Greg Pierce

Gregory Stuart Pierce (4 March 1950 – 24 June 2016) was an Australian rugby league player, coach and administrator. He played as a for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League competition and for Australia. He captained his country on one occasion.
Summary.
Greg Pierce, grandson of 1930s Test hooker Arthur Folwell, was a Newtown junior (Marrickville) who spent two years in the Canterbury junior league. He was graded as a long-haired fullback for Cronulla in late 1960, but switched to lock under Tommy Bishop's leadership in early 1970. After playing in the 1973 grand final, Pierce was selected for the Kangaroo Tour. Pierce was the first player from Cronulla who was selected for the Test match against France at the end of the Kangaroo Tour and further played in the 1975 and 1977 World Cup victories. Then in the First Test of the 1978 Trans-Tasman series, Pierce became the first Cronulla player to captain Australia. However, despite winning the Test he was dropped from the Second Test in favour of Bob Fulton to take over captaincy (Pierce was reinstated as a player for the Third Test). More so, after a feud with John Donnelly in a semi-final match against the Wests, Greg was suspended for fighting and consequently missed Cronulla's second grand final appearance (it was later revealed that Donnelly took a dive). Being named as vice-captain of the 1978 Kangaroo Tour was some consolation for Pierce, but he played in just four matches before injuring his knee in the international against Wales. Further injuries and the opportunity to take over as club coach after Tommy Bishop's disastrous return to the club in 1980, led to his retirement with a then club record number of games to his credit. Pierce spent two seasons as Cronulla coach and took the club to the semi-finals in 1981. His reputation as one of the fittest men in rugby league is borne out by the fact that he continued to play lower grade rugby union on the Central Coast well into his forties. In 2003, the year he was named as one of Cronulla Shark's 'Immortals', he fought a long and determined battle against cancer.
Professional career.
Education.
After being educated in the primary school at Marrickville learning his three R's, Greg won a place at the selective Sydney Technical High School at Bexley, the same school his father Ritchie attended from 1940 to 1942; the training ground for future engineers and technicians. 
In 1962, aged 12 in Class 1A, Greg was 5'8" and Captain of the 6th XV rugby, setting excellent examples with his consistent low tackling.
In 1963 he was in his second year of high school. Even early on Greg was into competitive sports: being in the swimming events and a member of the junior Rugby Union Team. A year later at the young age of 14 Greg was both Captains of the junior water polo team and the rugby union team. That year he showed great leadership and won the L.C. Simpson Trophy for sportsmanship, ability and team spirit.
During his School Certificate year in 1965, Greg was promoted to the 1st XV Rugby Union Team and made Vice-Captain of the senior Water Polo Team. He was described as saving the side many times with clearing kicks and excellent tackles in his rugby games. For his all round ability in his sporting activities he was awarded his blue for sport. In 1966, now a mature 16 year old, he excelled in his academic studies and so was made the School's Vice-Captain and Prefect. However, Greg continued to excel in his sporting achievements: winning the Wykeham Prize for leadership and sportsmanship, vice-captain and full-back for the 1st XV Rugby Union team. His greatest achievement for this year was being appointed Captain of the Combined High School's second grade water polo team. A year later he would go on to win the S.Davis Trophy for leadership, sportsmanship, ability and team spirit.
In 1967, after finishing high school, Greg applied for an engineering position of at the then Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board. In those days the professional players were required to have a full-time job to integrate themselves into society and avoid social disasters that so often happen to players nowadays. He was one out of 66 others that were granted positions out of 400 applicants. He went on to do a cadetship in Civil Engineering at the University of New South Wales.
Already in 1970, Greg was designing and drafting pumping stations and pipelines to meet the needs of the company. After completing his Civil Engineering degree with Honours, he was promoted to the title Engineer 'E' Grade and moved from the Design Branch to the Construction Branch at Metropolitan Water.
Greg was described as very keen, capable and always willing to learn.
In 1973, Greg was appointed leave to tour with the Australian Rugby League team to England and France. Two years later Greg went on tour again to New Zealand, Great Britain and France after commencing duties with the Water Investigation Sub branch. Occasionally Greg would act in higher duties on projects including investigations for water supply for Wahroonga-Hornsby and Ryde-Pymble, main renewal and amplification.
In June 1978 Greg received a congratulatory letter from the Board regarding his Captaincy of the Australian Rugby League Test Team that was to play New Zealand.
