John ‘Chow’ Hayes Wests Player number 589 (1961)
*Western Suburbs Life Member 58
North Sydney Life Member (Norths do not use a numbering system)
Chow played for Wests 1958 – 1970
Chow’s tally of games included 160 First Grade games, 34 Reserve Grade and 40 Third Grade games.
During Chow’s 13 years at Wests he total 73 points in all Grades
This total is made up with 23 tries and 2 goals
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Vale below was written by Rick Wayde
To meet John Hayes and say, “How are you, mate?”, the inevitable reply was, “Never seen it brighter”. Such a wonderful greeting!!
Chances are that he would ask you ‘where you got that polo shirt’…and that one of them would look good on him…
‘Chow’…how did he get that nickname? Some nicknames are very creative, however, I reckon John’s didn’t display much thought…to be named after Frederick ‘Chow’ Hayes, a convicted double murderer who was sentenced to hang in 1952, was totally at odds with the lovable ‘Chow’ that we knew, a man who went on to be a Chief Inspector in the NSW Police Force.
The Real Chow Hayes
Rugby league was undoubtedly in ‘our’ Chow’s DNA, with his junior clubs including Granville Diggers, Haberfield and South Strathfield.
His early days at Wests must have seemed like a dream, with John selected for President’s Cup in 1958…Wests won the Cup, then, he progressed to Third Grade, which also won the comp. The Magpies had a strong year in ’59 and were Club Champions in 1960…Chow was voted ‘Best Player’ in the lower grades in both those years. Then, John became a vital part of the Wests First Grade grand final sides of 1961, 62 and 63.
1961 Grand Final
1962 Grand Final
The Famous 1963 Grand Final
His first grade debut was truly memorable!
Wests Archivist Geoff Ibbett, remarkably, has researched a ‘match report’ on each Magpie game played from 1908 until 1999…he reports…
Chow’s debut, versus Newtown at Henson Park on April 15th., 1961 was in a fiery match where Denis Meaney and Peter Dimond were sent off (Peter had ‘extracted’ four teeth from his opposing winger, Dudley Towers) and Wests were left to battle on with eleven men…with Chow to the fore…he’s mentioned in every report as the rampaging forward standing shoulder to shoulder with Kel O’Shea, Neville Charlton and Kevin Smyth, to bulldoze the Newtown pack and win 25-15.
John (it seems strange to call him, ‘John’) represented NSW in both games in Brisbane in that halcyon year of ’61.
As part of a Lidcombe gang that followed Wests everywhere, we were all John Hayes fans from the start. Inevitably with his sleeves rolled up, sometimes in head gear, he had a habit of repeatedly hitching up his shorts, especially if Wests were going well…and, mostly, they were!
A wonderful game that stands out in my memory was at the SCG on the holiday Monday, June 10th., 1963. The Magpies, second on the table, one point behind Saints were playing third placed North Sydney.
Wests fielded the actual ’63 grand final team: Parish, Mowbray, McGuinness, McDougall, Dimond, Summons ©, Malone, Smyth, Hayes, O’Shea, Meaney, Kelly, Gibson.
Norths’ side wasn’t too shabby, including: Fred Griffiths ©, Irvine, Cubis, Sladden, Merv Cross, Warner and the veteran props Roy Fisher and Billy Wilson. Wilson had captained Australia a couple of weeks earlier.
It was the era when, “even granny tuned her trannie to the new UW”, however, at 3pm on game day, you moved the dial to 2SM and Frank Hyde. During 1963, Frank had Ken McCaffrey as his side-kick at the card table on halfway at the SCG.
After Wests repelled, and then bettered, everything that Norths could physically throw at them, they decided to play football. With the Magpies defending the Randwick end, Chow made a break out of Wests ‘25’ and sent Peter Dimond away on the right wing, along the Bob Stand side. The brilliant attacking raid resulted in a Gil McDougall try, prompting Ken McCaffrey to comment that, “this Western Suburbs side can really play football when they put their minds to it”.
