A couple of years ago I watched a Binalong player stroll out onto the field at the Rec Ground in Binalong with not a care in the world. It was Binalong’s more recent foray back into the George Tooke comp, and it brought about a team littered with plenty of experience with some locals and some youth players.
The player making his way onto the field had his head gear on sideways, and it wasn’t even done up. His knee was strapped and a large limp on that knee showed a glimpse of an injury from the past, present or even future…
To the trained eye who remembered three consecutive premierships, it was the silhouette of the former Captain and Coach of the Brahmans who led his squad to three premierships in two different competitions.
Chris Rawlinson had played the game of deception before. He knew it well. He still does.
He knew the opposition players, most of whom were too young to remember him and were lulled in to a false sense of security when they beheld the older, injured looking fella, who couldn’t do his head gear up properly.
Rawlinson sat back in the first set, and his eye went across the opposition backline. Unbeknownst to most, he was looking for a victim, surveying the pack like a lion watching over the antelope.
He didn’t have to make a tackle that first set in defence, and he touched the ball once in the next set when Binalong got the ball.
Instead, he organised a teammate, ran to the line, drew a defender and threw a basic no-look ball inside to him, untouched, to put a player through and Binalong on the board. Not a single finger had been lain on him.
That was Chris Rawlinson then, and there have been a number of Chris Rawlinson’s since. Some quicker and more agile when he was younger, but always a great footballing mind. If a Half-Back can play in a dinner suit, Chris’ is the definition, but he doesn’t shirk his defensive responsibilities either. He was always in control. Ball in hand or not. And still is.
When Tony Worthy celebrated 300 games recently, we went to good friend Chris Rawlinson to talk about the ‘old fella’. Now that Chris has reached his 300 milstone game, we have spoken to Tony the man, myth and legend.
Tony said, “It is a big milestone. He’s a few years younger than me actually, so he’s done well.
“Once he matured and came into his own, he’s just been successful wherever he’s gone.
Success just follows while he’s a part of a team. He has probably got the best kicking game I’ve ever played with anywhere and game management. I think he’s really got better with age. So, he’s having one of his better years this year. It is testament to what he’s put himself through [with] injuries and dedication and now he’s doing the junior league coaching, which I think is desperately needed within grassroots, especially around Yass.
“Hats off to him, he has done well.”
Chris spent some time with the Raiders in U18s where he honed his craft. He could have gone further but towns love having elite level players in their clubs and that is Chris.
Tony noted Rawlo’s skill-set. Both mind and body.
“He would probably strap a knee or something like that just to try and pull the wool over the opposition’s eyes. He has had a bad knee previously, but I think now he wouldn’t know which one’s bad and which one’s good. He just gets one strapped to put on a bit of a show for them, I think,” said Tony.
“He plays in a dinner suit, like they say all the good halves can do, sometimes he’ll just guide you around, do what he has to do, if you need points late in the game, he’ll get you there and get the points. He is definitely one of the better ones I’ve played with, if not the best.
“He would just do enough to get us across the line there for a few years.
Now we’ve got a bit of youth in the side, he’s not relied upon that much, but I reckon on the weekend he’s probably had his best game he’s had in about five years, so he’s actually winding the clock back a little bit, I think.
“If we can go deep into the finals this year, I think he’ll be someone we will definitely rely upon to get us across the line, just with that kicking game. Just his smarts, he will pick out a weak defender and just manipulate what he has to do.
“He’s definitely got the smarts, especially around this competition, in reserve grade, and then in Tooke. He did play first grade on the weekend.
“It is pretty good being 42 and still playing at that standard.
“Yass won their last premiership in 2006. I played probably nine games through the year. I had an ankle injury there and didn’t make the squad towards the end.
“Chris came in and just dominated that grand final, and being 21 years old at the time. There were blokes there that went on and played in the New South Wales Waratahs, the Nash boys. Scotty played Raiders, Penrith and played Waratah’s later on in maybe 2008. He always played high level, like Queanbeyan Roos, Young, South Logan, played up there for a few years as well.
“That was a quality team Yass had and I think Chris had 20 minutes of dominance in that grand final: it changed momentum for us and they beat Queanbeyan Blues that day.”
Now aged 42-years-old, Chris is still being called upon to play in First Grade, and was likely the first to put his hand up at the right time (now that Yass sits on a solid year of work and progress).
Despite this, Yass has had to work hard for what they’ve got as the smallest town or pool of talent within the area. The town starts off with a $250,000 disadvantage due to funds in other clubs’ bank accounts to purchase players.
Tony said that Yass has always been a family club and it is the same with Chris’ family. Partner Jess is an elite player, and their children are now coming through the system at the lower age groups.
“I would say if Jess wasn’t having a family she probably would have played NRLW for the Raiders by now,” said Tony.
“It is definitely a hard thing for girls to try and have kids and try and have a career and then play footy. It’s a bit of a juggling act.
“It hasn’t changed that much, I don’t think. We’re just trying to adapt. We have always kept it very much the same, just culture, family-based club, you try not to stray away from that. It is just trying to get that little bit more professionalism.
“Just probably start back at the lower grades is what they’re doing now, like the juniors, just to start bringing those kids through, so it’s not such a big step once you get to under 18s, reserve grade, 1st grade, try and have that seamless transition.
“I can see that they’re doing, like a lot of ex-players are coaching juniors, or they’ve got something to do with a junior team. It makes it a lot easier for the kids.
“I think that’s been a massive, massive part.”
Chris has also set up his own academy style side gig where he is passing his knowledge on to the next crop through Raw League.
“It is just another easier transition if he’s doing clinics with the kids. That is just going to make it a seamless transition again for them to come through,” said Tony.
Chris has been with Jess for a long time now, and Tony couldn’t help but make a jibe at his mate.
“He’s probably too tight to put a ring on it! No, actually they are engaged, but haven’t set a date, now they are having another little bub. They have got the three boys.”
Tony and Chris’ friendship has reached nearly telepathic means, and they always seem to know what the other is doing.
“When he does run the ball, he’s got a great right footstep,” said Tony.
“So, if you back him up on the inside off his left shoulder, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get put through a hole. Just little things like that that you’ve learned. We’ve probably played 250 games together, so that and his kicking game, just the momentum shift, you feel like you’re under the pump and then he’ll like a 40-20 out he will get you on the front foot. It’s just a bit of a pressure relief. He does little things like that, that not many people can do.
“He just does a bit of an end over end, just a good kick he can put it on a dime.”
Tony and Chris spent three initial years at Binalong and returned for two more before back at the Magpies
“We just thought we needed a change, something different, just to get the love back for footy as it just became a bit of a chore. So, we went out there and it was known as a pub-comp Tooke Shield then, which I don’t think it was or it’s definitely not now,” said Tony
“I think the top teams are definitely competitive in a reserve grade class.
“The change was a matter of just trying to enjoy ourselves again, play with our mates and you could probably say we had a dream three years, really. It seemed pretty effortless for a while, we had a great side.
Everyone was enjoying the training and, Binalong, they just go above and beyond for you out there. They love their footy.
“It was a good, good few years. It was a shame we couldn’t turn it back the last couple we went out there, but anyway, that’s how it goes.
“I think it has something to do with age.
“We want his 300th to fall on a home game, so he’s probably going to have to sit one of the next two out. So, it’ll be against Woden. With the washout round we have got a bye this week, so three weeks after that.
“We played Woden early on in the year, beat them pretty convincingly, but they’ve definitely improved. So, I think it’s going to be a tough game, but hopefully we get them.”
“Hopefully we can get the win for Chris on his milestone game.”
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