
Wynnum Manly five-eighth Bob Hardie, known as Mr. Magoo amongst his team mates
One of the refreshing things about a club is mateship – the good natured ribbing or the sharing of jokes. In a club like Wynnum-Manly, this is a feature.
In spite of the losses and tribulations, there’s always a laugh. When it comes to a gag or two in the Seagulls, five-eighth Bob Hardie has his share of grins.
Bob’s eyesight is not good over long distances. Close up, to within 30 or 40 metres okay, but beyond that the shapes are inclined to be a bit vague.
This, in the dressing room give-and-take lighter moments, has resulted in him being called Mr. Magoo, after that short-sighted cartoon character.
But the eyesight weakness has not made one bit of difference to his football career. He makes one concession here: “I don’t think I would go so well at full-back,” he said. That would be dead right, for a fullback. With eyesight not the best over 30 or 40 metres he would have to work on directions from his team mates.
Bob Hardie has worn spectacles since he was 12. Even then it made no difference to his Rugby League ambitions, for he had no trouble in graduating to the Manly-Warringah senior grades in Sydney.
He played half-back and five-eighth, but in the latter position had a tough lad to unseat in the team . . . a fellow named Bob Fulton.
Bob came to Brisbane in 1967 and since then has built up a reputation of being one of the most consistent players in the city. In 1969 he made the Queensland team and looked set for continuing inter-State honors.
But in 1970 he suffered a broken shoulder, which set him back for a season. When that injury healed he took off for England with Stan Damro. It was Stan’s turn for an injury, and he spent the six months there as a tourist, nursing a broken ankle, while Bob played with York.
Bob, with his English experience standing him in good stead, returned to Brisbane with the intention of staying here, not going back to Sydney or the bush.
While not having a string of representative matches to his record, Bob must be one of the most consistent A graders in the competition. He is one of those reliable team men who invariably rate a favourable mention after each match. Bob, a floor and wall tiler is 26.
Here again the old Wynnum Manly tradition of fun and games comes into his life. With a high proportion of young players in the team, Bob’s 26 years is a point to be seized upon.
They give me a bit of a razzing about it, like asking me if I march on Anzac Day,” Bob said.
FOOTNOTE: Bob tried contact lenses for football when he was with Manly-Warringah. The Club provided them, but he prefers to play without them and he has proved that he gets by handsomely.
Source: Rugby League News 1975
Photo Source: Hardie Family Collection