Ron Lane
Someone once said that men are like gun barrels. No two are the same. And we thank God for that. Imagine what life would be like if we were. No excitement, boring and definitely not progressive: and in particular if you were trying to build a club from the ground up.
All founding members thinking the same. The program would bog down in no time: and never again to rise out of the ashes. So it was, that with a definite strong mind of his own, in 1975 Mick Plant, became one of the founding members of the Noosa Pirates Rugby League Club.
He was approached by the Christensen family and others to form a club in Cooroy Noosa. He was appointed Captain /Coach and led the Pirates to two grand finals, being successful in the second: thus, winning the premiership in 1977. With regards to the fund-raising aspect, he was a bit of a larrikin: a man who enjoyed a punt and would not hesitate to run Under and Overs to raise money for the club.
According to his daughter Julie, he retired in 1997 (after their premiership win) with his mate Kerry Knowles. ‘’’Dad loved the Pirates and loved being a mentor to the players: including his youngest grandson Luca, who played with the Pirates from under 6s, to this year’s U8.’’
He started his junior football with South Sydney Fernleigh’s and Paddington Colts football club, junior program. He went on to play with Eastern Suburbs Roosters from 1967-1970 and made headlines as the ‘ Hairy Hippie that makes Easts happy.’ During this time, he went on to play in PNG for Paga Hill in 1968.
He played three A grade games in 1970 and was player #613, before losing his contract at Easts the reason being for a disagreement with President Ron Jones over his long hair and probably larrikin behaviour. It was then that he moved to Queensland and joined Nambour South’s from 1971-1974. From Souths he made the Sunshine Coast ,Wide Bay and Qld Country teams.
In 2008, he was named in the Team of the Century for QRL Wide Bay. Away from football, Mick loved training and racing greyhounds and racing pigeons. He also developed a taste for drinking Diet Coke, and of late, a love of doing crossword octarchies. But most important was his love of family and time spent with friends.
“He was known as a larrikin and all-round top bloke, was the life of the party and loved nothing better than to tell the old stories. His love of family, was second to none and he would do anything for them. A great grand-father, hard but firm, but under it all a big softy.”
As a footballer, he will be remembered by his team mates for his big hits: and even on the playing field, his larrikin behaviour. As a story teller his favourite yarn was in telling of the time he chased a football referee off the field. He was playing in a grand final for Paddington Colts and was sent off, because of his very first tackle in the first minute of play.
The story goes that dad went in for a you-beaut stiff-arm tackle, and the opposition player took a dive: the ref fell for it and sent dad from the field. His immediate response was that if he was off, then the ref was too. He then proceeded to chase the ref from the field. This, I am sure could only happen in the World of the Hairy Hippie.
On another occasion, Mick, who had a love of snakes, took his collection into the bar of the Cooroy Hotel and turned them loose on the bar room floor. In no time the bar was his and he was able to have a quite drink. Totally un-interrupted
Mick Plant was a very proud granddad to seven grandkids, two girls and five boys, aged from eight to 18. Mick grew up in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, but fell in love with Queensland. In 1970 he moved to Eumundi and purchased a home for $3000. During this time, he worked for the local railway as a track greaser and also as a bouncer for all the local pubs in the Noosa Cooroy area. His spare time saw him training and racing greyhounds.
However, in 1982 he moved back to Sydney where he worked on the docks as a security guard. He was made redundant during the time of Patrick stevedores strikes. He again returned to Queensland in 1998 to enjoy retirement and once again involved himself in training and racing his beloved greyhounds.
In acknowledging the attendance of his family and friends who gathered to celebrate his life at his beloved Noosa Pirates Club House 27 December, daughter Julie said, “We are completely overwhelmed with the love and respect shown for dad. He will definitely be remembered as one of the great footy players on the coast.”
The strong, loyal, colourful, larrikin characteristics of Mick Plant, has definitely been a major factor in the success of this great club. Vaya Con Dios, old club mate, Vaya Con Dios
