When a ball was on the ground and needed diving on, Bob Jones was the man rescuing it for the Dolphins and scrapping away.
The super fit hooker with a Dolphin on his chest was in the middle of some epic forward battles and then went to the boardroom and has been at the Dolphins ever since.
Bob Jones Q&A
How did you go from Gunnedah to the Dolphins in 1975?
My dad owned a shop at Redcliffe and I was coming to see him on my way to the Gold Coast to sign with a club there and dad said: 'Why don’t you sign with Redcliffe?' I didn’t even know they had a team. So I went to see the committee and they signed me.
It's the 1976 Woolies pre-season game v Wests and Bernie Pramberg sends off five players. Wests win 37-0 but the wrap sheet reads - John Barber knees, Jones standing on hands, Bullow and Bradshaw fighting and Obst knees - you get two weeks?
The send-off was warranted. I remember Barry Muir spent the week firing us up and telling us that Wests don’t respect us and what we need to do. They had the judiciary that night, so we didn’t get home until 3am. Two weeks was probably a fair outcome.
In 1977 you went to the Roosters. How did that come about?
Roosters needed a hooker. Elwyn Walters was leaving due to the import rule and Arthur Beetson with his connections here was keen to get me down there. Sydney was always something I wanted to do, I mean to play for the Roosters and their star team was a pretty big deal. Fulton was arriving, Beetson, Coote, Fairfax, Schubert - it was a great side. I played in the 1977 Willis Cup for the Roosters and met the Queen - that was a highlight.
Why did you come back?
I stayed until the middle of 1978 and then came back. I was never going to play against Redcliffe. I thought about going home but came back to Redcliffe and that was the best thing I ever did. Been here since.
Who is your favourite ever Dolphin?
I have two favourites. Tony Obst was just a great player and in my mind he’s the best ever Dolphin. He could play fullback, centre, and in the forwards and I even remember pushing him into the front row in a game. He didn’t like that too much. But a great player. Forrester Grayson too, he could have been anything if he’d applied himself. As a hooker he gave me such confidence.
In 1975 and 1981 you had grand final losses. What would you do differently?
1975, I think if that game goes five minutes longer, I think we win. Wests were classy - too classy - but I think we were coming back and to lose by two is pretty disappointing. In 1981, we finished first and beat Souths in the finals and they had to come back around at us and then they win in the last 30 seconds. I remember just how sad it was. Dolphins like Bunny Pearce, Arthur, Obst, Leis - it was the last chance and we just couldn’t get it done.
Stan Scamp, the ref from the 1981 grand final, have you ever forgiven him?
No, not ever. To find a scrum penalty in the last minute when you haven’t found one all day. Is just heart breaking. Mick Reardon is a great bloke and Mal put it on his chest and the rest is history but gee it’s hard.
Who gave you the most trouble at hooker?
John Lang, he was just so good. If you were playing Easts, then you knew that you were going to find out where you stood with hooking in Brisbane. Lang was the best for a long time and it was daylight second. He went to the Roosters and I had mates still there and they’d ring me and say how good is Langy. I’d say 'I know'. He was quicker than you thought and just smart. Great player and great contributor to the game. Right until the end in 1980 at the Roosters he’s playing for Queensland, New South Wales and Australia and in a grand final, then goes into coaching and wins premierships there too.
Do you have your Dolphins jumpers?
I have a Roosters tracksuit, that is it. I got in a boating accident at Moreton Island and I got some help and the bloke was a huge football fan and for helping me out I gave him all my Dolphins jumpers and a John Sattler Souths jumper I had from Sydney.
When you see modern Dolphins preparing for games, what’s one thing you wish you knew?
The mental side of preparing. I just played. I didn’t think too much about it to be honest. I wish I knew how to mentally prepare yourself for a game. Diet too, I remember we were playing at Lang Park and I was having a nervous pee before the game and I am faced with Choppy Close standing near the trough eating a hot dog 10 minutes before we play. That image stays with you.
What’s your favourite 'Tosser' Turner story?
He was just a beautiful man; he knew so much about the club and players. He would do anything for you. Shooting plovers so you could train was one of my favourite Tosser moments. I remember when I first came to Redcliffe, we were out and someone was throwing ice at me. I was getting madder and madder and then someone said 'you know it’s Tosser, don’t you?'. I couldn’t believe it. I thought he must be drunk but he doesn’t even drink, just a funny man.
