Copyright (2003) Daily Telegraph

Chippy's humour, honesty and spirit will never die

BY DEAN RITCHIE

Daily Telegraph, May 3, 2005, page 61.

IF only he was still around today. Rugby league – the game Peter Frilingos spoke about with pride – is at an all-time high at the moment.


A season Chippy would have passionately absorbed, enjoyed and analysed. Sadly, though, Chippy is not here today.

It was one year ago this afternoon he was taken from us by a heart attack.


But for those here at The Daily Telegraph, Chippy's legacy, humour, honesty and spirit will never die.


He was never short of a comment. Never short of an opinion.


Those opinions would have been aired time and again this season from the Newcastle drama, to Mundine, to Hopoate, to video referees.


It's almost as if we can hear what he would say . . .


Anthony Mundine: "He's not the sharpest tool in the shed."


John Hopoate: "In the fair dinkum department, he's a repeat offender."


The soccer riots in Sydney's west: "That's Fort Apache territory [anywhere west of the CBD]."


The Newcastle Knights-Bathurst scandal: "That'll do me [as he throws his hands up in the air]."


NRL's fine for Newcastle: "It came over like a bolo punch."


Lightweight Brett Finch involving himself in a brawl last week: "If they get a hold of him all that will be left is an eyebrow and the tongue out of his shoe."


Unknown Broncos rookie Leon Bott: "Where's he from? Reykjavik, Iceland?"


The 16-year-old suspended for 30 years: "He's an Olympic-class dill."


Hopoate again: "He's an imbecile [pronounced im-b-ceel]. Pull over and give yourself an upper-cut."


Princess Mary's past year: "She's been around the world more times than Yuri Gagarin."


Newcastle's Dane Tilse, the villain in Bathurst: "Isn't he a gibberer [followed by vibrating his lips with a finger]."


Video referee: "It's not rocket science"


A prediction: "Trust me, [as he gives a slow right wink], I know."


English referee Russell Smith: "What, is he speaking Swahili [or Lithuanian]."