It’s a scene that has been replicated in backyards everywhere for more than 100 years: two young brothers playing footy with their mates in the backyard of their modest home – running, passing, tackling and kicking the ball from dawn to dusk day in, day out.
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Only in this case the home is located in Taree and the younger sibling in one Danny Buderus, who would go on to achieve league’s highest honours by captaining his country and become one of the Newcastle Knights’ greatest ever players.
Bedsy, as he is affectionately known, will join sports presenter Andrew Voss at the Port Stephens Men of League kick-off luncheon to be held at Soldiers Point Bowling Club on February 8, starting at noon. Tickets, $20 per person, are available at the door.
A product of the Taree United and Red Rovers junior clubs, a star-struck Danny Buderus first pulled on the boots at the age of five and would go through the juniors often playing a year above his grade.
“I was a mad St George fan back then and I loved to watch a young Nathan Brown and Gordon Tallis, who were starting their careers at the Dragons,” Buderus said.
“When I was about 13 or 14 I attended a Knights game in Newcastle and watching the big boys in action just blew me away. I knew from then on that was all I wanted to do.”
At 15 and full of bravado and hope, the slightly built five-eighth/half-back made the trek to Kogarah to try his luck with the famous red and white for an Harold Matthews open trial day.
“I didn’t get a look in, but the following year my school coach put my name forward to the Knights development squad and things started happening from there.
“I changed schools, moved to Newcastle, switched positions to hooker and was lucky enough to make my first grade debut in 1997 [at age 18]. The Knights went on to win the grand final that year and although I never got on to the field, getting a taste was enough to make me want to set my goals higher.”
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Never the most talented player in the team, Bedsy – measuring 178cm tall and playing at 88kg – learned from an early age the value of hard work.
“I was never the biggest, strongest or fastest player, I knew my limits. But I was also very competitive and I knew that hard work and dedication would get me where I wanted to go.
“By the time I had established myself in the top grade at the Knights, the role of hooker had changed predominantly through the likes of Benny Elias and Steve Walters, but I was fortunate to have the best halfback in the world as my first receiver. Joey Johns made my job so much easier ... I knew all I had to do was find him on the field and feed him the ball.”
The number 9 went on to form a magic partnership with the eighth Immortal, win an NRL grand final with the 2001 Knights team, and proudly represent and captain his beloved club, state and country.
Asked about his biggest influence, Bedsy nominated former Knights coach Mal Reilly. “I loved everything that Mal Reilly was about, he was a fitness machine and would often beat the players in physical challenges. But more than that he instilled in me the ethic of ‘never being a quitter’.”
These days, Bedsy the family man keeps busy with his Fox Sports commentary, as an assistant to Brad Fitler with the NSW Blues and as a member of the Knights advisory board.
He is also passionate about the work of the Men of League Foundation and how it assists the entire rugby league community. “I am looking forward to re-acquainting myself with the people of Port Stephens at the February 8 luncheon.”
