Bobby Hall

Tony Acomb, Colin Williams and Melvin Thorn were also playing but were coming to the end of their playing days. After Brian Harrop each of these three took over the role of coaching at Latchford Albion, followed by Kenny Green and Paul Kelly. Later it was Alan Shingler, Simon Yates and Kevin Miller.

During these periods Latchford reached the quarter-final of the BARLA National Cup losing to Beecroft Wightman, the semi-final of the NWC Cup losing to Simms Cross, won the Tetley Walker and Grenhall Whitley Cups on several occasions with players like Paul Kelly, Roy Hargreaves, Brian Moxey, Billy Rodney, Barry Williams and the Rathbone brothers Billy and Mark.

Bobby Hall took over the player-coach role from Alan Shingler and stayed at the helm for about eleven seasons with help from the likes of Dave Conroy, Mark Thomas and Sean Mellor. Bobby's time in charge saw success as Latchford gained promotion from Division 2 to the first Division and later beating Weaverham in the Greenhall Cup Final and Rylands in the Tetley Walker Final. These later sides included players like Sean Mellor, Neil Dickinson, Mark Lord, Andy Dean, Glynn Taylor and Mick Byron.

Bobby Hall left the Open Age on a winning note and began to devote his time to the younger element of the club emerging as a successful coach of youngster who have benefitted from his wealth of experience to be selected on Service Area teams and higher Representative Honours.

Drummond a facial on the far side of the pitch, it was obvious that this wasn't just a lark, the veterans really did mean business.

It was old-time Rugby League, with Fred Lindop gradually reducing the defensive line to five metres, and both sides throwing the maxim of valuing possession out of the window.

Great Britain got the start we had all been dreaming of for the past 30 years and were 22-6 up at the break, the best team by miles. Andy Gregory's short ball set former Widnes centre Darren Wright free on
halfway and his kick ahead was snapped up by Schofield for Crooks to convert. Paul Loughlin - looking as fit and laid back as ever - bust down the left for Steve Hampson - also as fit as a fiddle - to squeeze into the left corner. Cliffy Lyons, who'll probably be able to run a Rugby League game while-ever he can get out of bed, sent Mark Sargent in for the Senior Roos' first try, but a quick try-double from Tony Marchant set Britain fair at half-time.

"At half-time I thought we were gone," admitted Kerry Boustead, a veteran of 25 Tests. "But we've played a few of these games (State of Origin legends games have been going for the past ten years) and we probably have the advantage of knowing how tired you are going to be in the later stages. We started slower and we got the ascendancy later on. We started holding the ball and they started dropping it." Indeed it looked like we were in for more of the same of so many previousTests as the Aussies raced to a 28-22 lead with five minutes to go.

Big Mal Meninga scored two trademark tries through the right centre courtesy of Lyons sleight of hand. Lyons chipped and chased from halfway for a try himself and Meninga could have had a third but waited over the line to give Bob Lindner a walk-in. Boustead went clear but was brought back by Fred Lindop for a forward pass. Which allowed Great Britain one last throw of the dice and when Karl Fairbank intercepted, amateur Bowles was on hand for a Roy of the Rovers finish that he must have dreamt about a few times as a lad. What a moment for the Simms Cross skipper, one of eight local amateurs who had won their place on the bench from local clubs. "I've been injured for the past few weeks, but wild horses couldn't have stopped me playing tonight," said Bowles. "These guys are true legends. It's all a little bit blurred. I'm still on a bit of a high.

It was the end of a fun night that set up next week's second match at Headingley superbly. "I just hope the people of Yorkshire come out to see these legends, because we may never see them over here again," said Schofield, who showed he has lost none of his touch, breaking up the middle with his dummies. sidesteps and delicate chips. "It was enjoyable and the crowd seemed to like it. Everybody has seen that the skills that we learned as kids and used as professionals - we haven't lost them.

"It was a fair result. And the physical contact out there showed that. In Great Britain-Australia games you always want to win, and it was very serious."

Gregory (rib cartilage) and Des Drummond (leg) will testify to that. They'll both be out of next week's game. They'll be replaced by Deryck Fox and John Bentley.