He’s coming from the west to an ASOPA reunion for the second time this year, and he’s coming with attitude. Val Murphy has anointed his time at ASOPA in 1961-62 as the ‘classic years’; which, by inference, all the other years were not: a point I feel sure Val will argue with his usual pugnacity and sly wit at every opportunity.

Writing about a famous rugby league match at ASOPA in 1962, Richard Jones nominated as one of the game’s highlights “the fortitude shown by Val Murphy who stood up to a lot of tough punishment but gave as good as he got”. Val’s generally robust approach to life was also summed up in the accompanying Sivijs caricature from the same year.

In 1990 Val became the first lay Principal of the Perth inner city Aranmore Catholic College, run by the Australian Institute of the Sisters of Mercy and one of the most culturally diverse schools in Western Australia.

Now freed up from the Principal’s job, Val this year has taken on the position of operations coordinator of the Western Australian Rugby League, which involves overseeing the local competition and ensuring the game is run professionally. Val is a life member of WARL and his history with the sport has included managing and coaching WA state teams, service on the judiciary panel, chairman of selectors and ground announcer at feature games.

Val will be speaking on behalf of the Class of 61-62 at next month’s Brisbane reunion. I’m sure his presentation will be awesome.

[Cartoon: ‘Mrs Murphy’s little boy Valmore’ by Georg Sivijs, ‘Vortex’ magazine, 1962]