In the late 1970s Greg worked on detailed investigations for the Northern Suburbs Water Supply Amplification Scheme at the Northern Group of the Branch. His appraisal describes him as knowing the work very well and a very capable, valuable member of the sub branch. In the mid-1980s Greg worked in management and technical control of the operations and maintenance of the water supply system in the northern regions. As usual he excelled in this position and was described as reliable, loyal, conscientious, versatile and effective as a manager, while keeping a tight relationship with his colleagues. Long and hard hours paid off and Greg was appointed the position of Product Manager in the Northern Division.
In August 1990, Mr Pierce resigned from the Waterboard to pursue opening opportunities in the building industry. In his resignation letter he wrote: "[I] thoroughly enjoyed the 22 years with the Board and particularly the revolutionary period from the mid-1980s" and that he "regretted that he could not be part of the excitement and challenge of further change in the Board and water industry" and he "would miss the people he worked closely with".
Career after Sydney Water.
When he left Sydney Water in the mid 1990s, Greg became Water Manager at Gosford Council and later Operating Manager for the idyllic Lord Howe Island. Greg's own account in 2012 "Engineering in Paradise" aptly describes his time in the South Pacific island while tackling his major health problems with his wife Marilyn by his side.
Engineering in Paradise.
"I joined the Lord Howe Island Board (LHIB) in February 2002 as the Operations Manager reporting to the CEO. LHI is part of NSW but has its own Act and as a World Heritage listed property is also subject to many unique environmental regulations. LHI has about 350 residents and legislation permits tourist lodges to accommodate up to 400 tourists per night, although it is not uncommon for over 1000 people to be on the island at peak times. The LHIB is generally equivalent to a Local Government Council with a seven-member Board and an Administration with approximately 60 permanent and casual staff and an annual expenditure of about $10M AUD. As Operations Manager I was responsible for three main business units:
Works.
Included the management of the airport, waste composting and recycling (LHI has no landfill), road and drainage construction/maintenance, traffic, playground, sports field and reserves, visitor facilities, construction and maintenance of public buildings, maritime infrastructure including the wharf used to berth the fortnightly cargo ship, moorings, marine facilities, boat ramps and foreshore protection, mechanical workshops, vehicle and plant fleet, public drinking water quality *, wastewater treatment **, groundwater management, incident response procedures and the tsunami plan, land management, development assessment, building certification and compliance. 
Environment.
Included responsibility for the care, management and conservation of the unique flora and fauna on LHI, protection of threatened species and the preservation of the Island's cultural heritage and World Heritage values. This involved the management and restoration of native vegetation and control of weeds, pest animals and invertebrates, particularly in the Permanent Park Preserve (equivalent to National Park) which comprises 75% of the Island. At the time of my departure we were undertaking multi-million dollar weed and rodent eradication programs that were world's best practice. The Environment team enforces a strict quarantine policy and also constructs and maintains walking tracks and viewing platforms to maximize safety and minimize any disturbance to native vegetation. It is also the core of any search and rescue operation to locate or recover lost and injured hikers. The environmental management of a World Heritage property was a steep learning curve for me. While I had generally complied with strict EPA Regulations during my time as a water and sewage maintenance engineer at the MWS&DB and Gosford City Council I was born and bred in Marrickville in Sydney's inner south-west where the common environmental ethic was 'if its green - mow it'. In fact many of the early European and Middle-eastern migrants in the 50s and 60s adopted the practice of concreting the yard and painting it green.
Electrical.
Included the generation and distribution of all electricity on LHI, the implementation of an energy efficiency and demand management program, determining appropriate alternate energy technologies to be integrated with the base load power generation system and the oversight of all communication facilities. All power is generated by 3 diesel engines with a full capacity back-up diesel generator at a separate location. To try to reduce the high cost, and potential environmental risk, of transporting large volumes of diesel fuel to LHI I sat on an inter-departmental committee of NSW Government to identify sustainable sources of renewable energy including wind, solar, wave, tidal/current and geothermal and various energy storage options to handle base load or adverse weather conditions. After crunching the numbers the IDC determined that there were no viable alternate energy systems that could compete with diesel generation, particularly due to the high costs associated with the isolation of LHI and that it would not be prudent to install developing technologies on an isolated World Heritage Island. However, the IDC recommended that the Board replace the existing diesel engines with more fuel-efficient diesels and this as resulted in a cost saving of approximately 25% per annum for diesel fuel within a two and a half year payback period.
