Rugby League
Your Stories

CRONULLA SUTHERLAND DREAMTEAM ANNOUNCED July 2006

Fullback ... David Peachey
Winger ... Mat Rogers
Centre ... Steve Rogers
Centre ... Andrew Ettingshausen
Winger ... Ray Corcoran
5/8 ... Chris Wellman
Half ... Tommy Bishop
Lock ... Greg Pierce
S/r ... Gavin Miller
S/R ... Ken Maddison
Prop ... Cliff Watson
Prop ... Jason Stevens
Hooker ... Ron Turner
Reserve .... Dane Sorensen
Reserve ... Steve Kneen
Reserve ... Brett Kimmorley
Reserve ... Mark McGaw

TOMMY SIGNS ON .........

TOMMY BISHOP HAD INITIAL DOUBTS ABOUT JOINING THE SHARKS - AND WITH GOOD REASON.

"I remember getting off the plane with my family at Mascot and when we left customs, all these cameras were waiting for us. I felt like a film star coming in from nowhere. The kids looked at me, like, and said, "What's going on dad?"

"Easts had been favourites to sign me but dropped off; Parramatta were a bit cool, but East (Newcastle) wanted me as captain-coach. The other clubs, I was told, was Cronulla. I said, "Cronulla! Gees, they're at the bottom of the League. Isn't there anyone else."

"The Cronulla officials told me about the beaches at Cronulla and the sun and surf and all that. But that stuff was never important to me or my family. We had never had it before and we never expected it to be part of our lives.

"In the car we saw the sign: "Cronulla 22kms [sic]".

Betty [Tom's wife] nearly freaked out. She expected kangaroos on the road - and all that sort of stuff. We were not convinced. Ernie (Christensen) to me Cronulla were a club on the way up ... that they had a lot of promising juniors.

As it turned out he was right. I never regretted the decision.

 
Tommy with Sharks Coach Killer Ken Kearney and Tommy inviting Ross Strudwick to a BBQ I think (just got to love that pic)

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

TOMMY INTRODUCES THE CUT OUT PASS TO SHARKS WINGER RAY CORCORAN..........

I remember travelling to the Sydney Sports Ground to watch the Sharks under their new Captain Coach Tommy Bishop take on the Eastern Suburbs Roosters.

Cronulla had a brilliant attacking winger in those days named Ray Corcoran. Ray topped the leading tryscorers for a couple of years, I think it was 72 and 73. Unfortunately Ray's defence was to say the least very ordinary.

Early on into the game Cronulla had a golden opportunity to go on the attack and the backline was set deep, as it was in those day. Bishop sensing that there was space out wide threw what must of been the first time some to the sharks players had seen, the long cut out pass.

Ray who was standing way out on the left wing was not even remotely thinking that the ball was coming to him so soon in the backline movement and was intent on watching his opposition and not keeping his eye on the ball.

He was startled to see the ball nearly hitting the running linesman to his left as the pass wissed like a bullet past his chest.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

A HUMEROUS ALTERCATION BETWEEN SATTS AND TOMMY BISHOP....(this story is also in Sattlers page)

I remember watching a game at Redfern Oval between the Rabbitohs and the quickly improving Sharks led by the cheeky dirty little pommy (oh how I loved to watch him) Tommy Bishop.

It was always an adventure to go to Redfern Oval and sit on the eastern hill and watch a game. It was a place where you had to watch your P's and Q's because some of them old South Sydney faithfull could be pretty violent in their day. I remember getting a whack with an umbrella from a dear old souths lady when Cronulla scored once.

Bishop was at his annoying best during this particular game and was giving everyone in a red and green jersey a hard time. He would start a blue and then have his big men step in and take on Souths finest. And the Souths finest at that time did not have to prove anything to anyone.

Satts and Bishop were exchanging words when Tommy let fly with a short sharp punch which caught Satts a bit of guard. By the time Satts wanted to retaliate Bishop had his head firmly under Satts armpit and one hand locked onto the back of his jesey and was swinging at a hundred miles and hour. It looked like a little fox terrier taking on a doberman. But because of the size difference Satts had no where to hit Bishop but on his back and butt.

