From the word go this bloke had everyone in the multi-purpose centre in stitches of laughter and at one stage I had to wipe the tears away from my face. Crawf's introduction went like this: "Mick is an author, poet and sports commentator. He is also persistent.

"It took him three goes to get his driver's licence, two goes to get into University, three goes to get his Surf Life Saving bronze medal, three girlfriends to get off the mark and 42 years to realise his dreams of playing for Australia.

"To share this incredible story please welcome Mick Collis."

After his introduction, Mick then went on to inform everyone how he became vice-captain of the first-ever Australian Sudoku team to compete at the World Championships in India alongside Mark Skiffington, Hamish and Sandy Sutherland. "And he has got the blazer to prove it."

Let me just say if the people who were in attendance at The Bowl last Saturday night didn't get a giggle out of the speech of Mick Colliss they are very hard to please.

JUST under 450 past and present players and supporters somehow packed themselves into the MPC last Saturday for a great night out which became bigger and longer for a few diehards. On more than one occasion I have heard Sunday sunrise entered into the equation.

LAST Sunday I attended the bowling club lunchtime raffles where I was sharing a table with Mick Steep, Barry Kliendienst and Max Holstein. The conversation came around to how the Rams ball went the previous evening. It was then that I told the trio that organises had come up with a novel idea of delivering beer to the tables in a bucket - which drew a response from one of the boys "what in stubbies?"

Immediately I informed them that wasn't the case, the buckets were full of beer and all you had to do was dip your glass into the bucket for a refill. Max looked me straight in the eye and quizzed me with "I hope you're joking Andrew". He looked somewhat relieved when I replied in the affirmative.

EARLIER in the week a few of the Walcha Council parks and gardens staff members were having a yarn in the mailroom during the morning tea adjournment when the subject of a beep test came up.

Brayden Bloomfield informed the rest of us that he had to do one before joining the police force and he had been struggling a bit with his previous efforts. Relieving Urban Works supervisor Harley Fontanella then asked Brayden if he had been doing much towards his fitness preparation to which Brayden replied he had been doing a lot of walking around the house.

Aidan Dyason and Hayden Jarman nearly fell off the chairs. Personally I wasn't sure if Brayden was having us on or not. Maybe he was.

The Walcha Rugby League presentation night is being held at the bowling club on Saturday, August 31 from 6pm. Tickets are available from Moons Bakery and New Beginnings at $25 per person. Please assist by purchasing yours by tomorrow if you haven't already done so.

Sad to hear Perice Pelican caused the blackout in town when he hit high voltage power lines near the Fitzroy Street Bridge last Sunday and now has gone to pelican heaven. It didn't take long for some comedians to suggest it would probably be BBQ pelican wings on some menus that evening.

Big Wigs of the Week: Apsley- Scotty Withers; Newie - Perc Berry, Tim Beaumont, Mick O'Reilly, Peter and Mick Steep all 14 points. Vet Supplies- Dion Bird, Peter and Harry King, Jason Scott all 12 points. With three rounds remaining in most footy tipping competitions it is either stay in front or catch up time for some tipsters. The problem is if you go for upsets to catch up on and they don't come off the further you get behind. Good luck.

A few people went close to guessing the people in the snowman photo in last week's Walcha News but no one got the lot right. The first seven people I spoke to about it reckoned Julie Flanagan was Anne Martin. They were - back row: Ross Sullivan, AJ Cross, Stephen Jones Front row: Colleen Madeley, Julie Flanagan (Foster), Rodney Natty, Bobbie Osmond, Gary Natty. We Built frosty in 1974.