By Wayne Heming A bold gamble to head to the UK with a few dollars in his wallet and back himself to elevate his game to a new level was the making of a young Tonie Currie. In this expansive interview, FOG # 31 admits he was naïve as a young player, falling into the
By Wayne Heming It was the best coup ever perpetrated in rugby league but it may not have been successful without the late Darryl Van de Velde's love and passion for Queensland. Van de Velde, who passed away late last month aged 72, represented the Maroons in 1977. While he achieved many things as a player, coach,
By Wayne Heming A panel of former players, including one of its greatest, Darren Lockyer, has named five Queensland Origin players in rugby league’s top 10 players. The panel, which also included immortal Andrew Johns and former NSW Origin coach, Brad Fittler, was named just before Queensland coach Billy Slater gathered his 2024 squad of
By Wayne Heming FOG #55, Joe Kilroy, was a charismatic showman, entrepreneur and a damn good rugby league player. His sheer speed, evasiveness, and ability to bounce off players, combined with his try-scoring ability from either fullback or wing, saw fans dub him “Smokin' Joe”. He was electrifying. Even to this day, it remains one
By Wayne Heming Journalist, rugby league commentator, player, coach, mentor, husband, father, and grandfather, Michael Hagan, has done it all. That’s why he was such an ideal subject for our latest FOGS Life After Origin series. However, just a few minutes into our 40 minutes phone interview, Michael, asks: “can I call you back?” A
The FOGS can officially confirm its latest “signing” with former Brisbane, Queensland, and Australian forward Matt Gillett joining the staff full-time. Gillett, who played 200 games for Brisbane, 20 Origins for Queensland, and 12 Tests for Australia, replaces Joe McDermott as the organisation’s head of Operations and Development. “We are excited to have someone of
Like most rugby league fans I am looking forward to the 2024 season kicking off in just over four weeks’ time. There’s been a bit happening in the off-season with player movements and rumours of unrest out Penrith way involving the club’s triple premiership star Jerome Luai, who is moving to the Wests Tigers at
By Wayne Heming During his playing days, Peter Civoniceva was an enforcer, an intimidator who commanded plenty of respect. But since hanging up his boots in 2014, after fulfilling a lifetime dream of playing for Fiji, FOG #120, has taken on a new persona as “The Ambassador” promoting the game and its causes far and
By Wayne Heming If you commissioned a coach to create a quintessential warrior with all the qualities required to play Origin for Queensland -- extraordinary courage, passion, heart, and pride -- then the chances are high that Brent Tate could emerge as the perfect prototype. Tate fought ferociously for every metre he made on a
By Wayne Heming Carl Wilson Webb was as tough as they come. Sadly, a brave and determined Webb lost the biggest battle of his life against a cruel invisible opponent – Motor neurone disease – passing away following a fall at his home overnight. He was aged 42. An aggressive, at times fiery forward, FOG
