Controversial legend's brave battle revealed

1 year ago 61

One of the toughest and astir arguable rugby league players of each clip is warring a brave conflict against an assertive cancer.

Western Suburbs fable Bob Cooper, who holds the grounds for the longest suspension successful the game's history, is successful infirmary successful Sydney being treated by specialists.

Cooper, present aged 67, was the main taxable of speech astatine the yearly Wests Magpies reunion past Friday, with team-mates sending him messages of encouragement and goodwill.

The gangly second-rower played 76 games for the Magpies from 1977 to 1982 and besides played successful the inaugural State of Origin crippled successful 1980.

But helium volition everlastingly beryllium remembered for 1 infamous day astatine Wollongong Showground successful 1982 erstwhile Wests met Illawarra.

In a fiery brawl, Cooper threw conscionable 3 punches - but each had a telling effect.

The archetypal broke a Steeler's jaw, the 2nd smashed a chemoreceptor and cheekbone, and the 3rd near an hostile heavy concussed connected the ground.

The aged NSW Rugby League was determined to cleanable up what was a brutal crippled astatine the clip and enactment a erstwhile judge, Jim Comans, successful complaint of the judiciary.

Comans decided to marque an illustration retired of Cooper, suspending him for a mammoth 15 months.

"Acts specified arsenic these indispensable beryllium obliterated from the game, and I'll statesman by obliterating you," Comans told Cooper astatine the time.

Cooper played Australian Rules shot during his lengthy suspension and past attempted a little comeback with North Sydney erstwhile helium was yet cleared to play again successful 1984.

But helium was ne'er the aforesaid subordinate and aft conscionable 4 games, helium dislocated his enarthrosis and retired.

"Bob is simply a existent Wests fable and each the boys were saddened to perceive of his information astatine the reunion," said erstwhile Wests halfback Josh White, 1 of the organisers of the Magpies Old Boys.

"He is simply a combatant and we are each down him."

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