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
By Wayne Heming By his own admission, Gary Belcher never wanted to be a rugby league fullback. As a teenager, he had a crack at five-eighth, centre, and even lock, The one position he never wanted to play was fullback -- a position he didn’t rate as too exciting or that important. As it turned
By Wayne Heming Rugby League icon Mal Meninga took less than 30 seconds to realise the old adage “sport and politics” don’t mix is true. At least it was in his case anyway. Thankfully though for both Queensland and Australian Rugby League’s sake, Big Mal’s brief foray into politics in Canberra on September 24, 2001,
By Wayne Heming Anyone who played with or against Gavin “Jed” Allen will tell you he played mostly on heart. So it was ironic that 14 years after helping an underdog Queensland to State of Origin’s greatest upset in 1995, Allen’s big heart had to be replaced in a life-saving transplant operation. A raw, dry,
