Tributes are flowing for John Sattler, one of the toughest hombres who has ever played rugby league who famously played the majority of the 1970 Grand Final with a broken jaw.
A member of the NRL Hall of Fame, he died on Monday, aged 80. The former forward had been diagnosed with dementia three years ago.
Sattler, who grew up in Newcastle, played 346 first-class matches, including 195 for Souths from 1963-72, highlighted by four premiership victories as captain.
He suffered a broken jaw in the early stages of the 1970 Grand Final against Manly after he was punched by opposing forward John Bucknall but refused to leave the field and the images of the bloodied and bandaged Souths skipper being chaired off the field by his teammates after the match at the SCG is one of the most famous in the sport’s history.
According to Rabbitohs folklore, when Sattler suffered the fractured jaw he his teammates to hold him up so the Sea Eagles would not how badly hurt he was.
He soldiered on almost the entire game with the injury as the Bunnies wrapped up a 23-12 victory although he was then ruled out of Australia’s end-of-year World Cup campaign when he was a candidate to captain the team.
“It was two minutes into the grand final and I got king-hit by John Bucknall. Then John Morgan got me soon after and I ended up with four separate breaks in my jaw. But I got through and we won,” he recalled in a 2017 interview.
Sattler captained Australia three times in his four Tests in the green and gold and also represented NSW in the pre-State of Origin era.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a lifelong Rabbitohs fan, was among the many on social media who paid tribute to Sattler.
“John Sattler was a legendary player who was tough on the field but a true gentleman off it. He was an inspirational leader who, decades after his retirement, took his rightful place at the front of the marches for South Sydney’s reinstatement.”
The Rabbitohs will wear black armbands for their clash with Manly this weekend.
“If anyone is to epitomise the true spirit of the South Sydney Rabbitohs it is John Sattler,” chairman Nicholas Pappas said in a statement.
“He bled red and green. He would do anything for his team mates. He never took a backwards step. He always led from the front.
“He was loved by everyone connected with the Rabbitohs, whether it be one of his former teammates who he led to premiership glory, or the man in the street who loved South Sydney just as much as he did.
“He was tough and brave but fair, uncompromising on the field and empathetic off it, and he truly epitomised everything that we want the Rabbitohs to be.”
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys described Sattler as “a legend of the game”.
“The tales of his toughness were quite extraordinary, but they were also at odds with his nature off the field. He was a true gentleman.
“Those traits made him such a remarkable and celebrated leader. He captained his club South Sydney as well as his country on three occasions.”
His son, Scott, also tasted premiership glory with his own individual moment of triumph in pulling off a memorable cover tackle during Penrith’s 2003 upset over the Roosters.
Sattler did not play rugby league much as a boy but after taking up the sport when he was 16, he joined his local club in Kurri Kurri.
He caught the eye of South Sydney when he starred for a Newcastle representative team against Great Britain in 1962 and joined the club the following year.
After starting out at lock, he moved up to prop and was chosen for the Kangaroo tour in 1967 after leading the Bunnies to the premiership which broke St George’s run of 11 straight titles.
He finished with the Rabbitohs in 1972 but continued his playing career with Wests and Norths in the Brisbane competition for three more seasons before finally hanging up his boots.
A successful businessman, he was part of the consortium which established the Gold Coast franchise in 1988.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Also, Eric Sims played every game that year which was 24 games and scored 3 tries, kicked 99 goals from 166 attempts and 13 FG for a total of 233 points not a bad tally in a year and Kevin Longbottom scored 4 tries kicked 12 from 64 attempts total 36 points. Gary Steven played 8 games all year.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Alan Scott played 4 games in 1967 and is in the team photo, maybe Gary Stevens was injured as he wasn't in the team photo. These are the top try scores of 1967: Brian James - 14 Bob McCarthy - 13 Michael Cleary - 9 Roin Coote 8 Kevin Longbottom - 4 Jim Lisle - 3 The players in the team photo are: Back Row: John O'Neill, Kevin Longbottom, Bob McCarthy, Ivan Jones, Michael Cleary, Brian James, Ron Coote, Bob Moses Front Row: Elwyn Walters, Eric Simms, John Sattler(c), Jimmy Lisle, Alan Scott See here: http://www.ssralmanac.com/mobile/1967/player1967.htm
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
I have no memory of an Alan Scott though I take your word for it - Had Gary Stevens left by then or too young ??
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Sattler did turn his life around when they made him captain but obviously it was a tough game in those days and only the lack of closeup quality TV saw a lot of atrocities - maybe sattts was a target...
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The Kingsgrove hooker was the only dirty player in the competition in the six years I played for Allawah. I had no complaints about anyone else but in my last year we played a trial against Lalor Park and I got myself knocked out quite badly. I didn't take a break and played all the games in the season ending in a semifinal (1v3) where I played prop standing in for the injured main goal kicker. I remember taking a kick at goal that rolled a metre towards the goal and my next memory was looking up at a ring of heads. I was told it was the Kingsgrove hooker and it was annoying he thought he was a tough guy but I was knocked out stopping at a set of lights so I was an easy target. I'm not sure who Tony is but I think he played for Saints for a few years. I was at the SCG for the 75 grand final eating chicken for lunch like most of the hopeful Saints fans. Easts were one of the best teams ever but Saints would've had a good chance if not for that painkiller that hit a nerve. I'm still a Red V member waiting for another grand final win. Cheers Pickett.
