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View a clip of the King with the big hit on the Kiwi
Click the Link to view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-ZIKr-pg_Y

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

VIDEO LINK
Wally SOO Try(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

VIDEO LINK
Wally setting a Gene Miles for a Try -Roos 1968(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

VIDEO LINK
Dowlings SOO Try in the mud at the SCG(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

VIDEO CLIPS - Some of the best rugby league tackles of all time, including the King's hit on the unsuspecting KIWI- Click Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnS9qpKhDdk

Video Clips - Bring back the biff. Old school GB vs Australia rugby league brawls. Watch for the Kings Power Try as Des Drummond and Co wish him well
To view just click the Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-e5ejh8mPo

Videos - A tribute to the Seven Australian rugby league immortals Reg Gasnier, Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Johnny Raper, Changa Langlands, and Arthur Beetson, includes talk of whether Andrew Johns should become the eighth. To view just click the Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae4cGeJWVKA

Stats available -

I'm a pom but Wally is my favourite player of all time, no doubt. Watched him in internationals carve up us poms and the Kiwis many a time.

That mid 80's Test was played when I was about 10 or 11 but I still remember Wally's hit on " The baby faced Assasin " Tutta. Tutta was quite a tough nut and from what I remember, was trying to dish it out to the Aussies, especially Lewis. Wally decided to extract a little retribution and proceded to absolutely smash Tutta in a pearler of a hit. Goddam nearly killed him. I thought, yeah, that is what football is all about. (See story No5 from Paul Jones)

That's one of the reasons why Wally was one of the best ever. If the situation needed a bit of tough stuff, Wally could mix it up with the hardmen. However, he could also defeats teams with his amazing skills. His running strength, passing ability or his kicking game combined with his toughness made him a champion player.

You're right about Rugby League nowadays Quigs. Too bloody soft.

Bring back the 5m rule - Please

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ABC RADIO INTERVIEW WITH WALLY LEWIS AND HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHER ADRIEN MCGREGOR.

re THE MARK GEYER INCIDENT 1991 State of Origin.

The King was interviewed during this particular radio show and the interview started with Wally talking about his run in with MG during the 1991 Famous State of Origin Clash.



The King described how the big fellow (MG) was sent out to upset the Maroons during the famous clash.

Wally described one particular incident when he alleged that MG ran straight towards the Queensland fullback Paul Hauff with a 'cocked' elbow. Wally described that if the point of contact would of been a little bit this way or that way then there was a possiblilty of a fatality on the paddock.

Wally stated that there were three glaring indiscretions by Geyer in the first half that if it happend in a club game would of resulted in the offender being sent off.

The final incident in the first half resulted one of the wildest brawls in the history of State of Origin.

At the completion of the game MG was congratulated by a certain NSW official for his efforts, Wally said. The Queensland camp and particularly the QLd Coach was seething at the time.

Subsequently they lodged an official complaint against Geyer and the manner he played the game.

Geyer was later suspended for 10 weeks, Wally said.

This was the famous State of Origin clash were the images of Wally and MG pushing, shoving, glaring and baring teeth as referee Manson tried to prize them apart.

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INTERVIEW WITH KING WALLY LEWIS DURING THE ABC RADIO SHOW 'CONVERSATION HOUR'.......

PEP TALK BY ARTIE BEETSON PRIOR TO FIRST EVER STATE OF ORIGIN GAME.

During the interview Wally mentioned how when he as a 20 year old played in the first ever State Of Origin Game.

Whilst in the shed prior to the game big Artie came up and sat down beside the King and took off his flat hat.and placed it beside Wally.

Artie told Wally that he had not seen him play but he had heard a lot about him. Beetson said that he had heard enough about Wally to know that he had what it takes to survive in S.O.O. Beetson told Wally he had watched a video of Lewis playing that very morning and he knew he had the goods.

Wally chuckled to the interviewer that in hindsight it was more than likely that Artie had never ever seen Wally play before that first ever State of Origin Game.

Wally went on to mention that he did not have his best ever State of Origin game, but all he wanted to do that game was to shadow Artie and follow him all over the ground. All Wally wanted to do was to experience and run off a famous Artie Beetson pass. At the end of the game Wally stated that he had run off about thirty of Arties passes.

As Wally said, the guy was about 35 years old, carrying injuries, and still managed to dominate in the highest level of league in the world.

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INTERVIEW WITH KING WALLY LEWIS DURING THE ABC RADIO SHOW 'CONVERSATION HOUR'.......

WALLY ON HIS FIRST RUN IN WITH TERRY RANDALL..

