Three Tigers legends reveal first Kangaroos call-ups

BY JAMES SMITH

Like a lot of league people out there, I have an absolute trove of 1980s and 1990s rugby league books at home, which can be fun to explore in search for forgotten stories told by some of rugby league's most interesting characters.

I have in my possession the holy trinity - for Balmain Tigers fans at least - that being books written by the great Wayne Pearce, Paul Sironen and "Backdoor" Benny Elias. 

With the Australian national side currently in the UK taking on the rest of the planet in the latest iteration of the Rugby League World Cup, I got nosy and looked up each of our three legends' memories of being told they'd be donning the green and gold for the first time.

In his 1990 book Local Hero, written with the help of the legendary Ian Heads, Balmain god Wayne "Junior" Pearce recalls doing things differently to most players as far as the selection food chain is concerned.

"I became a Kangaroo, and then a Test player, before I had played for my state. On grand final night in 1982, I was in Balmain Leagues Club when Kangaroo coach Frank Stanton came up, hand extended and said, 'Congratulations, you've made the side.'

Literary masterpieces by Balmain Tigers greats Wayne Pearce, Paul Sironen and Benny Elias.  



"What a buzz. I had never ventured outside Australia. Now I was off to England with the Kangaroos."

In the 1997 book Sirro! - Tales from Tiger Town, larger than life Sironen remembers and laments being just that on his first Roo Tour to the UK back in 1986. 

"Somewhere along the way, I lost the plot in the Old Dart," he says in his literary work, produced with the help of Daniel Lane.

"Instead of developing my hunger to pressure the bushy-bearded Noel Cleal and Queensland's Brian Niebling, I was content to feed my face with those famous English breakfasts of sausages, bacon, baked beans, black pudding and lashings of heavily buttered toast." (Full points to Sirro for his honesty there)

In another project Mr Heads helped out with, Balmain Benny (1993), the legendary Tigers rake recalls the unconventional way he found out he'd be getting a start in the Aussie squad which would be taking on the Kiwis in 1985.

"I heard the news of my selection over a car radio in Sydney, the night after we had won the second State of Origin match, to clinch the series," he wrote.

"I just said, 'Turn around, I'm going home.'" 

"When I got there, no one believed me."







 

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