Great thread this. Dave Heron would have been a great player in the summer era, particularly in his younger days, great balanced runner and ball player.

Mr Rathbone sadly passed away a few years ago. I heard a tale that allegedly led to a spell at her majesty's pleasure. I have never been able to verify it , so won't put details but it was far more colourful than the one noted by Mr Eve.

Imagine Sonny Corleone taking a phone call and reacting in a more aggrieved manner and you will be in the right ball park.

When Kevin Ashcroft thinks you are too fearless for your own good, you are in a rarified stratosphere of toughness.

Remember Alan Rathbone taking a particular dislike to Ray Price one Odsal evening during the '82 Kangaroo Tour. I think it was the foggy game that probably wouldn't have gone ahead otherwise.

IIRC, he blindsided Price hitting him as he was being spoken to by the ref. Not sure I'd seen anyone do that before or since.

Sounds a unique approach.Bet he didn't get 6 matches for it.

Without checking I'd be pretty sure it was an early Challenge Cup round. It was one of those games Leeds were supposed to lose by a margin and somehow dug out a win against all the odds. Wayne Heron's finest moment in Leeds colours and the BBC couldn't miss tvoc's joyous celebration. Possibly the last such moment captured on celluloid.

The 1986 Bradford Northern tour fixture against Australia was definitely foggy, particularly in the first half. I was stood on halfway and struggled to see the near touchline. It was also Mario Fenech's only game for Bradford as he only turned up in order to manipulate and escape a lengthy ban handed down to him in by the NSWRL in the Winfield Cup.

Didn't get any ban.

Referee raised his index finger and shook it at him though to register mild disapproval.

Perhaps that's where Singleton went wrong. Should have done it whilst Bird was getting in ref's ear.

Is Glenn Stewart getting any more than 10 mins for putting Kevin Brown into next week? Singleton deserved a ban but 6 weeks versus 10 mins seems a bit out of kilter to me.

Quote ="William Eve"Didn't get any ban. Referee raised his index finger and shook it at him though to register mild disapproval.'" Like this? Best play-the-ball ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk

Quote ="William Eve"Didn't get any ban. Referee raised his index finger and shook it at him though to register mild disapproval.'" Like this? Best play-the-ball ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk

Quote ="craigizzard"Like this? Best play-the-ball ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk'" Very much like that The Queensland hooker laid out in that video (Shane Bernardin) was sent off in that game a bit later on though.

Quote ="craigizzard"Like this? Best play-the-ball ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk'" Very much like that The Queensland hooker laid out in that video (Shane Bernardin) was sent off in that game a bit later on though.

Which one, they were both excellent.

That's a classic 'star' Kevin Dick would have been proud of that one.

Robin Whitfield got conned something rotten there.

Quote ="craigizzard"Like this? Best play-the-ball ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk'" One way to speed up the play the ball, I can't remember hull KR beating Queensland in that first game, they then stuffed Wigan and absolutely slaughtered Leeds.

Quote ="craigizzard"Like this? Best play-the-ball ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk'" One way to speed up the play the ball, I can't remember hull KR beating Queensland in that first game, they then stuffed Wigan and absolutely slaughtered Leeds.

Quote ="craigizzard"Like this? Best play-the-ball ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk'" Brilliant! great how the ref is like 'penalty..come on lad get up and get on with it..' not even a card! would have been half a season ban minimum today.

Quote ="craigizzard"Like this? Best play-the-ball ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62XSX_w8aQk'" Brilliant! great how the ref is like 'penalty..come on lad get up and get on with it..' not even a card! would have been half a season ban minimum today.

That Hull KR fan view on the incident....

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Wasn't Broadhurst NZ heavyweight boxing champ?

I'm not aware of any boxing career, but he'd have gone OK.

Here's some more action involving Broadhurst.

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlqMcDLgOyI[uBroadhurst (Manly) V Bowden (Newtown) 1981[/u[/url

I like a bit of biff, but that's the major incident of "Thugby League" going far, far too far. Proper Wild West stuff.

What's surprising is how long it takes for Les Boyd to arrive on the scene.

Rex scores a couple of good tries in this compilation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6djsLCkXSU But that elbow by Moriarty on Waddell is probably the worst I've seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pzwjaTx94w

Rex scores a couple of good tries in this compilation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6djsLCkXSU But that elbow by Moriarty on Waddell is probably the worst I've seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pzwjaTx94w

The Cassidy one on Morley's at least its equal IMO. Don't think it did the same damage but it wasn't for any want of trying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqBZa1HLvQ8

The Cassidy one on Morley's at least its equal IMO. Don't think it did the same damage but it wasn't for any want of trying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqBZa1HLvQ8

Quote ="Bullseye"Rex scores a couple of good tries in this compilation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6djsLCkXSU But that elbow by Moriarty on Waddell is probably the worst I've seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pzwjaTx94w'" That bottom video, the all in brawl at the end of the first half where the officials have lost it and the boys in blue come streaming over the wall to break it up

Quote ="Bullseye"Rex scores a couple of good tries in this compilation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6djsLCkXSU But that elbow by Moriarty on Waddell is probably the worst I've seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pzwjaTx94w'" That bottom video, the all in brawl at the end of the first half where the officials have lost it and the boys in blue come streaming over the wall to break it up

I think that was the one where Des Lynam couldn't hide his disgust when they returned to the studio at the end of the game.

Quote ="tigertot"I think that was the one where Des Lynam couldn't hide his disgust when they returned to the studio at the end of the game.'" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4fBrZj1uXM

Quote ="tigertot"I think that was the one where Des Lynam couldn't hide his disgust when they returned to the studio at the end of the game.'" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4fBrZj1uXM

I believe he was. Thought he was a great player, no cheap shot merchant either. I liked that KR team, played some great rugby.

The game was (imo) tremendously entertaining back then. Players chucked the ball everywhere and were good at it. That Widnes game is a classic example, some tremendous attacking play, and the added entertainment of some (mostly harmless) rough stuff although Moriarty's elbow was disgusting even back then.
How good were Heron and Divorty. Superb ball players.

I can't remember anyone who watched and lived the game back then say otherwise. The sheer variety in both attack and defence made it brilliant.

Hull KR (like several other teams back then) had a big fearsome pack of forwards which was on a similar level to Widnes in terms of being tough, hard and dirty when required.

As well as Mark Broadhurst they had Zook Ema, Chris Burton, David Watkinson, Gavin Miller, Phil Hogan, Andy Kelly, Lindsay Johnstone, Len Casey, Roy Holdstock, etc. Their backs and halfbacks were pretty damn good and well equipped with speed and ability.

Leeds always seemed to have too many playmakers up front and when it came to crunch games and would often get beaten up by teams with the more fearsome packs of forwards.

The game had its flaws back then but I do agree it was far more entertaining than what is being served up today.