They won that day 10-6 and proved McCaffrey’s point, making the grand final for a third successive year, where they played St. George and Darcy Lawler. Jack Gibson’s dressing room advice to his team mates is well documented, “If you backed yourselves, lay it off”.
Chow Hayes received the benefit of Jack’s support when called out of a scrum in the SCG mud for a Lawler ‘caution’. Gibson walked over and said, “There’ll be no send-offs today, Darcy, or I’ll give you up”. A curious conversation for a police officer to overhear.
Chow must have come close to 1963-64 Kangaroo selection, with the team announced on the night of the Gladiators grand final. He was still in the selectors thoughts when he played for NSW against the touring Frenchmen on June 6th, 1964.
Hayes was a big part of, as coach Jack Fitzgerald put it, “finally winning something”… the Ampol Cup, with the final played a week after the 1963 grand final and four Wests Players away with that great Kangaroo side (Summons as captain-coach, Kelly, Dimond, Smyth). Wests beat Parramatta 17-11. Incredibly, Chow kicked a goal. How that happened with renowned kickers Don Parish, Ken Bray and Dave Barsley in the side, defies logic.
An ankle injury ruled Chow out against the Frenchmen who toured here for the World Cup of 1968. They played Kelly’s Kids at Lidcombe, in a night game. Ned also missed the game but he fired up his charges and it was a spiteful, no holds barred clash which the Frenchman won on the bell before a packed Lidcombe crowd. Inspector Hayes’ calming influence would have been appreciated by referee Les Samuelson who approached Wests tough winger Mick Alchin and suggested, “I’m not sending you off, but I would like you to leave”.
The ultimate clubman that he was, Chow was captaining Wests Reserves when Kelly’s team beat 1969 Premiers Balmain at Leichhardt, just three weeks out from the semis.
John Hayes wound up his playing career at the end of 1970. Over the thirteen year career he had played 121 ‘official’ First Grade games, plus 34 games in Seconds, 40 matches in Thirds, 33 first grade pre-season, 6 State Cup and two Ampol Cup fixtures. A grand total of 236 games, placing Chow fifth on the list of most games ever played for the Magpies.
As Archivist Geoff Ibbett observes, “In many reports over the years he is often referred to as ‘the form forward in Sydney’”.
Chow and his great mate, Ned Kelly, were the ‘Players’ Reps.’ on Committee from 1965-67; John was also on the Magpies Social Committee in those years (a perfect fit for Chow).
Immediately after quitting as a Player, Chow coached Wests Seconds 1971-73, with semi final success, and was part of the Grading Committee (‘71-74) that assisted Don Parish to assemble a side to make the Finals. He is a Magpie Life Member.
Chow moved on to assist Kelly as coach at North Sydney. Ned had accepted Bears’ Secretary Harry ‘Acker’ Forbes’ famous invitation to, “throw his ring in the hat”. Chow returned to coach the Norths’ Firsts during 1975 and ’76, with a very creditable 44% winning record.
John Hayes became Chief Inspector at The Rocks, where he was known as ‘everyone’s friend’. It’s doubtful if he ever made an arrest, certainly not in anger.
The legendary Kelly-Hayes friendship was tested, though, at Chow’s formal retirement function, with Kelly ‘lowering the boom’ on various ‘off the record Kelly-Hayes social activities’. Chow, of course, always managed to console himself at the ‘Birdies Club’, within walking distance at home in Collaroy.
John Hayes got to wear the green and gold blazer, when he was appointed Manager of the Wayne Bennett coached Australian sides during 2004 and 2005. His Queensland co-manager was Steve Walters and Chow promptly installed Walters as the ‘night manager’… while Chow excelled on the day shift.
John was part of the selection group of 130 experts assembled by the NRL at the end of 2007, to pick the Australian Team of the Century. Western Suburbs were represented by Noel Kelly, selected at hooker.
