I can’t remember Geyer taking a backward step but yes, I seem to recall him being shell-shocked by the Lewis barrage. Who wouldn’t be?

Part of Lewis’s greatness lay in this utter refusal to lie down. One of the best games he ever played for the Roos was in a losing side v the Poms. He was so upset with the lethargy of his players he took the opposition on himself, at one stage scoring a stunning try by simply rampaging thru the Pom forwards like an enraged bowling ball, planting he ball defiantly under the sticks. The others lifted but not enough.

I wouldn’t argue with him about a car-park!

Interesting study of psychology, Lewis v Geyer. If anyone blinked, it was Geyer. I think Geyer was totally dumbfounded that anyone could be so crazy to take him on, & I don’t think he had ever received so much invective in so short a space of time. I think he was still trying to make sense of it when half-time was called.

Geyer was stronger than Lewis, no doubt about it. But Lewis was cunning like the devil. He knew his mark. The idea was to throw so much invective at Geyer as to shock him. I think it worked, although half-time allowed Geyer to regather his thoughts.

Once Lewis calmed down he probably thought, “thank God he didn’t swing at me”. But Lewis had the ability to imtimidate players bigger & stronger through his tongue. He exuded a ’scorched earth’ persona. He basically said to guys like Geyer, “you might beat me to a pulp, but I’ll damage you in the process also”.

After his playing days, at the Broadbeach Pacific Fair, I saw Lewis absolutely destroy this 30-40s something woman, with his invective, believing she had taken the carpark spot he was about to move into. Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t, but she couldn’t drive away quickly enough, sobbing as she went.