I enjoyed my eight years living and working on LHI, particularly due to the variety of the work and I feel it is one of Australia's, if not the world's, most beautiful places. I encourage everyone to put it on their travel 'bucket list'. Unfortunately flights to LHI are expensive as Quantas has the only 30+ seat aircraft (Dash 8) that can operate on the short runway and it takes full advantage of its monopoly. Notwithstanding, less than 2 hours from Sydney or Brisbane you can enjoy a well presented, un-crowded, sub-tropical World Heritage listed paradise with no litter, graffiti or crime."
Retirement.
After retirement in 2010 when he turned 60, Greg and Marilyn returned to Avoca Beach where Greg kept fit by cycling and surfing. In December 2009 Greg wrote from Lord Howe Island in his Christmas letter: "We will be returning to live at Avoca Beach in the New Year. The move will also allow me to spend more time with my grandchildren, Flynn almost two and a half and Ava almost two years old. We will not be retiring but don't have jobs to go to." 
Sadly work was hard to find and many major health problems surfaced for both Greg and Marilyn, with Marilyn dying in early 2016 and Greg passing on 24 June later that same year, too young for a superb athlete and a wonderful friend. Greg reflects about his life in his last letter dated 4 March 2016: "While I studied history, French and Latin at high school, and hated technical drawing, woodwork and metalwork, my left brain prevailed and I have no artistic skills. Can't play an instrument, sing or dance and have spent my life as an athlete enjoying the physical activity of a range of sports. Unfortunately as you age your body wears out and you can no longer do many of the physical adventures of the past."
Private Letters To The Welfare Secretary Of The Waterboard Retirees' Club.
The 30 or so letters from 2004 to 2016 to Mr Garry Tipping the welfare secretary of the Waterboard Retirees' Club cover a range of topics from Greg's time on Lord Howe Island to his retirement at Avoca Beach. He was candid about his health problems and was quite positive about living with such a major disability. In his many letters he enjoyed life on Lord Howe Island with his partner Marilyn and for the Club he shared his experiences in the article 'Engineering in Paradise' in 2012. 
In his letter of September 2008 from Lord Howe Island, he gives a spirited account of that most controversial incident in his football career and justifies his defence against the old guard in Rugby League. Later he details his involvement in the League since his retirement from playing professional football.
He proudly recounts his grandfather's and his father's war records, with his grandfather serving in both wars and his young father in the American Small Ships at the end of the war. He talks fondly of his Irish heritage and about his dear Swiss mother-in-law. 
He amusingly recounts why he prefers 'mission brown' at his first house at Kareela and remembers green painted concrete in the front yards near his boyhood home in Marrickville. Later in his retirement he tried to find jobs much to the detriment of his health. All his letters will be donated to the Mitchell Library for all to read and enjoy.
Postscript.
When Sydney Water asked for names of former employees to be considered for names of streets in the new suburb at Pott's Hill, Greg Pierce's name was submitted for consideration.
Submission for Greg Pierce's name to be considered for a street name in new subdivision at Pott's Hill.
Greg was a civil engineer with the Waterboard and Sydney Water, working in Water Investigations and Distribution Branches. He was the first Water Manager in the then new Northern Region at Chatswood. Greg was born in 1950 with his young father in the Small Ships in WWII and his grandfather having served in both WWI and WWII. While working at the Waterboard, Greg was playing professional Rugby League Football as the Captain of Cronulla-Sutherland and Vice-Captain of the Australian Team that toured Great Britain. During these times Greg was liked and respected by both staff and players alike being a quiet achiever in both his professional and sporting careers. When he left Sydney Water he became Water Manager at Gosford Council and later the Operating Manager for the idyllic Lord Howe Island. In 2003 he suffered a major health problem which he stoically accepted with the help of his supporting wife Marilyn. Now reaching the age of 60 he has returned to the mainland settling at Avoca Beach. In 2005 Greg was inducted into the Cronulla Shark's Hall of Fame as only one of five of the Shark's Immortals having played 206 games from 1969 to 1980 and coached the Sharks from 1981 to 1982. With the associated monetary award he honourably gave it away to the struggling family of a fellow player who had recently died of cancer. Such is the noble character of Greg Pierce as a role model to all young players and to the modern generation of professional engineers who now serve Sydney Water.
Memorabilia.
Below are poems and letters dedicated to the great, late Greg Pierce...
Greg Pierce 1950-2016.
