Those days where the sand boys were very busy carrying buckets of sand for the goal kickers. Today the kicking Tees have replaced the old fashioned sand mounts. Otherwise, good to have an archive of videos showing the footy starts of yester years. They were strong and tough. Thanks for providing these videos. Much appreciated. Regards from Buka Island, PNG.
This is just a wonderful journey through time with such lucid and wonderful memories about the various characters and experiences of the game in that era. I’m 70 now and live in Australia. Vince Karalius and the various players he talks about were retired or coming to end of the their playing careers when I started to watch the game as a young boy in St Helens. Funny thing is, all the adults I knew at the time were full of these same kind of mad stories (watered down a bit for our young ears!) I think harsh industrial environments everywhere tend to produce a kind of character rich humour that makes fun of the hardships of everyday life in such environments. Certainly, as a boy I remember an important definition of a man was how ‘hard’ he was. Sounds a bit crazy now after all these years but then we were also supposed to grow up to be men of honour, possess a strong work ethic, to be honest, reliable and to possess a humble dignity. Makes me wonder when I look around me now in 2023! (Duggie Greenhall’s heart weighed 11 stone 9!) All products of our environments, I suppose. The other funny thing is, the next generation of mad devils was all around me at school and later, at work in the 1960/70’s 😊 they didn’t disappear straight away! Thank you for filming this interview. It’s a fantastic living record of a great man’s story and an important piece of our cultural history, both in Rugby League and the society that surrounds the game in all our countries.
My Oldman spoke highly of Vince ..The poms have always been hard tough bastards ,can't believe Samoa were favourites to beat England in the world cup match ,I cleaned up on sportsbet .
Widnes had a great team back then big name union converts Davies&Offiah, I'm from Ireland and played union, but loved league since I was very young, incidentally I seen the great ellery Hanley playing in Australia for the balmain Tigers .🏉☘🇮🇪
It’s in Big Jim’s autobiography that some Scouse scallies suggested to Jim that he needed “protection” for his club. He told them to drive over to discuss the situation. Their car left rubber on the road as they screeched away having seen the door staff. I believe it was Jim and Glynn Shaw 😂😂😂
rumour had it around Ponsonby that Joe Grima had his car stolen so said "fu*k it! I'm off to England to play league" not sure if true, but was good story.
Back when league was king. I still don't get how the RL messed it up and let Union take over. So desperately need to get some terrestrial coverage apart from the Challenge Cup.
Vince used to do church classes with me and some of my mates. What a top bloke really humble to go with it. He had hands like dinner plates. God bless you big man.
Widnes were s huge club what happened to the likes of the Hulmes O'Neil's Mylers and the kiwi forwards that played less than ten years before this game
Lead by a real man Kurt Sorenson was no try scoring machine but he was the main reason Widnes were at the top along with Wigan in the mid 80 to 93 he was always in the thick of it but he was captain also which is not easy when you are in forwards he was 37in this game and still hitting the line like a young lad respect
Second try way never a try a clear knock on but play to the whistle or lack of. We didn't whinge on and on and on and on like the stinkies did at the quater final of the CC in 88 at wigan. better team won on the day end of.
