- Gordon Tallis talks about the wild night on the Gold Coast
- The Broncos icon got help from another great league
Queensland football legend Gorden Tallis has opened up about the time he got into a fight at a Gold Coast nightclub after a rival player made an insulting comment about his sister.
Tallis, who played 214 first division games for St George and Brisbane between 1992 and 2004, was not one to shy away from confrontation on or off the field.
The man affectionately known as ‘The Raging Bull’ has told how things really started when he was in a Gold Coast nightclub in 1995.
Tallis was drinking beer with his sister and Dragons teammates Nathan Brown, Luke Felsch and Tony Grimaldi when a player from another footy team approached him.
“One of the guys comes up and says, ‘Oh buddy, what about the sheila trying to pick up Browny. Isn’t she a bit big? ‘, Tallis said. Backstage with Cooper and Matty Johns.
‘I said, “That’s my sister. Don’t say that!”
‘A few other guys came over and he said (to the other players), ‘Don’t say anything about old love’ – but he was a bit sharper than that…’
“So I turned around and I hit him, crunch, he goes down. And then all the bouncers come over and we join in.”
Gordon Tallis (pictured working as a commentator) has spoken about the time he got into a fight at a Gold Coast nightclub
Tallis (pictured playing for St George in 1995) says he challenged a rival player after making a rude comment about his sister
Tallis explained that his Dragons teammate Luke Felsch was soon choked by a bouncer as Tony Grimaldi put the player he had knocked out into a recovery position.
His colleague Dragon Nathan Brown – who later coached the team – had left because he didn’t like fighting.
Tallis were outnumbered and the situation looked dire when in stepped NRL great Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach, who had recently withdrawn from the competition.
‘A guy comes out of the bar and takes off his watch. His name was Blocker Roach. He says, “Are you okay? I just heard what happened. Do you need any support?”
Tallis has recently made headlines for his public criticism of the appointment of Michael Maguire as coach of the Broncos.
The ‘Raging Bull’ (pictured during a recent TV appearance) was also in the news for his clash with new Broncos coach Michael Maguire
The former Queensland Origin and Kangaroos forward has slammed the decision and reportedly had an awkward encounter with Madge on the big final day at Accor Stadium this year.
“He said, ‘G’day mate,’ he shook my hand and he said, ‘We need to catch up for a coffee,’” Tallis said.
‘I told him, “I don’t drink coffee.”
‘I don’t have to be friends with any coach. I never caught up to Kevvie [Walters]I don’t catch up with Des [Hasler] and I never caught up to Justin Holbrook.
‘What I say is just my opinion. It’s not an opinion on behalf of the old Broncos guys. Nobody tells me what to say.
“I’m paid to give my opinion and when I’m asked, I just give my honest opinion.”