Tommy Raudonikis Statement miragenews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from miragenews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
As a tragic fan of the Western Suburbs Magpies as a child, I idolised Tommy Raudonikis. He was my first sporting hero. He was cheeky, rough around the edges and on the field, he never gave in.
With my father, we d trot off to Lidcombe Oval in Sydney most weekends, me in a black-and-white beanie with a small matching flag, to cheer Tommy on as he led the Magpies out.
He also held aloft the Amco Cup one winter s night in 1977, the last first-grade competition the Magpies won. I was allowed to stay up past 8.30pm for that one. It s a night I ll never forget.
V’landys also acknowledged Raudonikis’ contribution to promoting rugby league.
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“Few did more to promote our game than Tommy, whether it was at a luncheon on television or radio, Tommy was always there to talk up the game he loved,” V’landys said.
“He made people laugh as one of the game’s great larrikins and epitomised the passion and tribalism that is unique to rugby league.
“On behalf of the entire rugby league community, I send my deepest condolences to Tommy’s family and friends.”
One of his close friends, Panthers chief executive Brian Fletcher, said there was a softer side to the tough exterior Raudonikis showed.
Tommy Raudonikis was a legend and larrikin. and a thug A Set the default text size A Set large text size
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When the news came through that Australian rugby league icon Tommy Raudonikis had died, it was right and proper that all of us who remember him as a player, coach and pundit stopped to mark his passing by giving him the respect he earned.
Let me make very clear that Raudonikis was one of the most skilled and influential halfbacks of his generation.
You simply don’t get to captain your country and state unless you were brilliant. And Tommy
NRL great Tommy Raudonikis dead at 70: Rugby league mourns an icon nzherald.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzherald.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.