Fifty Years Ago - Round Five, 1971

Embed from Getty Images

George Peterson's weekly series on the 1971 NSWRFL season - some fifty years ago - continues. This week it's Round 5 - the ANZAC weekend.

Readers of the Sunday Herald, on ANZAC Day 1971, found a football story, that wasn't in the Sport section. On page 9, the headline read; "CHILDREN'S FOOTY TOO VIOLENT".  It was followed by "children as young as 7, 8 and 9 are learning how to punch, kick opponents and throw illegal stiff-arm tackles on Sydney football fields". Sydney GP, and specialist in football injuries, Dr Tony Miller, told the Herald, "Only last weekend I was at a football match and saw 10-year-olds, putting in the boot." he said.  

The story also highlighted the cases of Tommy Bishop and George Taylforth (Cronulla-Sutherland) who were both injured by illegal play.  It was initially feared that Bishop had suffered brain damage when he was felled by an opposition forward, but he played on for the rest of the season.

Jeanette Smith, wife of champion St George half-back Billy Smith, was interviewed and said their son Jeffrey was flattened by a stiff-arm tackle (for which she blamed bad coaching) but she went on to say, that Jeffrey had picked up more injuries falling off his bike, that he ever did from playing Rugby League. (Ed's note: the debate still crops up, 50 years on.) 

In Saturday's "Match of the Round", St George Dragons (38) easily defeated traditional rivals Balmain Tigers (10). The 19,493 fans were entertained by the Dragons in a ‘runaway win', according to Alan Clarkson, the senior league writer at the Herald.  Ex-ref Col Pearce described the Tigers defence as pathetic and Saints Fullback, Graeme Langlands, who put In a Man-of-the-Match performance scoring two of the Dragons eight tries, agreed. Langlands said, "I never thought I'd see the day when a Balmain team would give in like that".

Sunday after the ANZAC Day March, four NSWRL matches played.   

At North Sydney Oval, Manly (20) defeated Norths (10) in front of over 14,000 fans, continuing their unbeaten start to the season.  Herald League Writer Rod Humphries was, in fact, impressed by the Bears who he said showed real ‘spirit', despite losing to their more fancied visitors.   

At Henson Park, Newtown took another step away from the ‘wooden spoon' with a one-point (7 - 6) win over Western Suburbs. The Magpies led 6 - nil after three penalty goals to Fullback, Tony Ford but a converted try gave Newtown, the scent of victory at the 65th minute. Ninety seconds from fulltime, Newtown Half, John Bonham kicked a penalty goal to grab the lead 7 - 6 securing the two competition points. 

In Sydney's inner west the Canterbury defeated Penrith (26 - 16) to register their first win for the season.  The ten-point margin was deceptive as both teams scored four tries, but the Bulldogs goalkicker Peter Inskip slotted five Penalty Goals punishing the ill-disciplined Panthers.  Diminutive ‘Berries' fullback Les Johns left the field after tearing his hamstring again. He'd only returned to full-time playing and training after passing a fitness test on April 10th.

Eastern Suburbs defeated Cronulla (23 - 17) at the Sports Ground scoring 5 tries to 3.  The Sharks led 17 - 15 when a blatantly forward pass from Arthur Beetson to John Brass went unpunished and the Roosters scored a match changing try.  Sidelined, Cronulla Captain - Coach Tommy Bishop, was unwilling to blame the ref instead concentrating on missed opportunities by his boys.    

Parramatta and South Sydney met at Cumberland Oval on Easter Monday, in 1971. The crowd of 21,454 (just 800 fewer than the ground record) spent most of the afternoon cheering for the local team but the Clive Churchill coached Rabbitoh's won (25 - 18).   Herald reporter Rod Humphries described a match that Parramatta had controlled for the best part of 65 minutes but in the end lost to the ‘better team on the day'.  But controversy left a black cloud over the match. 

The Eels, leading (16 - 8), were angry when a Penalty Goal attempt by Eric Simms - that players and fans saw fly wide, was awarded by the Touch Judges. Parramatta captain Ron Lynch complained and before the kick-off to restart play, referee Laurie Bruyeres, in an unusual departure from normal procedure called the two flag carriers together to verify their decision.  The goal stood and Souths took advantage of the momentum change, to score a converted try soon thereafter.  The score was now Eels 16 - Rabbits 15, and the experienced premiers took control and ran in two converted tries in the last eight minutes. South's captain John Sattler agreed after the match that the goal had missed but the after-match comment from Ron Lynch was more telling, "the boys dropped their bundle for a few minutes".