Living the dream for any winger would be the end of Souths Magpies 1985 backline.
Paul Wallace always made the most of work done by Peter Jackson and Mal Meninga and collected a premiership along the way.
Paul Wallace Q&A
How did you end up a Magpie?
I was an Acacia Ridge boy from under 7, I was in all the same teams as Gary Belcher. I was really never going to play for anyone else but the Magpies. I loved going to Magpie games for as long as I can remember. West End was such a league-mad area and I remember going on road runs and people would come out of shops and honk their horn. It was a great time.
Favourite ever Magpie?
Tony Scott, I loved watching him play. He was English, but somehow ended up at Souths and would kick goals and was just great to watch. He played for Queensland and was a great attacking fullback.
You are part of the Magpies royal family, aren’t you?
Yeah, my sister married Bruce Astill. They were only 16 or so when they started dating and Bruce is eight years older than me. I never got to play with him, which is a bit disappointing.
Were you there in 1981 when Mick Reardon scored?
No, would you believe it I had been in 1979 and 1980 and was sure I was bad luck, so my sister and I watched it at home. She couldn’t bear it either. I remember she reached the point of no return so said 'I am going for a walk' but I stuck it out. Panther has scored and I am running up the street to find her yelling.
1984 reserve grade, and you beat Valleys 10-6. Great day?
It was a great day for the reserve grade. It’s hard when you win reserve grade, you want to celebrate and be happy, but the A grade still had to play. They asked a few of us to sit on the line for A grade, but we went and sat in the can bar at Lang Park.
1985 and Norm Carr and Chris Phelan arrive at Davies Park - what did they bring?
I think that if we don’t get Carr and Phelan, we don’t win. Their impact was massive. Carr was already a BRL legend, so he didn’t need us, we needed him. Chris Phelan came back from Parramatta and brought everything from that golden era. They were just winners.
1985 grand final, badly beaten 12 months earlier by Wynnum - why was it different?
I think Wayne Bennett got better at being able to identify the type of player he wanted. He completely revamps the pack. I think we were a better team and better understood how to beat Wynnum. I wasn’t even too sure I was going to get to play. It was between myself and David Bourke for the wing spot and Bennett kept saying 'I will let you know'.
The big question about the grand final, why are Souths badges all gone and why is the black 'V' grey?
I honestly don’t know, someone told me they got bleached and that’s why the black was all gone. As for the badges all missing, I am not too sure. Souths wouldn’t have had any money to fix it anyway, but if a team ran out like that now, a sponsor would have gone nuts.
Favourite ever teammate?
Gary Belcher was my best mate and still is today. We get together all the time, but apart from Badge, I would say Peter Jackson.
Do you still have your grand final jumper?
No, I don’t but I have a grand final jumper. I don’t know where mine got to, and it’s always made me sad. For my 60th, my great mate Badge gave me his jumper from the grand final, so I have that one. I have tried to give it back to him a lot.
What was your biggest ever contact at Souths?
$50 a win, if you won 10 games goes up to $100, $100 for a final and $100 for the grand final. Nothing for a loss.
How did you find Wayne Bennett?
Honestly mate my game plan was do whatever Wayne told you to do. That was my plan to stay in the team. He was massive on no mistakes, so I just tried to make no mistakes. He’d have all his stats ready for Tuesday night and you’d have to explain why you missed two tackles. We had no way to even check his stats.
