The Tigers faithful walked through the gates to see big Gavin Jones truck it forward, the Tiger would prowl the middle of the field and then left to become a Bear and Shark, earning a sacred Origin jumper along the way.
Gavin Jones Q&A
You were always going to be a Tiger weren’t you? Easts Carina and Easts Junior?
My dad played for Valleys, so I was a mad Marty Scanlan fan, I always wanted to play for Valleys. Russell Hughes was another favourite, but I went to Cavendish Road high school and was always going to be a Tiger. I remember my dad would get us into dressing rooms when I was 10 and I loved nothing more than going into the Tigers sheds and seeing Langy right there the great John Lang. I loved him. Des Morris - I don’t think anyone wouldn’t say Des - but John Lang was my favourite player. Ted Verrenkamp was a great Tiger.
There was a report in Rugby League Week at the start of 1983 that was from the Woolies pre-season competition that started with Jones, Bella and Paterson new names on the rugby league scene.
The three of us would have been 18-19 and coming up against State and Test players. I remember my debut round one, Redcliffe at Langlands Park and we got beaten 8-6. I remember Dolphins were frothing, we beat them 36-6 in the State League and then round one Barber drops Richie Poulsen for being late for training. The pack was Fullerton-Smith, Tighe, Boxsell, Bernardin and Khan.
1983 was a great year for the Tigers, do you have favourite memory?
My combination with Brett Le Man and Trevor Paterson, we used to compete with each other. It was all about who could get the most runs, who could make the most tackles. If you want to beat your teammates, then you are going to want to beat the other team. I started 1983 in reserve grade but finished with the premiership and my best mates. I remember at half time of the grand final, Langy has given us a great speech and instructions and then Colin Part and Paul Khan have nearly scored for Redcliffe in the first five minutes, but then we re-grouped and came good. It was Redcliffe’s fifth grand final loss in 11 years, so they were pretty desperate.
A 19-year-old prop, who did you look at the draw and say 'oh no'?
Bryan Niebling. He just never stopped and kept coming no matter what. He was superhuman for Queensland.
1983 and your Origin debut, 19 years old, first decider at Lang Park, Queensland up 21-0 at half time Wally man of the match, coached by Arthur - probably one of the most perfect debuts ever?
I got picked on the bench and all I wanted to do was get on the field. I was warming up for 65 minutes. I must have run a half marathon on the sideline. I kept saying 'gee Dave Brown looks tired, tell Arthur he looks tired'. I just wanted to play for Queensland, I never even contemplated I could play for Australia I just wanted to play for Queensland.
First touch, a bit of Mark Murray smoke and mirrors with the ball and you’re running freely down field 40m run, Lang Park cheering, in the clear five metres to go and Neil Hunt brings you down from behind - pretty rude! You could have had a try with your first touch in Origin.
I met Neil Hunt later at work and I said to him he cost me a try; I didn’t even see him. I am running thinking how good I am going to score, and then I am flat on my stomach trying to get up. We got the penalty and from the tap Gene Miles scored on the other side.
Three-year gap between Origins - why the gap between 1983 and 1986?
I think I got complacent, I won the premiership and played Origin at 19 and thought 'well how good is this', as young people tend to do and you think you’ll retire with 30 Origins and five premierships. I moved to Sydney in 1986 and loved the challenge and got back to Origin.
What was your job while you played?
I owned a men’s store in Brisbane and I trained to be a nurse too, I did a lot of things.
Was 1986 your best year - three Origins, 23 games for the Bears, play off for fifth against Balmain - were you thinking Kangaroo tour?
I would say 1983, I think I played better football and I did think I was a chance for the 1986 tour, but I broke my arm on Kevin Hardwick's head in the playoff for fifth, so that was it.
