Rugby League
Your Stories

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

VIDEO LINK
Irvine Try 2nd test 1963 - great lead up by Raper(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

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 -

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

He face many rugged opponents in his day, but nont troubled him more than noted English hard man Derek Turner.

"He was the hardest player I faced" Wilson said after his retirement. "One day he caught me around the throat with a stiff arm and I thought he'd taken my head off."

Former Saints, NSW and Australian team-mate Johnny Raper still remembers that tackle

"It was a killer and I think that was the only time I ever saw Blueys legs buckle" Raper says. "He was really stung by the blow and was gone for a while. But, to his credit, he came back for more later in the game and gave Turner as good as he got."

- 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.

In 1962 Saints found themselves once more opposed to the Magpies in the Season finale. This was a match in which Billy Wilson was involved in one of leagues most infamous incidents. Saints five eight that day, Johnny Raper, takes up the story.

"Wests prop Jim Cody flattened our skipper Norm Provan and we were far from impressed as Norm was carried off on a stretcher. The mood was fairly ugly in the dressing rooms at halftime, as "sticks" lay there dazed in the corner. Plenty of blokes were talking about get squares. But Billy, who had taken over as captain, suddenly jumped to his feet and made it clear there would be none of that.

"I know you blokes are all fired up after what happened to 'Sticks' (Provan) but I don't want you to go out there and look to get even with them. This is a grand final and we'll win it for sure if we keep level heads. I don't want to see any of you blokes throwing a punch - let's just go back out there and play football."

"I was still a young bloke at the time and it sounded like good advice to me and besides, I learned early in life not to argue with a bloke like Bluey Wilson. We ran back on the field with our thoughts on nothing other then playing football and no sooner had we kicked off then I saw Jim Cody flat on his back, apparently Bluey had hit him with the best left hook you'd ever want to see. Cody was carried off and Bluey was waved straight off by referee Jack Bradley. He gave us a wink and said, "I'll see you all for victory drinks in the Members Bar after the game."

"Luckily we hung on to win 9-6."

Years later, Wilson claimed he only realised after he'd decked Cody that it was the same player who had earlier dispatched Provan. "It wasn't intentional," Wilson said, "I didn't know who it was but Saints still had to battle through with only 12 men."

- 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.

Johnny Raper, has fond memories of playing with Billy Wilson during the Dragon's heyday.

"He was as hard a player you'll ever see and I often remember him head-butting rival front-rowers for the loose head in the scrums," the champion lock recalls. "They'd butt each other like a pair of billy goats and would both look like a mess at the end of the game. I'd often see Billy an hour later sharing a beer with his rival, with both blokes sporting half a dozen stitches in their scones. They were a breed apart, fornt-rowers - blokes like Bluey were proof of that.

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

"And I remember one of the first games I played against Churchill was when he was on the end of his career, and he was playing five-eighth."

"For South Sydney of course, and Dickie Pool, the coach then said, ‘Now son,’ he said, ‘you’re playing against a good player here today. It’s Clive Churchill,’ he said, ‘don’t underestimate him because he’s a fullback’, he said, ‘because he’s capable of just about handling every position.’ And as cocky as I was in those days, I said, ‘Dick, don’t worry, you won’t have any trouble with him.’ As play went on, I got a bit cockier than what I should normally do, being 16 years of age I went up and I hit Churchill and I said, (I mean with a legal tackle of course) and I said, ‘How do you like that one?’ He said, ‘That’ s good son,’ he said, ‘that’s beaut.’ Then a couple of moments later I hit him with another crash tackle and knocked him to the ground, and I said, ‘Now how was that one?’ And he said, ‘That was a lot better, by the way’, you know, he just sort of sat there and after we played the ball and before he got up he said that word, he said, ‘You know, it’s better than the last one.’ And the next time I hit him he said, ‘That was your best one, son.’ So I thought, oh well I must be getting over the old fellow. He said, ‘But next time you’d better hit me with the ball. Have a look up the other end of the field.’ Well what Clive had done he’d sucked me in, the winger come from the blind side, he give him the ball, Ian Moir it was in those days, give him the ball and Moir was putting the ball down between the posts as I was talking to Churchill. And I always admired Churchill immensely from that day, more than what I admired him before. And it was a great pleasure, having tackled Clive Churchill, it was a great pleasure getting a lesson from him."

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

The 1st test series I remember was as a small boy reading about the 1962 series.

1963 was the first series I saw on TV.

The 1st test was played at Wembley, but only highlights were shown on TV, although I think Reg Gasnier scored 3 tries.

The match at Swinton was the first test I saw live.

It left an indelible imprint on me, which remains to this day.

Australia have never played better in my opinion. Langlands, Irvine, Gasnier, Raper would walk into any greatest team that I could think of.

The abiding memories are of Ken Irvine's chase down of Neil Fox, with John Stopford scoring a try.

But watching Australia that day was like watching the Harlem Globetrotters.

Raper never played better. Chang wasn't far behind. Still the best team I've ever seen.

As memorable was the 3rd test (Battle of Headingley) when the fists flew. Noel Kelly was indeed a very hard man. A scrum broke up and he delivered a couple of beauties on one of the English props.

Cliff Watson got sent off in the same game.

I have highlights of the 63 Tour on DVD and it's a prized possession.

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

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.

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

I first came across johnny raper at the funeral of poppa clay at miranda star of the sea church-

Johnny gave a great eulogy.

There were other footy greats there also.

I was the priest celebrant and mentioned to johhny at the gravesite that he missed his vocation, after such a fine eulogy.

He looked a bit bemused!

- 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 -

text

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