Green Machine memories

Josh Dugan scored his second try in the last minute as the CANBERRA RAIDERS beat the ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS, 24-19, in today's MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL match -- reminding me of my introduction to AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE while I listened online.
PRIME SPORTS NORTHWEST was the name of a cable network we watched when we lived in OREGON in the early 1990s. Besides local college sports, English soccer and Australian Rules Football, the network broadcast Australian Rugby League.
I paid particularly close attention during the 1994 season.
Dubbed "The Green Machine," Canberra were among the top-class clubs in the league, finishing third during the regular campaign and beating Canterbury in the Grand Final.
Coached by Tim Sheens, the Raiders included a clutch of stars -- household names Down Under and in one house in Lakeview, Ore. -- Mal Meninga, Noa Nadruku, Laurie Daley (pictured), Ricky Stuart, David Furner and Bradley Clyde, among others. They were a stylish team and a successful one, having won titles in 1989 and 1990 and finishing as runners-up in 1987 and 1991.
I was unable to watch rugby league after our tenure in Oregon, and it wasn't until my trip to SYDNEY last year that I reconnected with the sport.
Now, I listen when I can on the radio online, like today, when I heard a bit of that Green Machine magic once again.