neither taking a backward step away from each other.

It was well into the second half, and I think they were both starting to tire of each other, so they put on a hell of a stink during a scrum, and surprisingly, none of their teamates would get involved.

It was starting to become rather nasty, so the ref (I think it was Keith Page)dedided enough was enough and sent the pair of them off for an early shower.

Anyway, they started to trudge off together, but couldn't help continuing to bait each other, and started to get into it again once they got off the field, and were still at it as they were walking up the tunnel into the dressing rooms!

It is one incident I've always remembered well, as I had a birds-eye view of the dressing room tunnel from the opposite sideline, and have often wondered whether they continued on in the dressing rooms.

I'll bet they had a beer at the club afterwards, though, boys being boys!

Hope you enjoyed this tale. I wonder if there are any Bears fans out there who'd remember this big Kiwi?

Cheers, Steve.

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The story that Steve refers to at Redfern Oval, and the stoush continued on in the tunnel, I believe it happened because when John Sattler got sent off, he knew he would be suspended and therefore would miss out on having played the most amount of games for Souths at the time.

He waited for the other guy and continued on in the tunnel until officials broke it up.

Also during the 1970 grandfinal where he had his jaw broken, McCarthy had a go at him about missing a tackle. Lurch O'Neill intervened and told McCarthy that Bucknell had broken Satts' jaw. On realising the enormity of Satts' injury, McCarthy lined up Bucknell and hit him with biggest full blooded front on tackle you have ever witnessed. In slow motion it looks awsome. Macca later said 'I hit him front on, picked him, drove him backwards and dropped all of my 15 1/2 stone on top of him.

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Sattler, was one of souths greatest, i watched the grand final in which he played with a broken jaw, 1970 grandfinal.. :S not sure im a bit young for it, but my dad always goes on about it, he is huge supporter of souths so to i, and i play the same position as satts, so it was just inspirtational to watch a player in that much pain continue on, i hope some day i could play as well and with such strength and endurance in which he displayed on that day.

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Quigs mate, brilliant site.

You have to add a Queenslander named Andrew Florenco who played club footie in the late 60's into the 70's.

He was one of the hardest nuts I ever saw play.

They called him the gonad crusher up here during his hey day.

I seem to remember him once taking on Sattler in a set to, with Satts having to count em at the end of the match.

Not clean, but thats what made the game great.

Cheers mate

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As a kid I followed Souths through thick and thin.

Watching the likes of John Sattler was a particular highlight.

I remember his bloodied mouth as he trotted past on the victory lap in 1970. No one suspected he had a broken jaw.

In 1999 Sattler was on the steps of the Sydney town hall after the Save the Game Rally.

He signed my son's autograph book as he had signed mine about thirty years ago.

When I thanked him he replied " that's my pleasure" . Off the field, ever the gentleman and a wonderful ambassador for the game.

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Do any of you people making comment about John Sattler really know him? If you did you wouldn't be making a big deal about him playing with a broken jaw.....he doesn't! Sure..it makes him a hard man...harder than most....but he is also one of the games gentlemen! There is a hell of a lot more to the man than this one game!

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courtesy of Tony Adams great book The Hitmen - A tribute to League's tough guys.

O'Neill has no hesitation in rating John Sattler as the toughest player he encountered.

"I played with and against him and there was no harder man," he explains, "He was great to play with because you always knew he'd be there when you needed him. But playing against him wasn't much fun - he seemed to enjoy giving a mate a good whack on the jaw.

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This is the story ,according to my memory at least , when Sattler left Sydney to play in Brisbane he apparently got a verbal send off by Bill Hamilton from Manly about Satts not being able to take it in Sydney anymore.

Come Interstate time Satts is wearing a Queensland jersey and Hamilton a blue one , don't remember time of game and place on the field but ball was heading downfield when Satts launches himself at Hamilton and has both feet off the ground as he lands the big right fist to the face of big bill .

From memory , there was a photo of the hit on the front cover of Rugby League Week along with one of two NSW trainers carrying Hamilton between them with his legs dragging along behind them . I don't believe it was an even a penalty to NSW , no trial by video in those days.

I'm not sure if Satts was too interested in playing for Queensland and he didn't play that well in the series but he certainly held a grudge and took the chance to answer the challenge.

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I met Mr John Sattler on several occasions after his retirement into the pub game. In fact a pub on Bribie Island is still referred to by the locals as Satts pub, such was the presence of this man. He left that pub probably 20 years ago.

But the time I recall best of all was one afternoon when I visited the Cecil Hotel in Southport with a couple of copper mates who drank at Satt's Cecil quite regularly.

I am not a well known person or someone who stands out in a crowd, but I'd met Satt's a couple of times over the bar at various hotels he'd operated. I hadn't seen him in 6 years. Satts said g'day and shoke my hand with that notoriously hard, firm, steely shake and asked how I was and it was good to see me again. Fancy that! John Sattler remembering someone like me. I was humbled. But you know, Satt's treates everyone like that.

We had a round of drinks when 2 elderly ladies walked into the Cecil with some groceries obviously having just stopped in for a shandy after shopping. Mr Sattler immediately excused himself from our conversation, walked over and pulled two chairs out for the ladies and took their drinks order, then returned to the table with their drinks to make sure they were comfortable.

I thought at the time what a pefect man to model oneself on. How times have changed. I hope you get to read this sometime Satts. Your a bloody gentleman of the first order and a great Australian. Congratulations.

Next time I see you. I shall buy you another ale.

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me and my younger brother would travel all over sydney together dressed as rabbitohs this was dueing those great south sydney days late 60's early 70's

we were late for a game at redfern oval one saturday, souths were playing canterbury that day and we could hear the crowd booing from outside the ground

the game was no more than 2 minute s old and john sattler had decked a canturbury forward and was marching to dressing room for very early shower

he would always sign autographs for us with that gentle demenour he is famous for .

john sattler and ian chappell two great aussie captians

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The only story I have is...John Sattler was a relative of mine.

My grandmother was a Sattler. I met him once, he came to Maitland where I lived for a funeral.

I remember he gave autographs to me and my brother. We were about 10. I remember him standing before us he was huge and seemed square shaped..seemed about as wide as he was tall with huge legs. He was very gentle and soft spoken, it was hard to believe that he was so rough and tough on the field..but I did see him sink the fist into blokes during tackles. We used to be fanatic Souths fans then and so proud of John Sattler (and Les Darcy).

My father said that people in Hunter/coalfields area were usually South fans because lots of boys went from the Hunter area if they were good enough and played for Souths.

And we hated St George cause they beat us a lot during their 11 year reign. I remember a lot of the boys at school in Maitland went for Souths too.

My grandmother told me that When Satts owned a pub in Qld Alan Bond tried to pressure him into selling it.

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