I'm absolutely gutted to have heard the sad news that Tommy Raudonikis died yesterday. I couldn't be more devastated if my all-time favourite player, Ray Price passed away.
Those of us who are old enough to remember him in his playing days knew how incredibly tough and uncompromising a competitor he was on and off the field and he remained that way right to the end. He faced never-ending bouts with cancer in a way that most people would never have been able to do. The way he was be able to inspire his forwards when they were struggling with the sheer force of his will, the way he could get the players he coached to come together as one, the Cattledog call and his innate larrikin spirit were all hallmarks of one of the most single-minded and toughest blokes to ever pull on a rugby league jersey.
Queenslanders and New South Welshmen to a man had great ly respected and loved the little bloke with a heart as big as a lion. He will be missed by many. RIP, Tommy!
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Wow, that's very sad news. One of my favourite players. Remember the try he scored against the Eels in the 1981 Grand Final. Great bloke, great competitor and he will be sadly missed. My condolences to his family at this time.
RIPTommy. A great character, who loved our gamewith a passion. Coined the phrase CATTLE DOG when he was NSW coach in the 90's to let his players know he wanted to start a stink in the scrum
RIP Tommy, One of the toughest players pound for pound the game has ever seen.
One of the hardest and hard nosed player one would want to meet on the field, like in his footy career he fought against the cancer I believe for something like 2 years or more. He was a heavy smoker, and a chain smoker at that, why his voice went on him and was much a croke more that anything.
He also made SOO his game, and the cattle dog call was great for stirring up the maroons, who he could not stand with a passion, he had a regret in that he lived his later life in QLD, but could not stand the teams.
His late dad, Wally was the opposite to Tommy, as they came from Europe I think it was Poland, his first name was hard to pronounce thus the short cut to Wally. He was a train driver who moved his family from Cowra to live in Sydney, natures gentleman, and loved his rough diamond son.
Actually they came from the Urakine from what I read yesterday-a real Working Class Hero, TR was...
Lithuania, his mother was Swiss.
His father a train driver at Enfield Colin
He came down from Cowra, as the depot was reduced following the full dieselisation of the line and branches, then the various other cost cuttings came into play. If one saw a photo of Wally (Wallislaw) IIRC or something similar but harder to spell. Not sure of the year he came, I ended up at Werris Creek November 69 and back to Enfield/ Delec in 71, I had more association with him at that time.
All my thoughts and prayers for Tommies family, he was a true champion, Rest in Peace Thommy the hardest number 7 in the world not just Australia, made from concrete with a giant heart, RIP Tom
Very sad day for rugby league.
Love him or hate him, Tommy was a great ambassador for the game and lived and breathed it. The game is so much poorer for his passing.
Vale Tommy Raudonikis - you will be missed.
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