"Greg of Team Sharks/
Their really beloved son,/
Played rugby of 2 codes/
Many trophies surely won./
So our dear Greg/
We all salute you,/
Forever in our memories/
You were to all so true!"
- Garry Tipping, 22 November 2018
To My Friend.
"The soul is now just flown,/
From the pain of the earthly body,/
Like a bird out of a golden cage,/
To wander around the heavens,/
And look happily down on us/
In our hour of need!/
Ave atque Vale Greg."
- Garry Tipping.
Junior football.
Pierce grew up in Marrickville on the outskirts of inner Sydney and played his junior football for Sydenham in the Newtown Juniors as well as for the Belmore Old Boys in the Canterbury junior league. He was recommended to join Gymea in the fledgling Cronulla Sharks junior league after Sydenham were unable to field a team in his age group.
Pierce was at university studying civil engineering when he was graded by Cronulla in 1969.
Club career.
Tommy Bishop also arrived at Cronulla in 1969 and after the departure of Ken Kearney as coach in 1970, Bishop took over as captain and coach. The first half of Pierce's top grade career was played under the tutelage of Bishop.
Pierce was in the Cronulla side which made it to the grand final in 1973 to be beaten 10–7 by Manly in a game still regarded as one of the most brutal grand finals ever fought out.
Pierce became Cronulla captain in 1975, a role he would hold till his retirement in 1980. In Cronulla's successful 1978 finals campaign Pierce was sent-off in the major semi-final win over Wests and given a four-match suspension. Along with Dane Sorensen who had been suspended in the final premiership round, Pierce missed the 11-all Grand Final draw against Manly and the midweek replay three days later. Cronulla missed their presence and as a result the club again failed to win the premiership. Pierce led the Sharks to victory in the final of the midweek Amco Cup in 1979. He retired at the end of the 1980 season to take on the full-time coaching responsibility of the club.
In total Pierce made 210 first grade appearances between 1969 and 1980 for the Sharks. This tally currently stands in sixth place on the Sharks all-time list for most appearances. In 2005 Pierce was made a Sharks "Immortal".
Open Rugby inaugural World XIII.
The Open Rugby inaugural World XIII was revealed in June 1978, it was; Graham Eadie, John Atkinson, Steve Rogers, Jean-Marc Bourret, Green Vigo, Roger Millward, Steve Nash, Jim Mills, Keith Elwell, Steve Pitchford, Terry Randall, George Nicholls, and Greg Pierce.
Representative career.
On the night of Cronulla's Grand Final loss to Manly the 1973 Kangaroo Tourists were announced and Pierce leapfrogged the usual City and NSW selection ladder to be named in the squad. He made his representative debut in the first Test against France in Perpignan in the process becoming Cronulla's first national representative player. He played one Test and seven minor matches on the tour.
Pierce played in the 1975 and 1977 World Series for a total of five World Cup appearances.
In 1978 Pierce captained both the City representative side and New South Wales before being announced captain for the trans-Tasman series against New Zealand. His captaincy was a surprise to the critics and to himself since Bob Fulton was also in the side with over ten Test appearances under his belt to that stage and ten years club captaincy experience.
Pierce captained Australia to a 24–2 victory in the first Test of that series becoming the first Cronulla player to do so. Steve Rogers is the only other Shark to have done so since.
Pierce was replaced by Queenslander Lew Platz for the second Test. The Whiticker source suggests this was so that the captaincy could be easily handed to Fulton since the selectors were then thinking about the upcoming year end Kangaroo Tour.
Pierce was back as vice-captain in the third Test of that 1978 series against New Zealand and was also announced as vice-captain for the 1978 Kangaroo tour. He appeared in four matches before a knee injury cut short his tour and prevented any further Test appearances.
Post playing.
Pierce followed Tommy Bishop as coach of the Sharks in 1981. They made the semi-finals that year but finished eighth in 1982 and Pierce left the club. He coached junior football on the Central Coast, New South Wales for a time, including coaching a Country Under 17s side. He moved to Lord Howe Island for a period where he was the island's operations manager. He returned to an active involvement with the Cronulla club in 1994 and was named one of the club's "Immortals " in 2003.
His grandfather, Arthur Folwell, was a 1933–34 Kangaroo Tourist who played two rugby league Tests for Australia. His father Richie Pierce was a successful referee and touch judge in the Newtown Juniors, and also for the New South Wales Rugby League.
Pierce was diagnosed with cancer in 2003, and died on 24 June 2016, aged 66.