Memories

It was there that we were first introduced to Rugby League as our teacher had previously played for Welsh Representatives sides and he was keen for our team to experience what RL had to offer .

We enjoyed our first experience of League which soon led us to find our closest local Community team Neath Port Talbot Steelers and at age 14 we were  based in Aberavon and began playing League in the Summer and Union in the Winter ..When we were 15 we  played for South Wales Scorpion Academy and our school team reached the British Schools RL final  .This led us to playing for Wales v an England Academies at under 16 and South Wales Scorpions at 17 .

We then moved onto Leeds Beckett University  playing in the Student Four Nations and Student World Cup for Wales when we  spoke to  Martin Gonzalez at Halifax .

We played in the Reserves for a year before being given a first team contract we still continued to play in the Reserves and made our First Team debut 2018 .We were then selected to play for Wales in the European Championships making our debuts against France in Carcassonne .We re-signed at Halifax the following year and at the end of the season we both played in the World 9s Comp` in Sydney .We spent another 2 yrs at Halifax our last season was 2021 -22,we are now living in the South of France playing for Villeneuve Leopards who play in the French Championship till the end of the season .

We would like to thank the Trust for all the work that you do which gave   us the opportunity to play with the Reserves at Halifax it was very much appreciated .

Ian Millward offered me the captaincy at Leigh and a very attractive offer but I was worried about them being relegated at the end of 2009 and I didn`t want to play in the 3 rd division .( they later signed Robbie Paul ) Halifax was always an attractive option being a big Club and Blackie and Shad spoke highly of the place..Also Nashy followed me over from Thunder making it easier for me to commit I had also watched Halifax play the Kangeroos on tv as a kid so I knew it was a mad rugby town .

The fans and the crowds were fantastic and I feel extremely grateful to meet plenty of fantastic people in 2010 .Looking back it was a very talented rugby team ,we were a bit hit and miss at times but we got the job done when it counted ( well done to the coaching staff )

I have plenty of fond memories of wonderful games we played as well as a number of nights out with my teammates as there were some great characters at the club .

I have been lucky enough to get back to Halifax in 2012 to watch a Boxing Day match and also in 2018 to have a night out at the pub with a number of good friends I had made during my time there which I enjoyed .

I know Covid has made life pretty tough over there the last 12-18 months so I wish everyone all the best and   UP THE FAX .

STATS

Position – Stand -off

Origin  Australia

Time at FAX  2010

Appearances  – 24

Tries 15

Goals 7

total points 74

“When you talk about characters and personalities in and around rugby league teams, it isn’t just the players that are part of that. It’s everyone involved. David Brook (club president and main sponsor during the 80s) was an incredible character. He was passionate, driven, and when he believed in something he went at it 100%. Jack Scroby and the Doc (club doctor Steve Thornber) were great characters, and of course the three Stooges! – Stan (Hardy), Cov (Phil Coventry) and Ned (Kelly)! I think those three were such a special part of what was happening at the time.

I remember sitting next to Stan at Warrington. It was only my third or fourth game for Halifax and Stan, as only he could, was effing and blinding about beating them for the first time in 20 years. I can’t remember if he was chuffing on his pipe at the time. Little did we know that he’d get used to winning over the next few years.

Its obvious that your favourite memories revolve around success and good things, so winning the Challenge Cup is right up there. I also have great memories about the people that I shared those times with. We were lucky that we had a very strong group, from Brooky and the board down through Chris (Anderson, player-coach) and Jack to us players and the backroom staff. We all enjoyed each other’s company. Very different personalities among us, but when we came together, be it on the footy field or in the pub, we got along and did our best. We had respect for one another. Without a doubt though my favourite memory of my time in Halifax is of the people of the town and the passion they have for their rugby league team, and the joy they get out of them doing their best. That sea of blue and white at Wembley will stay with me forever.

I went back to Australia and played for the Gold Coast team (now NRL team the Titans). For the last 20 odd years I’ve had a milk distribution business – yes, ‘The Cow’ delivers milk! I had a passion for surfing but I’ve had to give it up – my knees won’t take it – so I’ve donned the lycra and cycle instead.