The players had a battle to prize them apart......

I laughed to myself over that "blue" but I pity the poor shark forward that Satts might of got even with that night.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

A STORY ABOUT TOMMY BISHOP PLAYING FOR ST HELENS.

Playing at Hull's ground and with the ball in hand,2 or 3 Hull players did a spear tackle on Tommy and dumped him on his head on the ground and he lost the ball and naturally seemed very dazed and a bit out of it.

ANYWAY NO PENALTY.

After treatment with the magic sponge and a shake of his head to clear it he lined up in defence as Hull played the ball and Tommy took off like a bullet and first or second pass he intercepted the ball and shot over for a try., a distance of something like 30 or 40 yards.

The home crowd had been cheering very loudly when he had been speared and lost the ball but he soon shut them up with the try.

A very hard man indeed.
_________________________________________


p.s My son London Saint told you on R.L. Fans that he would contact me.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

I was at the 1973 grand final between Manly and
Sharks. 80 minutes of mayhem. Bishop hitting and kicking anything that
moved and then hiding behind Cliffy Watson. Manly had Randall, O'neill
and Reilly.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

EMU PARK SPORTSMANS FUNDRAISING NIGHT AROUND 1990

Way back in 1990 we had the pleasure of having Tommy Bishop, John Sattler, a Kiwi international Bernie Lowther and John Peard up for a sportsmans night to raise a bit of money for our juniors.....

During the night they had film going of some of each players old highlights. In one of Tommys, he was tackled by Graeme Langlands (I think) any way it was one of the Australian greats, and during an Aussie Britain test. As Tommy got up, and with Changa still down around his feet, Tommy just let fly with a right boot and kicked Changa in the head.

One of the crowd at the sportsman's night said, "why did you kick Changa in the head when he was on the ground." To which Tommy nonchalantly replied, "I couldn't hit him could I, I had the ball in me hand.

That is the Tommy I know.

When he first arrived out here (Aus) he would always do the little grubber kick towards the opponents tryline. As everyone was following the ball, they soon realized that Tommy was sprawled on the deck. The ref and linesman would not know what has happend but Tommy would pick himself up, dust himself off and then commence to try and wack a big forward who was somewhere in the line of his kick. The ref naturally thought that the big forward had decked Tommy so he'd award a penalty to Tommy's Cronulla side, and usually right in front.

This only caused the so called offending forward to spit his dummy and for the rest of the game would try and get square. With Tommy nipping at his heels for the rest of the game it was always fun to watch.

You could not get away with it in this day and age with all the cameras and crap they carry on with now.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

Just to let you Know that Tommy Bishop lives at Robina on the Gold Coast.

He spends his time teaching and watching his 7 grandsons playing football. They all hope to follow in his footsteps and succed in playing first grade football even though one plays that other game union.

We the Bishop famil think your site is fantastic and gives the Kids a great insight in their Grandads career.

We are just not to sure about him being a "Madman"

Regards the Bishop Family

FROM QUIGS........

Thanks Gail and Jon,(Bishop Family)

you better sort out that one that plays the other game. Dad / Grandad was, is my all time favorite. So I respectfully think he was "mad" in a very couragous way by the way he played and went about leading his "Sharks". Wish they still played like that.

Cheers
Quigs.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

(THIS STORY MAINLY RELATES TO ALEX MURPHY BUT TOMMY GETS A MENTION, QUIGS)

When the head groundsman at Twickers retired they asked him who was the best fly half (union for Stand off) he ever saw play at Twickers. He had no doubt, of all the English, the three home union, the frogs, the southern hemisphere players he saw play over 30 odd years he nominated Alex Murphy. During his time in the RAF on National service he played hunt-grunt-shunt-and-punt for the RAF as a fly half.

