TRIBUTE TO A LEGEND
ONE of the CDRL’s foremost whistle blowers, Dennis Myers, will be remembered for being a roll-up-your-sleeves kind of guy.
The Far North rugby league stalwart died last month aged 74.
Whether Myers was taking the field as a player or, later, as the competition’s premier referee, he commanded respect from everyone else on the park.
Myers played his junior football with Cairns Brothers before going on to play for Ivanhoes in the early ’70s.
He coached Ivanhoes from 1973 to 1975 and became president from 1976 to 1978.
Myers also had stints at Texas and Dalby, in southeast Queensland, and Mareeba Easts during his playing career.
Ivanhoes life member and Myers’ brother-in-law Bruce Slade, who played both with and against Myers, said he was “a fierce footballer who sometimes took matters into his owns hands” and “a terrific goalkicker”.
After his playing career, Myers took up refereeing and went on to be one of the CDRL’s highest regarded match officials.
“I remember a front rower that played against Dennis was up at Atherton to watch a game – he’s got a program in his hands and he sees ‘D. Myers’ as the referee,” said Slade.
“He goes: ‘It can’t be the same Dennis Myers – if they had sin bins in Dennis’ day, he wouldn’t have had to train’.”
Myers first picked up a whistle in when he was coaching a juniors side and the referees went on strike in the early ’80s. He was thrown a whistle and asked to referee his game and, following that, took it up very seriously.
“He would say, had he have known the rules when he was playing, he would’ve been a much better player,” Slade laughed.
Slade said his appointment in the 1991 CDRL grand final match between Ivanhoes and Mareeba demonstrated his reputation.
Dennis was the leading referee at the time, but because he had involvement with Ivanhoes there was a thought that he wouldn’t have been the best choice.”
“They were going to get someone up from down south and the president of Mareeba said: ‘(Myers) also played for Mareeba and he’s the best referee – we want him’.”
According to Slade, Myers wasn’t never nervous before a game but at half time in the decider, with scores at 0-0, he realised that one mistake from him could cost a team the game.
“Ever since then, Mareeba have reminded me that he missed a knock-on,” he laughed.
Myers would go on to referee well into the ’90s.
Slade said he would be remembered for being a giant of a man – on and off the field.
“After refereeing, he had a milk run for a while, he was then in charge of an engineering firm and also got involved with the ski club,” he said.
“He never missed a game of rugby league on TV.”
Myers’ grandson, Heilum Luki, plays for the Northern Pride Under-18s and earned a Cowboys development contract in 2016, aged 15.
“He’s the second Dennis Myers,” said Slade.
“He‘s tall like Dennis, he runs like Dennis – you can’t say he’s as mad as Dennis – but he has all his ability. Grandad would be pleased – he’s got a great career in front of him and Dennis was so proud he was heading that way.”