I’m still in touch with many at the club. I guess that’s the positive thing about Facebook; its so much easier to stay in touch. Here at home I see Wombat (club legend Graham Eadie) and ex Fax players Bob Grogan and Bob Arnold. In the last few years we’ve had Mick and Jane Scott come and stay. Then big Roy Dickinson saw the light on and popped in for a couple of weeks. I’ve seen Roy a few times over the years since; usually he’s been riding his Harley Davidson!

Here’s his memories of his time at Halifax.

“The first thing I want to say is that the years I spent at Halifax were the happiest I had anywhere as a player, and I enjoyed every minute. I’d played for Leeds, who were a big city club, but I felt that Halifax were much more like a family. They were ambitious too, which is something that appealed to me. I spent several seasons at Halifax under a few coaches, and I always tried to make the dressing room a fun place to be, and if that’s how people remember me then that’s great. I’ve always believed that if the dressing room is smiling it helps you get through adversity and the tough times. I remember once I set off a load of fireworks on the training pitch, and sometimes I used to chase people around in my police car. Good times!

There were some real characters in the team; people like Bondy (Mark Preston), John Schuster, Mike Hagan and our captain Karl Harrison, who I used to tease for being grumpy all the time. I remember when the club signed Paul Bishop I was worried because when I played against him I’d always found him a real niggler, but I have to say he was great to have as a teammate – it’s a real shame he disappeared off the scene.

I find it impossible to pick just one memory from my time at Halifax. I certainly enjoyed my debut, when we beat Leeds, the team I’d just left.

I remember a televised game against Warrington when I beat about five of their players to score a try – I think that match helped me get selected for the GB international squad.

As a player, I was only on the winning side against Wigan twice; once for Leeds and once for Halifax. In that game we were winning 18-2 when I headed a pass from Steve Hampson and got sin binned by Colin Morris, the referee. Our coach at the time was Steve Simms, and he told it was the most stupid thing he’d ever seen someone do on a rugby pitch! Eventually we clung on to win 18-16, and I was the most relieved person in the ground!

I think two of our best performances were in games which people may not remember now. We went to Doncaster and beat them 72-0 – we were awesome that day. Then there was a televised game down in London, where we beat them hollow and I scored a few tries. On long trips the atmosphere on the coach is very different depending on the result of the game, so this was a good journey home!”

“Every one of my memories of Halifax are positive. I was treated well and looked after from the minute I set foot in the club to the minute I left. Originally I only signed for a season; to be honest I wanted to get back into Super League. As the season went on I felt so much at home, and coupled with the success we had in winning the Northern Rail Cup, I decided to get rid of my agent and signed a contract for another two years. After that I never even spoke to another club until I left.

I worked under three great coaches. They all brought a different culture to the club, but cultures which were right at the time. Karl Harrison talked about the importance of having each other’s backs; Richard Marshall and Simon Grix have built on that by concentrating on hard work and togetherness.

I’ve played with some fantastic characters too. When I arrived Sean Penkywicz and Lee Paterson were around and were setting a great example, and since then we’ve had real leaders like Ben Kaye and Scott Murrell. Muzza was amazing – he could be a right idiot sometimes, but in the whole time I played with him I never once saw him down. The whole dressing room lit up when he walked in, and he looked after every player whether they were making their first appearance or their 200^th. The club won’t be the same without him.

I’d say my favourite try was one I scored against Bradford in 2015. It was an interception from the half way line, and we ended up beating them for the first time in ages. My phone was red hot that night with people ringing to congratulate me.

My favourite goal has to be one I scored against Featherstone in the 2012 Northern Rail Cup final. I’d just scored a try in the corner, and we needed the conversion to go seven points up. When it went over I saw all the Featherstone fans streaming out of the ground – a great moment!

My best memory, though, is when we went to Toulouse in 2017 and beat them. We had to win to be in with a chance of making the play offs, and we went into the game as massive underdogs. It was boiling hot, we’d travelled there on the day, plus they were a good side, and they were aiming for the play offs too. We had to defend for most of the game, but then towards the end Ben Johnston went over for the winning try. It was the best feeling ever.”