“Dolphins for you, we shout a loud hoorah!”
My name is Jon Williams and this is a story about the first team song written for the Redcliffe Rugby League Club.
I was born in 1954 and grew up in a home in Redcliffe where Rugby League was king. My father, Syd, and mother, Olive, were avid followers. Dad had gone to school with the legendary Harry Bath so that may have had some impact. Dad was the manager of the first BCC store on the peninsula and remained so for 40 years. In this capacity, Dad knew a lot of people and many of those were connected with the Dolphins.
4BH Rugby League radio broadcasts always held a prominent place in our home. Mum used to become very excited and was no friend of the referee if Redcliffe were playing. I can vividly recall George Lovejoy’s iconic sign off, “Rugby League football, the greatest game of all!”
I have two lasting memories of those BRL days. The first is Redcliffe winning the Grand Final in 1965 with Artie Beetson and Kevin Yow Yeh starring in that match. Having been cellar dwellers for so long, it was a great thrill. Of course, as was the trend in those days, these players were soon snapped up by the cashed up NSWRL much to the disgust of the locals. Of course, true Redcliffe locals were rapturous in their admiration when Big Artie had such a huge impact on the early State of Origin matches.
The second is of a fixture match at Easter time in either 1973 or 1974. Redcliffe were playing Wests. John Ribot and Ritchie Twist were running rampant for Wests in those days. The match was played at Lang Park and I was in attendance in the glorious outer. Although not given much chance, Recliffe thumped Wests that day and, to add icing to the cake, were even awarded a penalty try. What a match. The Redcliffe supporters in the crowd were delirious and when I got home that afternoon, Mum and Dad were in shock.
I started playing Rugby League while in Grade 4 at Scarborough State School on the Peninsula. I continued playing through the remainder of primary school. In those days, all Mum and Dad could afford was a pair of old leather soled army boots with metal tags screwed on. Getting “tagged” in those days could be very unpleasant.
The hated team in those days was De La Salle College. I cannot remember ever beating them but I do recall playing them once on their oval off Sunnyside Road in torrential rain. All the players were so wet and mud covered that the teams were indistinguishable and the game was unfortunately abandoned while we were in the lead.
Occasionally I was able to go and watch Redcliffe play at the Redcliffe Showgrounds which served as their home ground. There were few facilities and only a rickety old wooden grandstand. The field was inside the speedway track and had a definite slope. After playing there many times during my high school years, I quickly learned that there was definitely an advantage running towards the north.
Often, the NSW team would train there on the Tuesday afternoon prior to the interstate match. I attended Redcliffe State High, the ovals of which border the showgrounds, and there were several times when I wagged school to watch those cockroaches train. It never ceased to amaze me just how apparently little interest and effort players such as Graham Langlands used to put into those sessions.
While at Redcliffe High, I continued to enthusiastically play Rugby League for our school. It was around this time, I believe, that Redcliffe became the Dolphins. Early in 1971, radio station 4BH launched a competition for club songs. The conditions were that the words had to be to an existing tune and the competition winners had to agree to relinquish all rights to their song. I was not very studious in those days and many a night was spent tinkering with the song rather than completing homework. The song goes to the tune of “Click go the shears” and this is because I heard it and sang it so much during my time at Scarborough State School. Also, many of my school rooms had that old government provided print showing a shearing shed.
So, after submitting my entry and not having told anyone, I was at home one morning during a school holiday period when I just happened to hear 4BH playing the winning entries. I could not believe it when I heard my song, albeit slightly modified, played. In a state of disbelief, I phoned 4BH whereupon all was confirmed. Mum and Dad were out at the time and did not believe me when I greeted them with the news when they arrived home. I suspect they still had their doubts until a nice little transistor radio with confirmation letter arrived at our house from 4BH.
Many of my school friends did not believe me either until I was able to produce that letter.
Recently, I attended a Teachers’ Credit Union function in Toowoomba. The well known poet, Rupert McCall, was the main act and happened to mention his interest in the Redcliffe Dolphins. When I informed him later that I written their club song, he was able to recite it perfectly which amazed me no end.
So, that is how it came to be.
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS SONG
(To the music of “Click go the shears”.)
Dolphins for you, we shout a loud hoorah,
Fighting fit on the Pen-nin-sular.
Fixed is your gaze on the B R L Cup,
Nothing’s going to stop you climbing right to the top!
