‘Back to the Game’ outing – South Sydney Rabbitohs v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

The Northern Sydney Wellbeing Team have previously had a number of “Back to the Game” outings to NRL games at Brookvale and North Sydney Ovals and the latest one was to the Round 9 match between South Sydney Rabbitohs v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium. Our sincere thanks go to the South Sydney District Rugby League Club for their generous donation of the admission tickets.

The idea of the outing is inviting persons from a variety of avenues including past players, people who have lost friends and need to reconnect with the game, committee members and those members that have fallen on hard times.

Joining us on this night were a number of ex Manly Warringah Rugby League players including:

• Billy Bradstreet, who played 102 first grade games 1964-1970 and 1973, Australian team member first Test against Great Britain 1966, represented NSW in 1966-1967, City first grade in 1967 and Country first grade in 1971 and played in the 1968 Grand Final against South Sydney
• Norm Pounder (Northern Sydney Men of League Wellbeing Officer), who in his long distinguished career at the first grade level from 1968 – 1974, played 78 games, played in the 1968 Grand Final against South Sydney and over his grade career played well in excess of 100 games in all grades
• Vic Baker and Greg Grace (Northern Sydney Men of League Committee Members), who played many third and reserve grade games in their outstanding careers
• Jim Phelan, an ex first grade player from the Brisbane Rugby League competition plus being a hard working Secretary for the Northern Sydney Men of League Committee
• Alistair Turnbull, a very keen supporter/worker for Men of League in Northern Sydney
• Don Bailey, an active committee member with Northern Sydney Men of League.
• Wayne Peterson from the Sydney Metro Men of League Foundation Committee also joined us and we enjoyed his company.

Norm Pounder, Alistair Turnbull and Ken Vessey

Prior to the commencement of the game, the group assisted around the entrance concourse in acquiring new Members, telling the public about the history and activities of the Men of League Foundation involving members of the rugby league community, who were experiencing difficult times. I am not going to comment much about the bus trip home across the Sydney Harbour Bridge but just to say with the resounding win by the Sea Eagles and having a bus load of “one eyed” Sea Eagles supporters, they gave me heaps as I was the lone South Sydney supporter.

Wayne Peterson, Alistair Turnbull, Greg Grace and Don Bailey

By Ken Vessey