The ‘Raging Bull’ is back!
by
Wednesday April 14, 2004

At the start of the season Gorden Tallis has me confused; he retired from representative football, had a full pre-season, and publicly stated that he hoped it would improve his form, even using Brad Fittler as an example. Watching the first game for the season, a trial game in Toowoomba, I was thinking to myself after the game “Gordie, what are you talking about”. After his game against the Warriors I was split between thinking that he led from the front as a great captain does, but where was his damaging runs, where was that glare in the eye, where was his mongrel?

It was against the Tigers where I could see the Raging Bull bubbling from within, fighting to be released. A few good runs on the fringes, a few offloads, some line breaks and some mongrel back in him. But surely we could all see it, the game against the Storm, THE RAGING BULL WAS BACK! One of the things that impressed me was his footwork, for a guy who weighs 104kg and is 6foot and 4inches tall, he moved so well. The try against the Storm, received a pass from Brett Seymour, Seymour started to wrap around him, Gordie showed the ball, then quick as a flash stepped off his right foot, proceed around Rodney Howe, beat Kirk Reynoldson with a fend, and double stepped Billy Slater to score a classic ‘Ragging Bull’ try. But it was his salute to the crowd that convinced me that he was back!

The game against the Roosters Gordie had another great game, that ‘glare’ was back in his eyes, the footwork was there again, and his damaging runs was occurring every time he touched the ball. Gordie got his team over the line by being his old self, he intimidated the opposition and it showed. The Roosters were unable to make any ground whilst Tallis was on the park. If Tallis continues this early season form, the Broncos will be a force to be reckoned with in 2004!