Conversely, Ned might not have picked Chow in a TOC, however, his description of John as a ‘Loomer’ on a football field, disguised his respect for Chow as an ever present support player.
John Hayes contributed twenty years or more in assisting the NSWRL Review Committee, every Monday in Phillip Street. To suggest that Chow finally gave it up because NSWRL moved to Olympic Park, away from the popular Chinese restaurant in the old NSW Leagues could be a little harsh.
It was impossible not to love the man…John Thomas Hayes.
God Speed, Chow…hitch up your shorts, put on a Magpie polo shirt and head for that big Birdies’ Club in the sky…and when you get there, tell Ned and the ’63 crew that it’s Lawler’s shout!
Below are a few photos of Chow over the years and also some Wests teams he played in.
Chow, Bede Goff, Dennis Meaney with Wests coach Jack Fitzgerald feeding the ball into the scrum
Chow tackling Ron Saddler with Barry Glasgow in the background
Chow loved attending Wests Functions to catch up with mates
Below are a few photos taken by me over the last 20 years
Peter Dimond, Keith Holman and Chow in the Wests dressing room at Pratten Park
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Tributes and Reflections
JOHN ‘CHOW’ HAYES
- Chow was a team mate, a Coach and a lifelong friend to me and our family. We will miss him dearly however the memories will live on. RIP
Steve Winter and Family
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- Goodbye old mate.
Kevin Owens
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- Mate what a shock. Sitting in Hervey Bay just thinking how lucky we were in the 70’s & 80’s with blokes like Chow, Ned, Luggs, Spaniard, George, Packo, Wishbone, Topweight, all there beside the coaching staff to mentor, pull your head in or help out with anything they could.
Every one of these blokes, but in particular Chow & Ned went out of their way to mentor me before every match and accordingly put shit on me after every one of those matches.
I love all of them for what they did for us when they really didn’t have to. Chow’s love of the game and Wests, along with all these blokes is what made Wests the club we all love and fight for.
God bless you Chow, a better man there never was!
Terry Leabeater
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- Everyone loved Chow! My Sister-in-Law sat next to Chow at our Music, Memories and Munchies a few years ago, meeting him for the first time. I remember her telling me how lovely Chow was and that he was an absolute Gentleman.
Nathan Cole
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- Not only a champion footballer but a champion bloke. Had many a great and funny times with ‘Chow’ at the Collaroy Beach Club, on the bus travelling to the annual reunions from the Northern Beaches and at the reunion itself and a number of Family of League functions at North Narrabeen Surf Club.
Always good company with a mischievous sense of humour, he will be sorely missed
Steve Winbank
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- Sincere condolences to Chow’s family
Kevin Hayward
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- I send my condolences to Chow’s Family.
I have known ‘Chow’ since I moved to Sydney in the early 70’s to play with Wests. I have such great memories of that time & all the help shown to me by him! Such a wonderful man & thorough Gentleman.
May you Rest in Peace dear friend.
Jim Murphy
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- Please pass on my condolences and prayers to John’s family. He was a great footballer and even a greater man.
Terry Gale
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- I first met Chow when he was directing traffic at the intersection of Regent Street and Broadway. He was going to book me for Jay walking.
Always had a humorous nature together with his precise detail for understanding others, which made him such an exceptional friend!
RIP old mate we are all going to miss you.
Phil Franks
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- In the late 50’s we used to get a 9-gallon keg in the boot of the Holden and cross the river on Putney punt form a circle with our cars.
Big Jack Conna would tap the keg. He was the only one allowed to do this.
It was before we had girlfriends so Chow would sing ‘walking my baby back home’ backed up by the gang. Big Jack would whistle the ‘yellow breasted sap sucker’.
At the end of the keg, we would all drive home over Ryde bridge blind drunk.
Jack ‘Nipper’ Leary
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Order of Service
“Think where mans’ glory most begins and ends
And say my glory was I had such friends” – Yeats