Jock fondly remembered at Men of League Bowls Day
FORMER international, and one of the Parramatta Eels most infamous sons, Neville Glover, recalled a lifelong friendship he has had with the Kennedy family of Castlereagh Hotel fame.
The winger who introduced the “goosestep” to the rugby league world, was a police prosecutor in his other life and his homeaway-from-home was the Castlereagh.
“It was just a short walk from the Court House and as a travelling Officer, it was very convenient to be within walking distance of my work,” he said.
“The day I arrived, a voice came up the stairs - Neville Glover,” it said.
“Yes, who’s saying?” the incredulous young Prosecutor asked.
“Jock, Jock Kennedy,” came the reply from the publican.
“My brother used to coach you in the Parramatta juniors!”
Neville was stunned, “but from that day on I felt like I had a second set of parents”, he recalled.
Neville bumped into Jock and Joan in recent years when they retired to the Central Coast.
“My wife works at Best and Less. Jock and Joan came in to get some Eels gear for their grandkids and she got talking to them. My husband is Neville G, she said. A friendship was made and is maintained to this day, despite the sad passing of old Jock.
“I had plenty of people come up to me in the “Reagh” to remind me of a dropped pass or two in the ‘76 Grand Final loss to Parramatta,” he laughed.
Neville and Mario Fenech were special guests at the annual Bowls Day regaling the small but enthusiastic group with their tales of “a different time” in rugby league when most players worked for a living and played football on the weekends.
The Men of League Foundation expects to bank between five and six thousand dollars as a result of the day. Nearly $3,000 was raised in one particularly popular auction item.
“Mario Fenech offered up four tickets into the Legends of Souths corporate box at Stadium Australia for a match of one’s choice next year. We sold that to one keen punter and his mates but the Maltese Falcon then agreed to make a similar arrangement with the losing bidder. Doubled our take and made 8 Rabbitohs supporters very happy,” MOL President Martin Cook laughed.
“We have now raised over $250,000 in just under seven years in the west. The funds have enabled us to purchase some big money items like cars, wheelchairs and other mobility equipment as well as assisting with home modifications, medical expenses and many, many fruit and flower hampers for those who we know are ill,” Martin added.
Saturday’s event attracted bowlers from Narromine, Gilgandra, Dunedoo and the mid-north Coast as well as stalwarts from the local area who turned up in their favourite team’s colours.
“One of the great things about these days is the collegiality and friendships made. In fact, the Dunedoo Swans who have been with us from the start are very keen to run their Bowls Day again next year after giving it a miss because of the bushfires. Archie Harding from Narromine says he thinks the Jets will be able to arrange a day as well, especially given Arnold Gillespie’s great love of the game,” Martin said.