Grapple-tackling trivia
NRL facts you probably didn’t know
• Balmain legend Paul Sironen owns a share in
Krispy Kreme stores in Australia and is part of their management team. Ask him for a box of glazed if you see him at the pub.
• Newcastle hero and Australian Player of the Century Andrew Johns almost signed with the
Broncos in 2001 after the Knights refused to re-sign his brother Matthew.
• Former Manly hardman Les Boyd holds the record for the equal-longest
suspention in league history, copping 15 months after eye-gouging Canterbury player and current Cowboys trainer Billy Johnstone in 1984.
• Raiders legend Laurie Daley has a phobia of fish and small animals. Wonder what he reckons of Ben Lee.
• Storm, Queensland and Kangaroos flyer Billy Slater owns a farm with
The Footy Show regular Allan “Robbo” Robinson, who insists Slater never had the guts to make it as a jockey.
Flag-winning facts
Mark down these speckie AFL bits
• Western Bulldog Jason Akermanis is fluent in Auslan — the Australian deaf community’s signing language. He can also speak Spanish and is learning Japanese.
• Australian Rules was originally devised in the 19th Century to keep cricket players fit during the winter.
• Established in 1858, the Melbourne Football Club is the oldest sports club in Australia and one of the oldest in the world.
• Fitzroy hold the unbelievable record of winning the wooden spoon and the grand final in the same year (1916) after finishing last in a revised four-team comp due to WWI. With only four teams, they still qualified for the finals and won all three games to defeat Carlton 85-56 in the grand final.
• Of the past nine grand finals, six have been won by non-Victorian clubs.
What bit of trivia do you have the hardest time believing, enter your comments below.
