As he gets ready to celebrate his 80th birthday with family and friends, Gordon Haigh shares some of his greatest rugby league memories with MICHAEL NUNN
Two of my great loves in life are footy doubles on the main game and old footballers from the 1970s. Wynnum hooker Gordon Haigh can provide both of life’s great joys. Haigh would find a home on the bay and love it for life.
Is it true you sell footy doubles at Wynnum home games?
Absolutely every home game; can’t remember the last game I missed.
Let’s go back in time to Wynnum in the 1970s – things aren’t great at the Bay.
It was hard work at Wynnum in the 1970s. Brisbane changed to a top five in 1975, so we made finals that year and that was the first since 1959.
Tom Berry made a big difference to the Seagulls; we beat Easts 9-7 in the qualifying final. We had a very good forward pack with John Dowling, Ken Churchill, and Lew Platz.
But then the next week we lost 22-15 to Redcliffe.
Scrums weren’t for everyone in the 1970s?
No you needed your tight head prop to help you out a fair bit. I always tried to put my legs outside the scrum.
If you could pick anyone to be on your team, who would you pick?
Rod Morris, he was such a great scrummager, so strong. Very strong and able to manipulate a scrum. If we were playing Easts, I needed my prop to help me with Morris.
You got to play with Nev Hornery - give me your best Hornet story?
First, he was a lovely man, as long as he wasn’t playing football or drinking. I got on well with the Hornet so I could say to him calm down. He didn’t always listen, but I could say it.
I drove him to the game when Brisbane played Great Britian, and he was wild that night. Henry Holloway told him to get them from the kick off.
Hornet followed instructions that night.
1974 and Wynnum are playing Wests at Lang Park, the opposite hooker is your brother Doug - tell me what happens next?
The BRL and a radio station decided if you didn’t make the finals you’d play off. 1974 Wests, Wynnum, Redcliffe, and Easts didn’t make finals, so we have played off and we are playing Wests in the “final” at Lang Park.
A teammate who I won’t name has decided this is a good time to belt John Sattler. It didn’t even hurt Satts but all hell has broken lose in the scrum and my brother Doug and I have got into each other. It was massive and the report says that it was the third fight that day. The police came on the field to break it up.
What did your mum say?
She never saw it; we had a beer after and laughed but maybe mum doesn’t. Dad would though.
You played against some of the best hookers in BRL:
John Lang - terrific hooker, just so professional in everything he did. Always had great packs around him and he was a massive part of that.
Hugh O’Doherty - probably not a great hooker in scrums but stealing the ball and running from dummy half, he was outstanding.
John Dowling - he was my rival at Wynnum and we were constantly swapping. Great player.
What was your game-day ritual?
Big breakfast and then drive to either Kougari Oval or Lang Park about lunch time. Try and find a park.
What makes a good footy double seller?
Be near the gate, people pay to get in and then yell out while they have their wallet out.
Who would be a super star today?
John Rhodes and Col Weiss would be great players today.
You retired and moved to Nerang. Tell us about that?
Yeah, I stopped playing and played for Nerang, we had a very good time and team.
