JohnS Posted June 27, 2015 Posted June 27, 2015 It was a pleasure to meet Aaron Woods this week. It was at a local Rugby/Cricket Oval where I was enjoying a change of pace by taking two school Rugby League teams (juniors and senior Primary, ages 10, 11 and 12) to participate in a St George Dragons Primary School Rugby League Gala Day. For those of you unfamiliar with the context of this topic, for our North American brothers, meeting Aaron Woods at this gala day is a bit like meeting Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks at a little league baseball tournament. When Aaron came the kids in all the teams swarmed around him and he was gracious enough to pose for photos and talk to people. The kids in my team loved getting photos with him and chatting to him. He is supremely confident about the upcoming State of Origin Game 3 game on next Wednesday July 8th. We were talking about the impact he and David Klemmer have had in the series this year and plan to continue in game 3. In case you are wondering, I am around 185 cm tall (6ft 1 in) and 85 kg (187 lbs). Aaron is extremely lean for a prop, I guess it is indicative of the modern game of Rugby League. I remember 20 to 30 years ago Prop-forwards were more 'rotund'. Woods is 194 cm tall (6ft 4 in) and 104 kg (230 lbs). I must say, he looks slightly leaner than his official weight in the photo above.
oliverdst Posted June 27, 2015 Posted June 27, 2015 Always good to meet good people. (he looks like Forrest Gump + Keanu Reeves) 1
Ken Gargett Posted June 27, 2015 Posted June 27, 2015 Always good to meet good people. (he looks like Forrest Gump + Keanu Reeves) oliver, forrest gump was much smarter than woods. john, i met sattler a few years back. really nice guy (for a bloke often touted as the hardest, toughest bloke ever to set foot on a sporting field - yes, i'm sure many contenders but to digress, two great stories. the famous one about how he broke his jaw in the first minute of the grand final in the early 70s and played the entire game to lead his side to victory, and another, on his first tour of england for australia when he was young, told to keep his temper in check at all costs in the first game as the aussie officials knew the poms would try and provoke him to get him sent off and suspended. he was up against a famous english prop who was known as england's hard man. every scrum, this bloke swung in with his fist, smashing sattler in the side of the head. finally in the 2nd half, he'd had enough and ducked - yes, you'd think he might have done that earlier - and the punch knocked out hooker, elwyn walters, i think, who had no clue it was coming. sattler lost it and punched the prop. they found seven of his teeth on the field, never found a few more, the bloke needed his jaw wired and was in hospital for who knows how long and apparently never played again. mind you, sattler didn't play for a while after the send off and suspension). but back to meeting him. i was stunned. he was tiny. solid but tiny. about alf langer's size. webke was another giant of the game who is actually quite short (whereas petro is a monster). i'm sure guys like gallen, bird, mcguire etc are all much much shorter than we realise. but solid. wally lewis was actually a lot smaller than people realise.
JohnS Posted June 28, 2015 Author Posted June 28, 2015 oliver, forrest gump was much smarter than woods. john, i met sattler a few years back. really nice guy (for a bloke often touted as the hardest, toughest bloke ever to set foot on a sporting field - yes, i'm sure many contenders but to digress, two great stories. the famous one about how he broke his jaw in the first minute of the grand final in the early 70s and played the entire game to lead his side to victory, and another, on his first tour of england for australia when he was young, told to keep his temper in check at all costs in the first game as the aussie officials knew the poms would try and provoke him to get him sent off and suspended. he was up against a famous english prop who was known as england's hard man. every scrum, this bloke swung in with his fist, smashing sattler in the side of the head. finally in the 2nd half, he'd had enough and ducked - yes, you'd think he might have done that earlier - and the punch knocked out hooker, elwyn walters, i think, who had no clue it was coming. sattler lost it and punched the prop. they found seven of his teeth on the field, never found a few more, the bloke needed his jaw wired and was in hospital for who knows how long and apparently never played again. mind you, sattler didn't play for a while after the send off and suspension). but back to meeting him. i was stunned. he was tiny. solid but tiny. about alf langer's size. webke was another giant of the game who is actually quite short (whereas petro is a monster). i'm sure guys like gallen, bird, mcguire etc are all much much shorter than we realise. but solid. wally lewis was actually a lot smaller than people realise. Great story, Ken...thanks for sharing about Johnny Sattler, the Rabbitoh legend. I concur that when you meet some of these players in real life they surprise you in regards to how small they are. Great stuff John he is one very hairy man He is westy. Funnily enough, his NSW 'partner-in-crime' when it comes to intimidating the QLD opposition, David Klemmer is bald and clean-shaven!
CanuckSARTech Posted June 28, 2015 Posted June 28, 2015 ...For those of you unfamiliar with the context of this topic, for our North American brothers, meeting Aaron Woods at this gala day is a bit like meeting Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks at a little league baseball tournament.... LOL. Who??!?!?!
JohnS Posted June 28, 2015 Author Posted June 28, 2015 LOL. Who??!?!?! Okay...for our Canadian friends, imagine Corey Crawford or Brent Seabrook showing up to your son's weekend ice hockey game. The State of Origin series is like the All-Star game (series) for Rugby League with the best players representing NSW and QLD.
Ken Gargett Posted June 28, 2015 Posted June 28, 2015 Okay...for our Canadian friends, imagine Corey Crawford or Brent Seabrook showing up to your son's weekend ice hockey game. The State of Origin series is like the All-Star game (series) for Rugby League with the best players representing NSW and QLD. and for skins fans, imagine tyler polumbus turns up. i would not be getting too excited.
CanuckSARTech Posted June 29, 2015 Posted June 29, 2015 LOL. Who??!?!?! Okay...for our Canadian friends, imagine Corey Crawford or Brent Seabrook showing up to your son's weekend ice hockey game. The State of Origin series is like the All-Star game (series) for Rugby League with the best players representing NSW and QLD. Actually, it's not a "Canadian friends" / frozen comrades / seal bashers thing. We WELL know baseball - my home is only 45 minutes or so from Detroit, and I listen to the Tigers on the radio all the time. I more meant... Arizona Diamondbacks? Isn't that a farm team (with farm-league players) for the REST of the MLB with REAL baseball players / stars???
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