REMEMBER WHEN

COUNTRY, State and Australia selector Bert Quinn arrived in Southport to check out the Queensland rugby league team of the moment – the Gold Coast Vikings.

The presence of the Wide Bay-based Quinn and at the Vikings’ State League clash with the unbeaten Wests would give a number of Gold Coast players an unexpected chance to boost their Queensland Country selection claims.

It would give the fired-up Vikings even more incentive to continue their giant-killing form.

The Country side which was to play St George in the KB Cup at Lang Park the following week would be picked that weekend.

Two other Country selectors. Ipswich’s Dud Beattie and Toowoomba’s Bob Bateman and Australian selector Jack Reardon saw the Vikings’ storming comeback to draw with Norths at Lang Park the previous week.

The other two members of the five-man Country panel. Brian O’Farrell (Central Queensland) and Byron Primrose (North Queensland) were to watch the Vikings play Easts before casting their votes.

At least 10 members of the Vikings squad had their names jotted down by selectors for consideration.

But it was predicted that competition for the ‘classy’ Country team would be hot in the following two games which were expected to either make or break the chances of many contenders.

A record crowd was expected for the Owen Park clash and Gold Coast Rugby League president Don Alroe predicted it would be as many as the ground would hold – around 6000 people.