The biff had been part and parcel of rugby league for a century. Condoned even. As violent play like stiff arms, spear tackles, facial massages and stomping were weeded out of the game, the punch remained. As recently as the 1980s, league bosses would say there was nothing fans liked to see more than two forwards trading blows. But the biff is an endangered species in the NRL era. In Biff: Rugby League's Infamous Fights, Glen Humphries explores the most violent grand final, State of Origin fisticuffs, the Fibros versus Silvertails and how 'the hits keep coming' in the 2020s. As well as offering a ringside view, Biff also discusses the reasons behind the fights and what happened to the players afterwards. Some escaped suspension, while others were rubbed out of the game. A few missed the chance to play in a grand final or found their careers cut short after being on the receiving end of a nasty punch.
- 208 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
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Edition
0Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Introduction
- 1928 • St George vs Balmain
- 1954 • New South Wales vs England
- 1973 • George Piggins vs Malcolm Reilly
- 1973 • Manly vs Cronulla
- 1978 • Fibros vs Silvertails
- 1978 • Australia vs a punk band
- 1981 • Newtown vs Manly
- 1982 • Bob Cooper vs Illawarra
- 1984 • New South Wales vs Queensland
- 1984 • St George vs South Sydney
- 1985 • Kevin Tamati vs Craig Dowling
- 1991 • Garry Jack vs Ian Roberts
- 1995 • Stanley the Steel Avenger vs Balmain
- 1997 • New South Wales vs Queensland
- 2003 • Gorden Tallis vs Ben Ross
- 2005 • Trent Barrett vs PJ Marsh
- 2008 • Michael Weyman vs Daniel Conn
- 2011 • Manly vs Melbourne
- 2013 • Paul Gallen vs Nate Myles
- 2014 • Ben Flower vs Lance Hohaia
- 2014–20 • And the hits keep coming
- Bibliography
- About the author