Around 30 years ago, I visited former Souths great Eric Simms in his modest Redfern apartment to do a story about life since his retirement. We spoke about many things but the one line that stuck with me forever was his views on the new - at that time - around-the-corner soccer-style kicking technique that had come into fashion. Simms - and just about every other Aussie goalkicker since 1908 at that time - was an old-fashioned "toe poker"; yet still managed to score more than 1800 points in a distinguished career. "I just don't know how they do it," Simms told me with a wry smile several times. "I tried it once … the ball just dribbled along the ground." So it's ironic that Simms' point-scoring record at Souths finally fell last weekend to Adam Reynolds, an around-the-corner style kicker. Sadly, Simms, who now lives in a nursing home, was totally unaware of the record. He has severe dementia and according to his loved ones, barely remembers even playing football.
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