When David Codey had his old Queensland jersey framed, he kept the dried blood on the collar as a little reminder of the full-on ferocity of matches against NSW.
There’s no explanatory plaque anywhere on the frame suggesting that the tall, combative flanker actually brought it on himself during a crazy period in 1984.
Sure, plenty of players have jumped the border over the years to play for both states. You only have to checklist Izaia Perese, Rob Simmons and Karmichael Hunt from recent years. Take a look at our star-studded Border-Jumpers XV to end this story.
What Codey did in 1984 has a rare place in Australian rugby history. You want inflammatory. His move was the definition.
He played for both states. In the same season. In the same interstate series. Inside six weeks. No wonder Simon Poidevin’s eyes were spinning as teammate-turned foe.
The now-President of Rugby Australia took some prompting to delve into 1984 but what better time for Codey than the countdown to the latest “Battle of the Border” set for Leichhardt Oval on Friday night.
The champion Reds against the upstart Waratahs on the rebuild. There is a timeless theme right there.
Codey was all-in with NSW for the May 19 clash at Concord Oval in 1984. While he was schooled at Shore and played for Sydney’s Northern Suburbs club, he was actually selected from NSW Country from his home town of Orange where he was involved in a fresh seafood business.
The Waratahs lost the match 12-6 and were set on revenge in the return encounter at Ballymore on July 1.
Codey started chatting with Queensland captain Andrew Slack. They were amateur days so the conversation was more about job prospects in Brisbane than rugby.
“I started talking to ‘Slacky’ about job possibilities. One thing led to another and I said I might come up to Brisbane to have a look,” Codey, 64, recalled.
A job as state marketing manager with Besser Queensland materialised and Codey was packing his bags.
He linked with the GPS club where former Norths club mate Mike Colman was a chatty, lower grade winger with occasional zip. Codey had a blinder against a Wests side coached by Alex Evans and stacked with Bill Campbell, Troy Coker and co.
“It wasn’t a strategic move for rugby. It was for other reasons that I changed states but I don’t think that really mattered to ‘Poido’ when the return interstate game came along,” Codey said.
“Poido took it upon himself to remind me in a physical and verbal way that he wasn’t very happy with the situation. There was a lot of R-rated stuff in rucks. It was the ‘80s remember.
“The word ‘traitor’ was thrown about but nothing too damaging. I might have mentioned ‘look at the scoreboard’ at full-time.”
Sure enough, Codey was part of a 13-3 Queensland win.
Wallabies great Poidevin never threw himself at any Queensland side at less than 100 per cent.
“The boy from Orange suddenly became a banana-bender. It was a pretty rare event to switch rugby states back then. It was only Queensland and NSW,” Poidevin said.
“’Codes’ was always someone with chuckle and cheek on the field. I’m sure there was some argy-bargy in the lineouts and some words exchanged.”
Codey had imagined he might be a “one-Test wonder” after a less than glorious role in Australia’s first-ever loss to Argentina at Ballymore in 1983.
“I thought I’d never play for the Wallabies again with the question marks,” Codey said.
The move to Queensland was a game-changer, especially that game against Wests. Evans popped the name “Codey” in the ear of Wallabies coach Alan Jones.
Eighteen months after his flat Test debut, Codey was back as a Test flanker to partner Poidevin for three Tests on the famous Grand Slam tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Codey played 13 Tests in all and captained his country. He settled in Queensland and daughter Annabelle is getting ready to play lock for the Queensland Reds in SuperW.
He knows he’ll never be a true Queenslander.
“Of course. If you are not a born Queenslander you are not spilling Queensland blood. I do like that about the way Queenslanders think,” Codey said.
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He happily supports NSW at State of Origin time in a household of Queenslanders.
“My daughter Elizabeth did too until about four years ago because she felt sorry for me. That was until she said ‘I just can’t support NSW anymore...you are on your own’,” Codey said with a laugh.
“I respect that.”
Poidevin’s son Christian played under Waratahs coach Darren Coleman when he masterminded a Championship for the Los Angeles Giltinis in the US last year.
“Everywhere he goes, Darren has success. He has a remarkable skill to bring teams together and he’s tactically smart,” Poidevin said.
Poidevin has never changed his spots: “Waratahs to win.”
BORDER-JUMPERS XV (Players who have played for Queensland and NSW)
Chris Latham
Drew Mitchell
Jason Little
Geoff Shaw
Wendell Sailor
Nathan Spooner
Brian Smith
Greg Cornelsen
David Codey (c)
Rob Simmons
Van Humphries
Kane Douglas
Andrew Heath
Brendan Cannon
Tony Daly