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Tim Buck Was the said Kingsgrove Colts player Tony/Beathy of this forum? (Sorry for the crack on this solemn story, but I couldn't resist :happy: )
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
1. I gave the game away at 17 after being knocked out every time we played Kingsgrove Colts. It was the same player that punched me in the face each time we played them, and the player never got sent off. So I don't think it was right to punch anyone in the face. 2. Ron Coote king hit Bill Bradstreet in the 1968 and was not sent off but Col Pearce was a Souths fan according to his journalist mate, Alan Clakson. They barracked for Souths in the good old days. 3. The same Kinsgrove player tackled me with a coat hanger the first time I played them in 1967. I was dizzy from landing on the back of my head and the ref told me to get up and play the ball as he thought the tackle was okay. Fortunately, the game has progressed, and we don't see those tackles anymore.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
It wasn't Tim. It was a king hit when he was running back into position and Sattler just happened to be facing him. https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/1970-grand-final-true-grit
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The 1970 Kangaroos played a game in France with nine Souths players in the team. No wonder they brought in the Salary Cap.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
I saw it on TV and it was a fair punch by John Bucknell as he was facing Sattler who was standing in front of him. It wasn’t a coward’s punch from behind that we have seen in another grand final. Sattler faced up to his opponents and he was extremely brave to play on after having his jaw broken. Playing on with a broken jaw made him the doyen of tough league legends.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Kevin Ryan kept him in check. Ryan was a boxer who had not an ounce of fat on him.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Sattler said the only player he couldn't dominate was Kevin Ryan. The biggest mistake Saints ever made was choosing Ian Walsh over Kevin Ryan as captain-coach in 1966. Ryan took Canterbury-Bankstown to the 1967 Grand Final and they would've won it if they kicked a field goal rather than throw a pass that was intercepted by big speedy Bob McCarthy.
Phil
Roar Rookie
That was an incredible team, hardened by the loss to Saints in '65. Jim Lisle was a wonderful player and served Souths well only to be replaced by the young 5/8 from Wests, Dennis Pittard. I can't remember if Lisle was punted or retired but it was big news when he left. To think Bob McCarthy, after his grand final performance, wasn't selected for the 'Roo tour that year. In fact he wasn't even chosen in the shadow squad which makes you think what were the selectors looking for.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Don’t forget the great Jimmy Lisle at 5/8, he was with the Bunnies 1962 until 1968 and only the two glory years, but by gee he was a great player and one of the great 5/8s that the Bunnies had, very modest guy, fit and let his footy do the talking. 1967 South Sydney side 1. Kevin Longbottom 2. Brian James 3. Eric Simms 4. Bob Moses 5. Michael Cleary 6. Jim Lisle 7. Ivan Jones 8. Ron Coote 9. Alan Scott 10. Bob McCarthy 11. John O’Neill 12. Elwyn Walters 13. John Sattler Coach: Clive Churchill
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Satts was the heart soul of Souths back in the days of McCarthy , Coote , Simms , Cleary , Moses , the Branighan brothers , Lummy et al . Whenever Souths played St George , Satts always took on the biggest player of theirs , the captain of St George and Australia , Norm Provan who seemed to wonder what this terrier was about , always snapping at him. So vale to Satts ! Definitely one of a kind .
Bernie
Roar Rookie
is it just my rosey glasses or does it seem like players of his generation had more integrity, public standing & respect, and just seemed to carry themselves better. of course no social media & phone cameras then, and yes, they weren't all angels and played up a bit. but compared to modern era players, full of self-importance and all about me. for example - imagine carrying on with the try celebrations that seem to go on for every try nowadays, and doing that in Sattlers day .... sigh, i am really getting old ....
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Always followed Manly and remember that 1970 grand final I was 15 at the time.... That South Sydney side from around 68 to 71 was IMO the best side I have ever seen.... Front row was, John O'Neil, Walters, Salter... with Jimmy Morgan as reserve all played for Australia. Second row was, Bob McCarthy, Garry Stevens... reserves Paul Saint Lock ... Ron Coote ... reserve Paul Saint as well Every forward and the reserves played for Australia, with Simms kicking goals from everywhere they were without doubt one of the greatest sides ever and IMO their forward pack led by Sattler has never been equaled.
Albo
Roar Rookie
I believe Sattler was sent off 15 times in his career, but I have never heard anyone say a bad word about him . Nothing but respect for his toughness. Its a funny game our footy ?
Birdy
Roar Rookie
RIP Mr Sattler. True legend.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I was playing junior league and schoolboy union in Satt's hay days. Several players in my teams tried to copy him, with the sleeves rolled up above the elbows and no fuss, tough guy attitude. But there was only ever one Satts, on and off the field. Vale John Sattler.