Anyone watch the Sunday Night story of John Peard? I don't know much about his playing days and his involvement with Parra, but I was amazed by what he and his family had been through, through his and his wife's disability. Any thoughts from anyone who watched?
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great man great player fell sorry for him and hes family no one should go through that
I met him several times at Burwood PCYC in the mid 80s.One of the nicest blokes I've ever met.My best wishes to him and his family.
He was due to give a speech at his book launch, so he crippled his way to this ridiculously high stage and with help it took him a little while to get up on stage. Once he finally made it up to the mic, without missing a beat he sez 'where's Hopoate when you need him'.
Myself and a few mates used to go to watch Parra training back in the'70's and John Peard would wear a T-Shirt while training with the printed words on the front "Dis-A- Peard". He became "Dissa" to us from then on. Thanks for the wonderful memories JP
I used to watch him play at Cumberland. He also had a sports store in Westfields. If I am correct he invented the bomb in league, if not he was the best exponent of it in the 1970s. Great player for Parra
I think it was first done in Rugby Union by a guy named Gary Owen. I think in some Union circles they still call an up and under a "Gary Owen" but Peard was the best. Pinpoint accuracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J5cGb8RM70
It certainly was the Peard Bomb and he was always deadly accurate with it, especially with Price chasing and catching it. One that stands out in my mind was a semi final against St George in 1976 and Price leapt above Saints fullback Tony Quirk to score an absolute beauty. I think the score was about 22-0 our way after 20 minutes. Although Peard introduced it to League, it was first used by an Irish Rugby Union Team in the 1920's called the Garryowen Rugby Club http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garryowen_Football_Club
Spot on and John Peard was known as "The Bomber", ran a sports store for many years on the bottom level at Westfield Parramatta where the smaller secondary food court now is.
From memory he may of also played for the Roosters before he joined Parra ?.