Dimond's sparkling career makes for legendary read

By Mike Gandon
Updated November 5 2012 - 7:14pm, first published November 27 2008 - 10:56am
Ron Costello (left), David Hiscox, man-of-the-moment Peter Dimond, Paul Dillon, David Bolton and Cliff Watson at the launch of Dimond's book, Playing With Legends. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI
Ron Costello (left), David Hiscox, man-of-the-moment Peter Dimond, Paul Dillon, David Bolton and Cliff Watson at the launch of Dimond's book, Playing With Legends. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI

Dapto's former rugby league international Peter Dimond played his football with relentless aggression.Dimond, who lives with his wife Valerie at Minnamurra, neither sought no quarter nor gave anything away on the playing field.In his book, Playing With Legends - The Peter Dimond Story, launched at Dapto Leagues Club on Wednesday night, as expected he pulls no punches.Among those attending the launch were members of Dimond's family including his older brother and fellow Kangaroo, Bob, son Craig who represented Australia in under 18s, former Great Britain stars David Bolton and Cliff Watson, and ex-Australia second-rower Ron Costello.Dimond, who was born in 1938, tells about his early days at Dapto in the 1940s and early 50s and how he and Bob became the first and only brothers to represent Australia as teenagers - Bob making his debut on the 1948 Kangaroo tour and Peter playing in the green and gold for the first time 10 years later.Dimond, who was a member of the famous 1963 Kangaroos, provides an insight into how rugby league was played in his day, most significantly for the Western Suburbs Magpies, who were in four grand finals against St George during the Dragons' unprecedented 11 straight premierships between 1956 and 1966.While they belted each other on the field, Dimond became close friends with many Dragons such as "Immortals" Reg Gasnier and John Raper, both of whom wrote a foreword to his book. He writes about such fiercely competitive Great Britain opponents as Vince Karalius, Derek Turner, Billy Boston and Mike Sullivan.Dimond does not toe the party line - he has a certain dislike for what he terms the "White Collar Brigade" - and well into his book in a chapter entitled "Centenary Year" he writes, "If I haven't already been then this is the stage where I will start being contentious."Those in the Dimond firing line include Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Andrew Johns and his former grand final team-mate at Wests, later Coach of the Century, Jack Gibson.However, he does praise other players including Gasnier, Raper, Ken Kearney, Graeme Langlands, Harry Wells, Ian Moir, Ken Irvine, Ken and Dick Thornett, Earl Harrison, Brian Hambly, Wally Lewis, Brett Hodgson and the greatest of all Great Britain halfbacks, Alex Murphy, and his brilliant five-eighth partner Bolton.Time hasn't softened Dimond, certainly he is as robust in print as he was on the playing field - an example being his aggro attitude toward former player and priest, John Cootes.Dimond co-wrote the hard-hitting and controversial Playing With Legends with Paul Dillon.

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