Launch date confirmed, books arrive this week, Raiders beat up on Manly in pleasing fashion
In a rain squall they're calling The Great Monsoon of Gosford, the Canberra Raiders beat up on Manly Sea Eagles 18-16 in a pleasing, if trial match. Also: books coming, launch is on, things get real
The People!
Good afternoon.
We are, gloriously, T-minus 5 days and counting before a thousand lime green copies of the little book that could, The Milk! lob at Club Goondari here upon these leafy, sandy and drenched as if by monsoon northern beaches of Sydney Town.
And it is getting a little real.
The Launch! It is on: Sunday 6 March from 2pm. Venue remains TBA, but we’re thinking Hellenic Club, we’re thinking Kingston Hotel, we’re thinking … just them, just those two.
We do know this: Nick ‘Raider Nick’ Risteski will be MC, I’ll be having a yarn about the book, and, no promises, but we’re looking to ring-in a representative of each era from the last 40 years of this our Green Machine, rumours flying that your O’Sullivans, Gilberts, Crokers, Campeses and Solioloas may get along and spin some yarns about their time in lime.
We may even get the great Daryl McDonald along to reenact his runaway try in 1992 by sliding off the big picture of Mal Meninga on the sliding doors at the Hellenic Club’s Sports Bar.
Dare to dream.
And more news as it comes to hand, which will be Monday afternoon when we invite y’all and the greater subset of magnificent bastards known as fans of these our Canberra Raiders. And more on them shortly.
Some others things:
For those who’d pick up a copy and can’t be at the launch, you can do so by clicking here or upon the following picture of Chris O’Sullivan, about whom there’s a funny yarn featuring Greg ‘Brandy’ Alexander, we’ll get our Sully to tell that if he lobs it’s good.
The book is $40 including postage within Australia. If it’s going international, click here, it’s $60 including postage.
Or get along to the Hellenic / Kingo, we’ll sort you out with a bit of kit for RRP which is $30.
All books are signed by the author and can include a dedication if it’s a gift.
Right. Yes! Did someone say monsoon? Did someone say northern beaches? Did someone say comprehensive 18-16 trial victory over Manly Sea Eagles who scored all their points from runaway tries except for one by Tom Trbojevic that was quite good?
They didn’t? Well they should have because that’s two-for-two over the NRL’s Most Hated, the pro at Long Reef GC’s a Roosters man and the entire membership of the golf club are Manly, of course, and it’s good to be lime-green golf shirt wearin’ man hereabouts, I can give you the tip.
Yes - just a trial. And yes - plenty of bits n bobs to fix in the baker’s dozen days until we suit up against Sharks.
But our boys were pretty bloody good. And Jack Wighton was pretty bloody good. And when that guy is pretty bloody good, pretty bloody good things happen.
There’s a selection of them here from 2021 when he didn’t poll a Dally M point until round 13 or something and had something of a bludger.
Yet you would suggest that if Jamal Fogarty can become the Jamal Fogarty we all hope he can be - which is the equivalent of Aiden Sezar, say, or Chris O’Sullivan - then big Jacky Boi could run free like the buffalo in ‘22, the best ones don’t forget how to play.
Yes, yes, yes, again, curse your eyes, whatever that expression means it sounds quite cruel like something a bad person from the olden days would say, we are just a couple of trials in.
But it’s better to bloody beat up on Roosters and Sea Eagles than the other way around, you will agree. And thus we go into round 1 versus mysterious Cronulla Sharks if not cock-a-hoop then feelin’ pretty frisky.
Granted this is dangerous territory for a Raiders fans given their status - admittedly promulgated by me on the cover of the book - as rugby league’s Great Enigma.
Regardless! Round one is a-comin, and if you can’t get to the launch on Sunday March 6 do get to King O’Malley’s in the city from 3pm on Friday March 11 where myself and a posse of pals will be preparing for the Big Match, I’ll have a bunch of books in tow and you can get one then and I’ll scribble my name in it and wish you well and up the Milk!
Up the Milk!