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The temperatures are starting to soar and the humidity is settling in at home as the preseason ascends to its frenzied peak. The Tip Sheet swelters along as Sixties, Forty20 and Clint return for another busy episode as the Eels dial the preseason up to 11.
Sixties opens the show with a tribute to one of the longest serving members of the Parramatta Junior League as Barry Guy finally clocks off after a storied career. It is followed by a report of the sizzling session by the NRL as they look to conquer the Wanda sand dunes.
Parra news is rounded out by a focus on men’s health, junior reps, the Blue & Gold Alliance Christmas drinks and a report about the Eels signing an Australian grid iron prospect to their SG Ball squad.
Staff writers are in the firing line again this week after an embarrassing gaffe involving Dane Laurie. Who are they? What are they? How can they get something so wrong? The boys discuss the fallout from the egregious mistake.
In the NRL the player market is still waiting to see where Jarome Luai and Addin Fonua-Blake land. Neither the Tigers nor the Bulldogs have been able to get a deal over the line and now Cronulla have thrown their hat into the ring for ‘AFB’.
Do you guys know much about the traditional Christmas Open Training session? By all reports it’s been scrapped, which is a real shame. There was something special about the kids getting a puc with Santa and Sparky and Sparkles, getting to talk to the Ceo and the coach whilst watching the boys train, and everyone got an autograph afterwards. Hopefully it returns.
I hadn’t heard anything about it being scrapped, but by the same token I would have expected some notice about it by now. I’ll see what I can find out.
Barry Guy was an enormous hard worker for the Junior League, when I was involved as secretary for one of the larger clubs, Barry was also responsible for the draw for the whole junior competition.
Speaking to him at the conclusion of one meeting, he mentioned that he was working 8/10hours a day for up to 3 months to get a satisfactory draw out , particularly given ground availability, bye weekends etc etc. The only time he got a bit cranky was when the draw was questioned, difficult to blame him .
Great person, quietly spoken and a genuine Parramatta Eel.
A very humble man mate.
The Woolpack was another hotel that was also popular with players after training there for a while. Another similarity is that the site of the current hotel is not the original location.
In the 1930s my grandfather used to work out of my great grandfathers shop at Westmead and he used to accept bets on behalf of the Woolpack SP bookie. Then one week his mate convinced him that they should set themselves up as bookies as all of that money passing through their hands could be theirs. When the day came that they accepted the bets themselves they lasted one race and had to hock stuff to make payouts.