I was a kid then, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

Something makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up whenever conversation somehow turns to this time.

Balmain, were Balmain - Wests were Wests - as Cumberland and Redfern Oval hills were full to the brim with people squinting as they looked into the fading afternoon sun.

Fans wore "Stubbie" shorts, singlets and Terry towelling hats.

The word "Bunker" was only confined to a World War 2 story and if you were close enough to the players tunnel, the sound of long, aluminium studs scraping on the concrete was a constant throughout the afternoon.

Buying footy cards after school with the pink stick of chewy in the pack was an afternoon ritual.

Players had mullet hair styles and every Sunday you longed to watch the delayed telecast of the match of the round on TV with the folks.

Steve Roach, Noel Cleal, Stan Jurd, Terry Randall just to name a few, were personalities both on and off the field.

They were never dull or afraid to say what they thought.

No media managers worrying if they'd bring the club or the game into disrepute.

Looking back, some of these guys could teach the current batch of superstars a thing or two on how to be interesting in interviews, instead of spitting out boring, mundane answers that are dished up at press conferences currently.

I had once got the chance of being part of the a 1980's match day experience in a scene as an extra for a movie called the "The Final Winter" made a few years back.

I got to Henson Park, home of the Newtown Jets and before I could say hello, one of the producers grabs me, then takes me into a room and says "throw these on."

"These" were a Newtown jumper, shorts and socks. I died and went to heaven! I was a "Bluebag" for a day!

On went the electrical tape around my head as I lined up with 12 others that seemed just as excited as me.

As I ran out I thought "imagine what this place would have been like back in the day running out to a full house?"

My experience ended that afternoon with a bad rash from the short, nylon shorts I had to wear, which was also part of a player's attire back then - but it's a rash I'll never forget. 

Admit it, you'd want that rash too if given the chance! 

Last weekend one of the host broadcasters, Fox Sports called round 22 the "retro round", but sadly the codes governing body, the NRL didn't get on board. 

Opportunity lost.

Rugby league celebrates an "indigenous round", a "Ladies round", there's even a "superhero round" - so why not retro? 

I say to the NRL, bring back for just once a season the old strips and let us reminisce! 

History is important to all sports...and it's not just on-field heroics that is always remembered.


Michael cain is a journalist for Ten Eyewitness news Sydney