What might have been. In 1966 the tour party was about to be named and it appeared that Harry Poole the Leeds 2nd row forward who was at the end of his career was to be named captain. Murph thought he should have been captain of the tour squad but had the nod he would be test captain as Pooley wasn't sure of a test place. Bill Ramsey, John Mantle, Dave Robinson looked to be the front runners for the back three. So instead of touring a third time after much success on the 62 and 58 tours he opted not to tour. Rumour was he was miffed at being used on tour as a center rather than scrum half or stand off. At the time Alan Hardisty and Tommy Bishop were at their peak. However in the papers Murph said he didn't want to be used as captain for the tests regardless of what position he played, when another tour captain was picked.

Harry Poole didn't play the tests, Workington forward Brian Edgar captained the test team in all 3 tests on Oz. A center was called up, Ian Brook from Wakefield Trinity as they were in those days. He played in all 5 tests on tour. I'm sure with Murph as tour captain GB would have won the series instead of losing it 2-1. Sure the reffing was diabolical as usual. But Murph knew how to win, he knew how to get the best out of his team. This takes nothing away from Brian Edgar who led by example on his third tour. That Murph was still playing international football in 71 shows that he could have done GB proud in 66.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

Anyone remember the midweek game when Tommy Bishop lead an invitation side against the visiting Poms at Endeavour.

Was around 70 I think, not sure, could look it up but to lazy.

The invitation side was made up of mostly up and comers from the clubs and was to be a hit out for the Poms as a build up to test.

It was held on a Tuesday I believe. Broke the existing crowd record for endeavour then. I think it was a crowd of 14,000

The scribes of the day had the invitation team to be steamrolled by the Poms and it would be a friendly game as TB was playing against his old international team mates for the first time.

Well all that changed when Tommy cracked Doug Laughton I think (not 100% here on the Pom, but it was a big second rower) and an all in errupted. When Tommy cracked Laughton it wasn't hidden. Doug had taken the ball at speed and was a demolition machine. He was in a bit of a gap right near the halfway line, heading north towards the tryline. Tommys sized him up jumped two feet off the ground and laid a cross on the point of his chin. TB gave him about 5 stone, and 12 inches in height and weight.

A mighty blue ensued. And guess what. The crowd loved it.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

On the night of the 22 April 2005 I had the pleasure of going to the Anzac Test match with my son and his mate Alex Bishop and his grandfather Tommy Bishop who happens to be the Tommy Bishop.

It was a wonderfull experience for both my Son JAke and I.

Tommy is a hard but lovely man who still is very passionate about his rugby league.

I hope that my boys and I can learn something from the Bishop family who seem to give a lot to the sport.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

When tommy was playing for barrow in 1964 i think it was.

He got picked for his county lancashire to play against the touring new zeland side. This was his first rep honour, well the week before the match he got injured, his shoulder popped out he thought his first honour had gone by.

But he new an old man in st.helens who was a legend in the town for getting rugby players back on the field with old fashioned methods.

He strapped tommys shoulder in such away that he played against the kiwis, he did such a good job he got man of the match in that game even though he was in terrible pain.

One tough player an a good one

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

SAINTS PLAYED THE AUSSIES IN THE EARLY SIXTIES TOMMY WAS LINED UP IN THE TUNNEL ALONGSIDE ARTIE BEETSON.

HE ASKED THE BIG MAN WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HIS FACE ARTIE LOOKING A BIT PUZZLED REPLIED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH HIS FACE AND TOMMY REPLIED THERE WOULD BE WHEN THE GAME HAD FINISHED.

HE LOVED TO WIND THE AUSSIES UP

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

Tommy picked up the wooden spoon someone had given us, smashed it into little pieces and said, "We'll never, never have this again."

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

Bishop is a little marvel and you never know when you have him.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

There he was, dodging and sprinting, or throwing himself into the tackle... at times fiery and indignant... at the crisis, encouraging and consoling.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

Tommy kicked the club off. He turned the club around... daylight was second.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

I said to him "I came here to play football, not run in a bloody Melbourne Cup."
Cliff Watson

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

There was Cliffy leaning against the post. I went over and asked. "What's going on Cliff?" He said: "It's all right... it's all right. They're not playing yet."

