The Chronicle

NRL stars returning to roots

JT, Benny, Ash T coming to dinner

- PETER HARDWICK peter.hardwick@thechronic­le.com.au

THREE of Toowoomba Brothers rugby league club’s favourite sons are coming home for the club’s centenary.

NRL stars Johnathan Thurston, Wayne Bennett and Ashley Taylor have all accepted invitation­s to attend the Brothers/All Whites 100-year celebratio­ns on the weekend of June 28/29.

Club president Pat Johnson said all three former club players were more than enthusiast­ic of attending the weekend when he contacted each of them over recent weeks.

“Johnno never missed a beat and jumped at the chance,” Mr Johnson explained.

“He just said ‘I’ll be there’. “It all fell into place, we were very lucky in that all three are actually free that weekend.

“Johnno works for Channel 9 and will be in Sydney on the Thursday night but will be flying back to Brisbane Friday morning and so he will be at the centenary dinner in Toowoomba on the Friday night.

“Wayne was similar in that the Rabittohs play that Thursday night in Sydney and then they have a bye weekend, so they don’t play again for about 10 days or so, freeing him up for the weekend.

“Ashley will be playing that weekend but he said he’d be heading back to Toowoomba after his game to be at the club celebratio­ns.

“He’s keen to be there too.” The Brothers/All Whites centenary weekend will kickoff with a dinner at Rumours Internatio­nal on Friday night, June 28, followed by Brothers’ playing traditiona­l rivals Valleys at Brothers’ home of Glenholme Park on Saturday evening.

Ticket details will be announced this week.

 ??  ?? COMING HOME: NRL superstar Johnathan Thurston played for All Whites (Brothers) as a teenager before being picked up by the Bulldogs.
COMING HOME: NRL superstar Johnathan Thurston played for All Whites (Brothers) as a teenager before being picked up by the Bulldogs.
 ??  ?? Known as the NRL super coach, Wayne Bennett played with All Whites (Brothers) in 1971 and 1972 in which year he played in the grand final.
Known as the NRL super coach, Wayne Bennett played with All Whites (Brothers) in 1971 and 1972 in which year he played in the grand final.
 ??  ?? Gold Coast Titans star Ashley Taylor played his junior rugby league with Toowoomba Brothers before moving to the Broncos.
Gold Coast Titans star Ashley Taylor played his junior rugby league with Toowoomba Brothers before moving to the Broncos.

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