Tommy Raudonikis dies aged 70

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I thought he was awful. The savage hair-pulling of Steven Knight in 78 was appalling.
Tommy was from a time when men were men and complaints were pointless...

You wanted respect than you had to step up and earn it - Tom was only 5'7" and 73kg but he played like he was 7 foot...

he was no choir boy but he weren't nobody's altar boy either and, yeah, he let em all know that you might beat him, but you were gonna damn well earn it...
 
I thought he was awful. The savage hair-pulling of Steven Knight in 78 was appalling.
Certainly used thuggish tactics on the field but as a small player himself that did seem to fire up his teammates. On the other hand I never heard of any off-field scandals or bad behaviour, his reputation was that of a knock-about bloke who was good-natured and always happy to have a beer and a yarn with strangers in pubs, which was how I found him to be a few times down Newtown way.
 
Certainly used thuggish tactics on the field but as a small player himself that did seem to fire up his teammates. On the other hand I never heard of any off-field scandals or bad behaviour, his reputation was that of a knock-about bloke who was good-natured and always happy to have a beer and a yarn with strangers in pubs, which was how I found him to be a few times down Newtown way.
I met Tommy once
He said to me . What are you doing supporting a club like Manly
But as you say he was good nature and down to earth
 
Classic story about him in Johnny Lewis' biography, hopping on a light plane straight after a footy match (after stopping off at a bottle shop to grab a case of beer for the flight) with Johnny & one of his champion boxers to put on an exhibition bout in some country town.
 
As a young bloke dad was really crook and moved the family from Mosman to Auburn to be closer to his business. Apart from the culture shock, you can only imagine what it was like living in Auburn in the 1970s and supporting Manly. It really was quite hazardous to your health. I went to every Wests/Manly game at Lidcombe Oval dressed in the maroon and white and sat on the hill behind the posts. For most of the game I had one eye on the match and one eye keeping a lookout for a half filled beer can being flung at my head.

Regardless of the score I would always stay after the games to get autographs from players from both sides. The first time I met Tommy he made a crack about me travelling so far from Silvertail country, I explained I had just moved to Auburn and told him about my dad being crook. He signed my autograph book and just talked to me for what seemed like hours but in reality was probably a few minutes. Tommy was all class and became a hero of mine from that day. I have shed the odd tear or two since hearing the news.

Every team this weekend should wear black arm bands and every game should observe a minutes silence out of respect for him. RIP Tommy.
 
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This is a documentary about the motivation of sports Gladiators

Tommy Typified the spirit of the motivated Gladiator

 
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Tommy.

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CATTLE DOG !!!!!!
 
Born at Bathurst, the son of a Lithuanian immigrant father and a Swiss immigrant mother. He joined the RAAF as an Engineering Apprentice in 1967 and spent three years under training at RAAF Wagga.

Not directing this at you mate, but Fox has him as son of Ukrainian parents. I'm with your version. You'd think after his 70 eventful years and the way media blow wind up his backside you'd think they'd at least get it right!
 
He’s been fighting the cancer fight for a long time.
‘I remember watching an Australian story episode about him,
‘and when he talked about how many different cancers he was fighting, I remember saying to my old man, if anyone can hang in there, it’ll be Tommy. Tough as nails.
You can finally rest in peace now Tommy.
 
Not directing this at you mate, but Fox has him as son of Ukrainian parents. I'm with your version. You'd think after his 70 eventful years and the way media blow wind up his backside you'd think they'd at least get it right!

I just got that from Wikipedia, but I see that same version is in this story too:

"His toughness is likely attributable to his upbringing, raised in a Cowra Transit camp for migrants, the son of a Lithuanian soldier who escaped a Nazi PoW camp and a Swiss immigrant mother."
 

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