From former Referee Laurie Bruyers as told to Tony Lewis of www.noelkellyskids.info - sent to the biff July 07
I (Laurie Bruyers) was at Phillip st one Monday night waiting outside the judiciary and Noel Kelly ( who had been sent off that weekend) came walking along the corridor with his arm in a sling. It was the best looking sling I had ever seen. It must have been put on by a doctor it looked so good. I said to Noel what's happen to your arm. He smiled and said " nothing but those blokes in there don't know that." Noel received a caution.
I never wore a mouthguard... hated them... too uncomfortable
and, besides, you couldn't abuse the referee.
Cliff Watson
Referee Keith 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.
Refs Call No1...Click Here:
Story about Test hard man Jim Morgan by ex First Grade and International Referee Laurie Bruyeres
As told to Tony Lewis.
Refs Call No4...Click Here:
That little book, the referees bible at Wembley and must be followed to the letter !!!Referee Ronnie Campbell
The Rules for the Wembley Cup Final Officials
as told to "The Biff" by Ronnie Campbell Cup Ref for years 1985
Refs Call No5...Click Here :
1978 First Test Aussie -v- Poms at Wigan. Referee Campbell not enjoying the fun and games of Raudonikis and Nash
Refs Call No6...Click Here :
A collection of great pics sent to The Biff by Ref Ronnie Campbell after being hounded by Quigs. added Jan 2013 (more to come I hope)
Refs Call No2...Click Here :
How things can come back to haunt you (1979) Player involved Reg
Nolte playing for Narooma Reserve Grade in Group 16 Far South Coast
of NSW
So the whistle went and the finger pointed to the sheds
- even more laughter as Jim
Mills turned to walk off, continuing to chuckle
to himself. Referee Billy Thompson couldn't
stand it any more and had to ask what was so funny. Jim
turned and pointed to billy's hair. "where did you get
that f@x@in' rug" was all he said before turning to leave
the field for yet another early bath, and leaving the
remaining members of both sides in fits.
Jim Mills to
Referee Ronnie Campbell,"have u got
any idea of the bus timetables back to Widnes,"
referee Campbell had got a lift to the game with Jim ( a distance of app 120miles) but was about to march Jim for continual foul play
Further to the above story... as told by Derek Morgan of Widnes
It was the time that Jim left Widnes
for a season to play at Workington Town.
Workington had a home game at Derwent Park, referee for the
day was Ronnie Campbell, who came from Widnes.
Because he didnt live too far from Jim he managed to get a lift
to the game off the big man.
During a particularly torrid match, he had to warn jim a number
of times about his "over zealous" play. Finally, with
his patience running out he called Jim over to him and told
him he was going to have to send him off.
Jim said to Ronnie,"have u got any idea of the bus timetables
back to Widnes," referee Campbell asked why? Jim reminded
Ronnie how he had travelled to the ground.
"Send me off," said Jim "and you are travelling
home by bus" (approx.130 miles) Needless to say, Jim was
let off with a stern warning and remained on the field.
Refs Call No3...Click Here :
(10/06/06) - Noel Kelly, George Piggens, Peter Dimond and Ref Laurie
Bruyeres as told by Roy Masters
"As we ran onto the field I said to Dickie; "I think we're
going to be having an early shower today if we're not careful. What
are we going to do about this?" Noel
Kelly (Wests) to opposing Hooker Dick Wilson of Balmain after reading in the papers that a blitz was going to
occur on repeated scrum infringements - both were marched early
in the game.
English Referees, I don't want to talk about them, I haven't
found a good one yet
Ray
Price
I got marched a lot I suppose but I never lost any sleep
over it. -
Noel Kelly
The funniest thing was that I Reported to RFL headquarters
that I had sent 2 players both from Cardiff off for fighting
with each other!!!! - The Referee in
John Bevans
testimonial match between Warrington and Cardiff
involving
Mike
Nicholas and
Chris Seldon
"(Referee) Manson's called out Coyne, Holmes and Strasser
for Valleys. And McKay, Wharton and Evans for Norths."
