1. Sport
Armidale Express
Email sport.armexpress@ruralpress.comFriday,August 14,2009
The Armidale Express - PAGE 40 - Friday, August 14, 2009
Blues brothersBy JOSH PATERSON
WHILE PLAYERS like
Mike Te Moana and
Andrew Moore could be
called the heart and
soul of the Armidale
Blues rugby side, two
players who give their
opposition the blues
are strike weapons and
second cousins Patrick
‘Gudge’ Strong and
John ‘H’ Roberts.
The two have a strong
on-field connection, but
it is their connection off
the field that has made
them so dangerous on
it.
The two have been
lifelong friends, meet-
ing at Minimbah
Preschool, and it was
Strong who first
brought Roberts to
rugby, initially for one
game, and convinced
him to switch codes on
a permanent basis.
Roberts was playing
league at the time with
Narwan and had a bye
that weekend and
Strong asked him if
wanted to have a run
with Armidale.
The two are regular
try scorers for the
Blues, with Roberts
scoring five in one game
against the Barbarians
earlier this year.
They also handle con-
versions and penalty
kicks for the side with
Roberts the first choice
kicker and Strong the
back-up.
Strong was one of
Roberts’ groomsmen at
his wedding earlier this
year and is affectionate-
ly known as ‘Uncle
Choc’ or just ‘Choc’ by
Roberts’ eldest daugh-
ter Amelia.
The two started play-
ing league together in
their first years of high
school before Roberts
moved and later attend-
ed O’Connor Catholic
College for his final
years of high school.
It was during this time
that the two friends
played against each
other for the one and
only time when Strong’s
Armidale High team
met the O’Connor side
in league, an experience
Strong described as
‘fun but very physical’.
The two don’t admit
to any secret calls or
plays they have togeth-
er but Strong says ‘we
just know each other’s
games real well and we
just have a good sense
for where each other
will be on the field’.
The two also con-
vinced close friend and
fellow groomsman
Vinnie Moran to switch
codes and Vinnie is now
the flyhalf for the Blues
reserve grade side,
while Strong has made a
permanent move to full-
back allowing Roberts
to play in the centres or
on the wing.
They are not on a mis-
sion from God, but they
are on a mission to
retain the APJ New
England Rugby trophy
for the Armidale Blues.
The pair will continue
the quest tomorrow
when they face the
Ghosts’ tough pack in
Guyra.
Robb have the first
grade bye, while in
tomorrow’s other
match the Barbarians
host competition lead-
ers St Albert’s College.
BROTHERS IN ARMS: Armidale Blues John Roberts and Patrick Strong
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