So pass the ball around boys, pass, pass, pass.
The lines over there show them you’ve got class.
The crowd sees a blur as the winger races away,
Another Redcliffe victory as Dolphins win the day!
Out on the field, we Dolphins are king,
Nothing’s going to stop us, not a single thing.
The ref looks around to see we’re in once more,
And three more points pile up to swell the Redcliffe score!
Chorus
Rugby League’s the greatest game even though it’s rough,
But Redcliffe will still stand when the others have had enough.
The hearty roar that welcomes them into the game,
Heralds a Dolphin victory to add to their fame!
Chorus with last line repeated.
Here’s an article, sent in recently by Jon, about the BRL club songs:
Jon,
I’ve heard the song played after many a Redcliffe victory at Dolphin Oval and so it’s good to hear of its origin. I’ve only lived on the Peninsula for 23 years, a recent arrival, but supporting the Dolphins goes back a long way. My favourite moment in those years was the 1997 (I think) Queensland Cup Grand Final when Anthony Singleton’s curving conversion with the breeze from out on the left after the final hooter won a sensational game over Easts at Lang Park. It still brings tingles. A couple of weeks later, Iggy Graham, of all people, kicked a field goal in the final minutes (again against Easts) to end his career on a high notes.
I’m likely to be leaving the Peninsula soon but I’ll always remember great afternoon’s on the western mound with my son watching the mighty Phins doing their stuff. We even won the 50 cent double one day thanks to Reggie Cressbrook from Ipswich getting the second leg. Favourite player during those years: Peter Robinson, the dynamic half-back who played well above his weight and was in the middle of everything, including the fights. Best player in that time: Shane Perry, a class above everyone in his day. Then there were the characters: Waverley Stanley and Wayne Miller. Good times. Go the mighty Dolphins!
Not one mention of Ian “Bunny” Pearce?
Fair comment. I lived interstate during Bunny’s career and never saw him play – my loss. What I do know is that you never hear a bad word about Bunny from anyone anywhere.
IJH
Beautiful tale, Jon. Imagine being known as the person who wrote their club’s theme song! I’m jealous :)
Thanks to all of you for your interest in my tale. Adam, privately I was always proud of my effort but there was never any public acknowledgement due to the conditions imposed. That did not detract from my pride though. Indogus, I was writing off the cuff about a game played over 47 years ago. There were many great players that day and that season. Artie and Kevin just happened to be the most prominent in my memory and I did not intend to minimise the impact of any other players. Ian, unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to see a Qld Cup game live but now that we are living closer to the action, that will change soon. I have only had the opportunity to visit the Leagues Club once and that was early in 2006. I asked the young fellow at the reception counter what team song was being used these days. A shrug of the shoulders was the response. I then asked if it was still the one to the tune of “Click go the Shears”. Another shrug of the shoulders ensued followed by “why?”. When I replied that I had written the song and it used to be played on 4BH, it was suggested that maybe if I came back the next day, someone might be able to help me. Unfortunately that was not going to be possible. I look forward to seeing a Dolphins match live very soon.
I have a copy of this single if any one interested n
eg on price
Hi Jon,
Not sure if you will read this, as the post is a few years old now. The game you are referring to was played in 1973, and we beat Wests 27-2…what a game! I attended with my uncle, and after years of us being cellar-dwellers along with Wynnum-Manly, this was going to be, in my uncle’s words, “Our year!” And it almost was…beaten 15-7 in the gf against Valleys, thus beginning a cavalcade of gf defeats and near misses throughout the 70s and 80s; a huge emotional toll on a young fella I can assure you!
As an addendum, the ref in that Wests game was Bernie Pramberg. Cheers, Peter
Thanks Peter. Hopefully history will not repeat itself!
what a great story, Jon!
growing up in the South Burnett (Kingaroy) in the late 1970’s, we loved the pre Broncos BRL days.
I always loved listening to sport on the radio, including the footy during this era
The one & only Bunny Pearce was from Blackbutt, if I remember correctly?!
thanks for sharing!
Russel Hansen (AKA the Rabbit in the Vineyard
Great story Jon – I’m fairly sure Greg Mallory – a doyen of BRL history has all the song in digital form. Of course as a Brothers man it was “ the team in the blue and the white is the Brothers the team that’s superior to all the others” Great yarn – great days!