During the interview with Wally one the Conversation Hour on the ABC radio Wally mentioned about his first meeting with Terry Randall, the Manly hardman.

Wally stated how he had known of Randall as on the hardest hitters in League and when anyone at that particular time spoke of who the hardest tackler in the game was, all converstations ended with the name of Terry Randall. The King described him as having shoulders as wide as a picket fence.

(Randall was a second rower for Manly during the 70's)

Wally was playing League with Brothers in Brisbane at the time and was at the same location that the Manly players were at, apparently celebrating their end of season (mad Monday maybe) after being defeated in the Grand Final.

Wally said he was keen to meet this Randall guy as he had heard so much about him and he went over to where Randall was to "shake his hand" and introduce himself.

Wally was met with a "famous" Terry Randall special tackle.

The king has ever lasting memories of Terry Randall.

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Just to correct something in the first Wally story.

It was actually Darrel Williams Wally put the big hit on.

Brendon Tutta played that test match trying to bust heads all game. I heard Wally say in an interview he wanted to put a big (but legal) hit on Tutta, but he gave it to Williams instead, actually apologising to him after the hit (as he got the 2 mixed up)!

My favourite Wally tackle was in QLD vs NSW game 3, 1987.

Michael O'Connor running away for a try. Wally predicted his sidestep, which not only resulted in a try stopping tackle, but was a big hit at the same time.

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For the best part of the decade British Rugby League had been tempting to to close the gap on the Australians, mostly without success.

The season of 1983 saw Wigan crowned unofficial club champions when they beat Manly and earlier, Hull Kingston Rovers showed that the Aussies need not rule OK.

In October 1983, the Australian State champions Queensland arrived for a mini-tour.

Coached by then Australian national coach, Artie Beetson, and captained by Wally Lewis, already being hailed as the finest player in the world.

Their tour began at Craven Park just as the full Australian tour had done 12 months before, and as on that occasion, it proved an acrimonious start.

They met a reshaped Hull KR side on October 16 and far from dazzling the crowd with their skills, they shocked them with their aggressive violence.

Unchecked by referee Robin Whitfield, Queensland laid into an unsuspecting Rovers side with a savagery nobody had expected.

Within half-an-hour they had claimed three victims. Prop Roy Holdstock and hooker David Watkinson were carried off and stand-off Steve Hartley was led away with a broken arm.

But for the prior arrangement of four substitutes a side, Rovers would have been in a hopeless position before half-time.

As it was, they seemed badly up against it. An early penalty by Lewis and a well-worked try by the same player on the one occasion Queensland showed flair rather than fire, gave the tourists a 6-0 lead after 13 minutes.

In reply, George Fairbairn slotted over two penalties, the first after 29 minutes for the collective fouls on Holdstock, the second just before half-time.

But just as significant as Fairbairn's two goals had been the influence of Rover's latest overseas capture, the New Zealand international prop Mark Broadhurst.

Broadhurst, a one-time boxer, adopted an un-changing approach to Rugby League.

He always played the game hard and fair. It took a lot to make him lose his temper.

The Queensland hooker, Shane Bernardin, discovered how much in the 36th minute. Repeatedly niggling Broadhurst in the tackle without the referee stepping in, he finally blew the fuse at the end of the Kiwi's temper.

As the two squared up at the play-the-ball, Broadhurst unleashed a left hook of stunning power. Bernardin went up and dropped like a sack of potatoes.

It should have been an instant dismissal, but the crowd were on their feet cheering and applauding the first act of Rovers' retaliation.

Mr Whitfield contented himself with the penalty award.

Queensland were never the same again. Deprived of their physical superiority by Broadhurst's punch they went to pieces in the second half.

Only three minutes after the break Rovers were ahead, Mike Smith gratefully accepting the chance when winger Mitch Brennan made a hash of his attempt to gather Gordon Smith's angled kick for the corner.

And that was that.

Queensland had their chances, but Rovers' tackling was sure and solid and even the normally sharp Lewis was forced into tactical errors, scorning kickable penalties in favour of quick taps.

Little Wonder that when he remembered a goal would earn a draw, his nerve was so shattered that he missed a relatively simple penalty that would have given Queensland a draw.

Still Hull Kingston Rovers proved to be the only British club that could manage to defeat the, Australian State champions on their mini-tour.

Courtesy www.hullkr.co.uk

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The Return Of The Invincibles (1986 Kangaroos) were a far superior team for any of the British Teams including GB although the 3rd Test at Wigan was a cracker....