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

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

"The '73 Grand Final against Cronulla was boots and all. Of all the grand finals I played in, that's the one people always ask me about. It's the game they all remember. And it's not because of the quality of the football; it wasn't a great game as such. They remember it because it was such a rugged affair.

"At one stage their little halfback Tommy Bishop, who was a cheeky bludger, kicked me in the shins. I started chasing him but he ran and hid behind big Cliff Watson. I nearly caught up with him a few times, but he was too slippery. Games like that were hard, but they were great to play in. You knew what was required in those days - you had to get over your opposite front rower. And while it was tough, not too many players got badly hurt. The hard stuff was all part of the game and you accepted it."

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

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

The Englishmen returned to Australia with a new look team in 1966 and, with Kelly out injured, won the first test 17 -13. That match gave Kelly his first look, albeit from the sideline, of a man who was to prove his nemises for several years to come, the cheeky British halfback, Tommy Bishop.

"Bishop used to go on with all sorts of antics. He'd throw haymakers, jump on blokes backs, kick them ... he'd do anything to upset you," Kelly recalls. "I remember seeing him for the first time when I was out injured that game and he was using every trick in the book. I'd never seen anything like it. I hated him immediately and thought if he tries this against me, I'll kill him.

Kelly got his chance in the second test in Brisbane. "Play was only going a minute when he started carrying on so I gave him a back hander. it was on from there. I gave him a boot up the arse a couple of times. He kept giving me cheek but we won the match 6 - 4."

Australia eventually retained the Ashes with a 19 -14 win in the third test, in Sydney. Bishop, however, was to have the last laugh on Kelly a little over a year later.....

Kelly had been selected to make a third tour to the UK and Fance and therefore becoming the first front rower to make three tours..

Kelly was sent off twice during the tour including once in the third test at Swinton, but despite his absence, Australia won the game to retain the Ashes.

Kelly was fuming at the circumstances that led to his dismissal. His old foe, Bishop, had again been baiting him and at one stage, fell to the ground clutching his face and screaming as if he had been hit. Kelly immediately shown the way back to the dressing room by the referee, despite swearing he never laid a hand on the "injured" halfback.

It was a crazy thing," he recalls. "It was right at the end of the game and I didn't touch him. I should never have got sent off but the ref couldn't get rid of me quick enough. It was a sad way to end my career against the Poms."

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

From the outset the rival forwards tore into each other with enthusiasm to hand out physical harm.

There was viciousness from both sides which went unnoticed until 10 minutes before half time when the violence flared into the open.

In a mass caution, Bob Batty, Rod Urquhart, Tommy Bishop and Malcolm Reilly were all spoken to by referee Keith Page.

This was only the forerunner of what was obviously coming to the brave crowd of 7491, which turned out despite the miserable weather.

Suddenly Bishop and Thomson came to grips in a tackle and the pair lay struggling and punching on the ground for some time.

Finally, players from both sides rushed in and dragged the brawling pair apart, and Keith Page ordered both off without any hesitation.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

Prop John Wittenburg, playing in his first Test, was flattened by British front-rower Brian Edgar early in the match, Australian centre Graeme Langlands laid out little English halfback Tommy Bishop with a copybook "coat-hanger", Dick Thornett and Billy Smith tag-teamed on British forward Jim Mantle, and former Queenslander Noel "Ned" Kelly and fearsome Englishman Cliff Watson fought a running battle.

From Memorable Match No31- click here to read more.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

It appears to me that no-one has mentioned tommy bishops very early days in rugby league.

I don't know if Blackpool Borough (UK)(defunct for many years) was his first club but he certainly made a massive impact during his time there (approx 1964/5) before joining St Helens and beginning his international career.

One incident in particular has remained in my memory.

The opposition had a couple of Fijians playing for them,one named "revuloo" or something like that.This guy was about 6'3" and must have weighed 15 stone.He did something tommy didn't like and turned his back on him and walked away.

I can still see Tommy running up behind him and wacking him in the head,before turning tail and running away as fast as his legs could carry him.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

text

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -