JimmyLan
Allen Oxlade (6)
Wow, what a great day at Merrylands RSL Club, and what a great venue!
Alan Jones is a great speaker (Alan was working without notes - I did not hear him say umm or aah once in a wide ranging talk that must have gone close to 40 minutes; I saw him talk to some of our Women players and not just talk to them, but converse with them. I may have to re-evaluate my personal opinion of Alan!).
Nick Farr Jones spoke well and with some brutal honesty addressed one of our failings, and of course Parramatta's favourite son, Two Blue Legend and Wallaby Eric Tweedale, the oldest living Wallaby, charmed everyone with his reminiscences. (I don't know if you have had the chance to hear Eric speak but if you are offered the chance, take it, you won't regret it!)
All speakers had pertinent points for all Two Blues to digest (some of which may have been less than easy to digest for some of us present). I for one was very appreciative of their honesty. We are a club on the way back, not a club that is already there. We can learn from those who who been in tough times before.
It was very pleasing to see Tony Melrose and Andrew Leeds at the lunch, both have given so much to the Two Blues over the years and nice to see AJ acknowledge this in his speech about players giving back. To be honest as a Pom looking at Australian rugby over the last 20 years, I am proud to associate myself with Parramatta Rugby and their history and even more so with the current coaching staff and committee. COYTB'S!