"If Manson sends one, he could send ten." TV Commentator
at the
1990
Brisbane grand final - Valleys v Norths
"why thats my first offence"
Bill
Ashurst to ref after being sent off for stiff arming
Stan Owen. Ref replied, "I know, it's for your own good cause
when he comes round he will kill you"
Referee to Jim Dymock (Parramatta)"You were the agressor.."in 1999
when called out and cautioned after a fight. "Of course I was. I
f*cken smashed him!"
Jim Dymock replied
His nickname was Grasshopper, but that was the nicest
thing anyone from NSW ever called him,
Ray
Price on (Queensland Referee)
Barry
Gomersall
Bob Mccarthy recollecting the
John O'Neill send offs of 1971,
"Whenever I think of Lurch, it's the first thing that comes
to mind," McCarthy says. "Against St George, he kneed
Beath in the face and was sent straight off. I can see Bath
lying there, unconscious on the ground, the blood dropping down
from his forehead and forming little pools in his closed eyes.
He was really gone; they had to cart him off.
"Then against Parramatta, he flattened Bob O'Reilly the
same way and couldn't believe it when the ref
Keith Holman,
sent him off again.
"You're kidding, big Lurch protested.
"Just look at what you've done to O'Reilly, said Holman
in reply, pointing to the prone figure of the giant Parramatta
forward.
Lurch just shook his head as he walked off, screaming "Whats
the game coming to?"
Big Jim Mills- a funny sendoff at the hands of Mr Billy Thompson.... by rguy, Halifax.
Billy thompson was a ref at the time jim was
playing. he was widely regarded as the best ref at the time and known not to
stand any nonsense.
In one match both billy and jim managed to live up to their reputations
magnificently. as per usual billy made his pre-match warnings about not
standing for any dirty play, to which jim responded with an audible
chuckle, nothing said.
As perusual, in the first 5 minutes of the game, jim committed an act
of thuggery. sure enough billy called him over. as he walked across jim
was laughing. perplexed, billy asked what was so funny? no reply except
more laughter and a shake of the head. billy responded by pointing out
that the big fella was about be sent off and "you think it's so funny
then". more laughter.
So the whistle went and the finger pointed to the sheds - even more
laughter as jim turned to walk off, continuing to chuckle to himself.
billy couldn't stand it any more and had to ask what was so funny. jim
turned and pointed to billy's hair. "where did you get that f@x@in' rug"
was all he said before turning to leave the field for yet another early
bath, and leaving the remaining members of both sides in fits.
As told by the immortal mr thompson himself.
Memories from Ron Campbell,Widnes ,UK...... Ron is former Ref - @ highest level
Ron Reffed the Great 85 Cup Final at Wembley Wigan -v- Hull
I reffed that cup final at Wembley and I thought he (
Peter Sterling) was magnificent that day In fact at half time in my dressing room discussing the first half with my colleagues I said They can give Sterling the Lance Todd now !
I know we get a different view of a game on the pitch than speccys but that is what I felt at the time
He was a great scum half and deserves to be ranked with the best of all time.
I rank him up there with
Murphy ,
Raudonikis , etc and I have reffed them all !!
Posted by Quigs - Found this link 14/06/2012, on good old YouTube
VIDEO LINK ...
1985 Challenge Cup Final - Wigan v Hull..The greatest Wembley Rugby League cup final of the all..
Link Ref includes players ..78, Ref Ron Campbell contributor to Biff,
(posted 15/6/2012) ... Roy Dickenson of Leeds smacked Gavin across the ear well after the ball was gone ........
I reffed Leeds v Hull KR and Gavin was playing great that day.
In two weeks time rovers were playing at Wembley in the cup final.
Roy Dickenson of Leeds smacked Gavin across the ear well after the ball was gone ! Gavin chased him twenty yards to crack him back ! I roared at Gavin to leave it !!
Play stopped and I gave Roy a good telling off !
Called Gavin over and reminded him of the Wembley game soon Told him he would miss it if I sent him off !
He calmed down and played to the end
Roger Milward came up and thanked me as we walked off. He had seen what I had done ! Gavin thanked me and told me " Ron I'd have battered the bastard if you hadnt have stopped me I said " I know but you wouldn't be playing at Wembley would you !!
He was a great player and I liked him a lot.
Give it Take it ! Was his motto !
. (From Quigs: :Roy Dickenson whom is mentioned in Ron's story appears in The Biff Yarn Of The Months ... read his entry)
.