ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
AN ELDERLY COUPLE discovered the hard way last year that they were the only people in a small QLD town who were supporting the NSW Blues.
Bethany and Ernest Page, both 89, retired to the sleepy outback Queensland town of Longreach in early 2014 after leaving behind the hustle and bustle of Roma.
Having both grown up in Tenterfield, their allegiance to the NSW Blues was not something they could hide.
in 2o14, they celebrated the Blues’ epic game 2 victory over the Maroons at the Imperial Hotel – it was there that they found themselves to be outnumbered in an extremely hostile environment.
What happened next shocked inner-city Blues players around Australia.
Ernest, was knocked to the ground and stomped on by his friends and neighbours until he lost consciousness as up to five Maroons fans (also believed to be in their 80s) laid into him with pool cues.
Bethany was “glassed” by her irate former bridge partner, Judith, who then proceeded to beat her until she blacked out.
Sometime during the prolonged assault, Ernest’s heart stopped beating and the paramedics were called.
Much to the relief of all those there that night, the town’s only paramedic Darryl Seymour was able resuscitate and stabilise Mr Page. After finally regaining consciousness, it’s understood that Ernest made a cheeky remark about incest.
This year, they’re not taking any chances.
Ernest has spent the past few years diligently researching ways to protect his wife and himself from a “rum-ed up hoard of mouth-breathing Queenslanders” during the Origin games.
Imported from the US state of Oklahoma, the Page’s have installed a tornado shelter in backyard of their Galah Street home.
“These animals almost killed us last year,” said Mr Page.
“But this shelter here can stand up to some real punishment – it can withstand a direct hit from an F5 tornado,”
“Anything is better than getting mouth-to-mouth from that moustahced paramedic again.”
