Lunches, Dinners And Sleep-ins: The Making Of A Grand Finalist

Sydney Morning Herald

Sunday September 22, 1991

GRAHAM CASSIDY

MONDAY: Up at 7am. Light breakfast with younger brother Grant before being picked up at his Penrith home by a hire car for drive to Circular Quay. With fellow Panther Colin Van Der Voort he witnessed the launch of the Bank of New Zealand's new 18-foot skiff. A keen water-skier during summer, "Wiz" set up a sail on the boat in the off-season. Early afternoon received a cortisone injection in his troublesome right shoulder. Weight work followed by team aerobics session (he stuck to the exercise bike). Video session at Penrith Park. Home to a meal of chicken, rice and vegies cooked by his mother, Rachel

TUESDAY: Welcome sleep-in until 9.30am. "I love my sleep, but you don't get too much in the week before a big match. You just keep dreaming about how the game will go." Team training between 10am-noon; mainly ball-work. Daily physiotherapy on his shoulder. "I can put some weight on it now." Smorgasbord lunch with teammates at Memories Restaurant within the bowels of Panthers palace. Part of walk-in, walk-out presentation of team to grand final lunch patrons. Last year at the same lunch the squad were subjected to personal interviews and video flashbacks and given a rapturous standing ovation, as if just making the grand final was good enough. This time the more subdued acclamation bespoke a general accord that the job was not yet done. Back to Penrith Park for a warm-up, light game of touch footie. Izzard didn't risk shoulder in team boxing session. Dinner alone at Royce Simmons's restaurant, The Wine Barrel. Home to watch Who's the Boss? and Married with Children on the box.

WEDNESDAY: Another long sleep-in after a fitful night. "The wind woke me up around 1am and I couldn't get back off. Found myself watching an old John Wayne western on the box until I dozed off about 2.30am." Team was given the day off by coach Phil Gould. Domestic duties around the house ... "just enough to keep the cockroaches at bay". Work-out on the exercise bike at Bailey's Gym at Mt Druitt, followed by light run. Visited long-time friend for a chat about things other than football. Afternoon sleep, then over to his parents' house at Blacktown for a slap-up meal. Thought seriously about seeing his girlfriend but decided "it would be better to hit the hay early ... the next couple of days will be fairly hectic; she understands the situation".

THURSDAY: Rose at 7am and went to Telecom offices at Rooty Hill where he is a supervisor. The place was decked out in Penrith colours. Did the rounds of work sites where the talk was all football-related. Early afternoon physiotherapy on his shoulder. Team training from 4.30pm, mainly sprints and ball-work. Team travelled by bus to No Names Restaurant for feast of friends, then on to the Regent Hotel. Shared room with Colin Bentley. Watched in-house video Spys Like Us and last part of Police Squad. "Got some good laughs ... helped take our mind of the game." Asleep by 11pm.

FRIDAY: Poor early riser so the 6am wake-up call was ignored. Finally jumped in the shower to freshen up before Breakfast with the Stars' function in the Regent ballroom. Penrith team was presented to breakfast guests. Eyeball contact with Canberra players but not much else. More physiotherapy on the shoulder. Got the all-clear from the club doctor to play. "Feel great now." He might even start the game instead of being on the bench. Light training run at Penrith Park, followed by club barbecue. Rounded out the night with a few ales with mates from the bush, plenty of nostalgia about the old days and a heady game of Pictionary.

SATURDAY: Woken from a deep sleep by a group of well-wishers around 9am. Did some maintenance on pet rabbit Snowball's cage. Went to menswear shop in Penrith to be fitted for new suit. "I've got my testimonial dinner on next Saturday night so thought I would get a new suit for the occasion." Packed his gear. "I'm not superstitious but I tend to wear the same pair of socks. And I never polish my shoes." Does he bless himself before a game? "No, I'll leave that for Mario (Fenech)." Team went by bus to Barker's Lodge at Randwick. Chatted with several teammates about set plays and generally relaxed. Dinner at No Names Restaurant. Finished off the night at the movies in the city. "Couldn't stand just going back to the room, that would have driven a few of us crazy."

SUNDAY: Joined teammates for a leisurely 2km walk through the grounds of NSW University, followed by a light breakfast. Found it hard to keep still before the bus trip to the football stadium. Had two pain-killing injections in his still-tender right shoulder before leaving the dressing room. Played magnificently in the second half, scoring Penrith's second try. "That try was just fantastic - certainly made me feel better after losing the ball over the line earlier. I'm going to be celebrating all night, and I've got the week off work to celebrate some more."

Next month, Wiz will leave with the team for a two-week holiday in Los Angeles, New Orleans and Hawaii.

Izzard has re-signed with the Panthers for another two years. With more than 200 first-grade games already to his credit he has his heart set on breaking Royce Simmons's club record.