St.Helens were top of the English league played 8 and won 8 averaging 37pts a game, when the Aussies arrived. As optimistic as we were, the Kangaroo back line read: Jack, Shearer, Kenny, Miles, Meninga, Lewis & Sterling. So we were at least honoured with a full test line up. Channel 9 broadcast the match live and from the off both sets of forwards gave it plenty.

For Saints (Tony Burke, Graham Liptrot, Paul Forber, Andy Platt, Roy Haggerty & Chris Arkwright / For Australia: Roach / Simmons / Dowling / Cleal / Niebling / Lindner)

Steve Roach was off the field after 2 minutes, he stiff armed Chris Arkwright and dislocated his elbow and was replaced by Paul Dunn.


Roach leaving the field assisted by team Doctor Bill Monahan

Saints gave as good as they got and some of the off the ball challenges would make you cringe. With his back to the Saints posts Lewis laid off a typical pass and was hit by Arkwright (Grandson of Jack Arkwright) with a forearm in the back of his head.

The result of Arkwirghts forearm.

Later in the game Paul 'Rambo' Round came on the park with one purpose in mind, to hit as many Aussies as possible. With partner and back-up Arkwright, Round hit Garry Jack and all hell let loose, Arkwright had his shirt ripped off and Round and Jack were sent to the sinbin, threatening each other all the way back down the tunnel.

The highlight of the game came from the Aussie commentator on the day as he was trying to work out the English accents in the crowd and the songs we were singing. Fred Lindop had just given a penalty to Australia when we were begging for a way back into the game. The Saints crowd, as one, started to sing, "Who's the bastard, who's the bastard, who's the bastard in the black ? "

The guy on Channel 9 repeated it word for word with a chuckle....I doubt if he's ever worked again !!!

From MickeyMo off the Red Vee St Helens forum.. 10/04/2006
"I was there. I remember Arkie hitting 'The King' - it was so late that Lewis passed the ball in the first half and Arkie decked him in the second."

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I,m a kiwi with an Australian father, a 'queenslander'. My Dad married my kiwi mum and moved to NZ to live 35 years ago.

Dad bought with him his great love of League, State of Origin when it started, and of Wally, the greatest player we've ever seen.

I did grow up in a Rugby League mad family, and being a girl others probably thought it strange.Any school project or reading I could choose, it would be about wally, my hero!

When ever we'd shoot over the ditch to visit the relatives we'd go and watch Wally playing for Wynym Manly, and later the Broncos.

My favourite moment however was Wally's last official Winfield Cup game for the Gold Coast team because we were there in a private box.

Although it was very emotional it was a rare opportunity for us to see the king live on that stage for the last time. And wally produced a few moments of magic for the fans, scoring a try, and beating Penrith ( I think ) on the day.

So from a NZ fan, thanks for the great memories Wally.

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See Yarn of the Month No14 for the full story.

Re Wally Lewis.

I had to smile when I saw the pictures on the site of Wally in the old wreck of a Saab, on the last day of the 86 tour.

The boys, I gather, had a bit of a demolition derby at the back of what was then called the Dragonara Hotel in Leeds.

My mate who was a young copper in Leeds at the time, got a call on the radio to attend an 'accident' at the rear of the Dragonara Hotel. He arrived to find the Saab in a wreck with (he swears) the engine still running, but with no sign of Messrs Lewis, Simmons and Roach, who I gather had paid a couple of hunderd quid for the car at the start of the tour.

He also tells the tale of stopping a car full of Green and Gold track suits on a main road in Leeds City centre. The car was a wreck. He had the guys out and was pointing out the defects when one of the Green and Golds says " Jeeze mate, if it's that bad we don't want it and they all buggered off up the road and left the car.

The first tale about the Saab I know is absolutely true but can any of the guys on the tour confirm the second story?

All the best Quigs, being an old fart of fifty I can remember many of the players listed.

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Regarding Wally Lewis. Just a few comments:

(1) Wally never played for Brothers in Brisbane as mentioned in one of the postings.

(2) I took my wife-to-be to Origin 1 (1980) and must admit that by the end of the game I couldn't have decided whether it was her or Artie I revered the most. Wally played a cameo role of what we would see for the next ten years.

(3) About the same time Wally playing for Valleys in the Amco Cup took on NQ in Mt Isa. A brawl erupted and when the dust settled NQ had scored under the posts. Wally eventually walked off in disgust never to return, the Isa crowd was ecstatic and the referee was the late "Grasshopper" Gomersall who just allowed a tap to be taken and play to continue while the brawls continued unabated - aaah those were the days.

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