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MICK Taylor will renew a lot of friendships this afternoon.
For 22 years, Mick has been a driving force in Wavell State High School's rugby league program. He'll be at the school from 5pm as Wavell High celebrates its 50th anniversary with a rugby league re-union.
Later in the night, Wavell High's "team of the half century" will be announced, with players of the calibre of Greg Inglis, Darryl Brohman and David Wright likely to be in the side.
Wright, who went on to play for Australia and win a Challenge Cup final with Warrington, was best and fairest in the 1966 Metropolitan Secondary Schools grand final when Wavell defeated Cavendish Road.
Brohman made his first grade debut for Norths in 1974 while still at Wavell High, and Inglis was a year 11 student when a standout in the Queensland Cup for the Devils. Inglis was brilliant in the 2004 Wavell team, but co-centre Michael Bond pipped him as player-of-the-year.
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LEAGUE LIFE: Mick Taylor with Greg Inglis's jersey from the
Australia Schoolboys team.
Picture: Rob Maccoll.
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When Mick Taylor arrived at the school in 1988, Wavell High had a strong rugby league reputation, a legacy of some outstanding teams through the 1960s and '70s. Cunnamulla-born Mick had already been teaching maths and physics for about 10 years when he transferred to Wavell.
"As a young bloke I'd played mainly rugby union and just a bit of league. But when I started teaching I got involved coaching league," he said. "Over the years I've done whatever I can't find anyone else to do: coach, manage, referee, wash the jerseys.
"Every year at Wavell I've been involved with between one and five teams in some capacity.
"There's been a number of people who've put in a lot of effort during my time and a lot who contributed greatly in the early years."
Fellow teachers David Porter, who is in charge of Wavell's league program, and Brendan Barlow, coach of the school team and also the Australian Schoolboys, were taught by Mick as students.
"They've become great friends . . . that's the main thing I've got out of this, a lot of friends."
Maybe it's because Mick is a bit of a "bushie" that he's managed to coerce outsiders into helping with rugby league at the school as volunteers. He recruited two invaluable workers after meeting them at his local pub.
"Mick Hanslow coached our year 8 boys for five years. Mick's father used to train sheep dogs, and that's how he coached. He'd walk around behind the herd, telling them what to do."
From 1993 to '99, former State of Origin halfback and successful club coach, the late Ross Henrick, was heavily involved at Wavell High.
"At the start of '93 I went down to Norths club and spoke to the coaches because I didn't want the boys to have a conflict between school and club football. I knew it was going to be a big year because we had a strong team and a lot of them also played club footy.
"One of the Norths coaches said 'who's going to coach Wavell?' And I said I didn't know. Ross Henrick was there and he said 'I'll coach 'em'. He did a sensational job for us for seven years."
Another key man was Mick Rutter, a qualified sports medicine trainer, who has been at every school game since 2002.
"He's absolutely passionate and works countless games for junior clubs as well," Mick said.
In 1993, Wavell was beaten in the grand final of the national schoolboys competition but triumphed in 2002 to take the Arrive Alive Cup.
"I reckon that 2002 side will be the last home-grown team to win the national competition," he said.
Mick makes a valid point, as most renowned league schools now have NRL contracted youngsters "placed" with them. That was the case with Wavell when Inglis, Adam Blair, Jake Webster and company turned out in the maroon and blue while contracted by the Melbourne Storm.
"You knew Greg was going to be something special. He had everything: speed, size, sensational skills. But the same year, Michael Bond was brilliant. He took our best player award and I don't think Greg minded that."
Mick also had a soft spot for Adam Blair, another Storm star and Kiwi international.
"Adam was a sensational kid when he was at Wavell. He'd always fill the water bottles before training, pick 'em up afterwards. He'd never whinge and was always happy to help."
Mick, who is passionate about school sport, has mixed-feelings on young footballers being contracted as young as 14.
"I've known kids as young as 13 to have managers.
"Most NRL clubs won't allow contracted kids to play at school once they turn 16. I hate the fact talented 16-year-olds are walking around schools, but not playing football.
"We have to work with the clubs, but I always think the school should come first."
In his 32 years of classroom teaching and involvement with school rugby league, Taylor says the young people of today are not so different from their predecessors.
"I only have trouble with their parents," he joked.
"To me, they're no better or worse than the kids I taught more than 30 years ago. Kids go through a lot of phases, but I don't think they are any more disrespectful that previous generations. Maybe they're a bit different, but not disrespectful.
"If they ask me about the future, I just tell them to live a full life and enjoy it."
Wavell State High School's 50-year Rugby League Reunion will be held at the school today from 5pm.
Admission is free.
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