Randwick rugby honours the life of Peter ‘Marzo’ Meagher
Before Peter “Marzo” Meagher was tragically killed in the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in December, his life was defined by his service to the NSW Police and Randwick Rugby Club. The work Meagher did for others was tireless and time-consuming, but it was always done without ceremony.
It was fitting that on Saturday, before Randwick’s first home game of the Shute Shield season against Eastern Suburbs, there was a tribute to Meagher, with his nickname Marzo written in bold on the Coogee Oval pitch, which puts him center stage.
Three parts of Meagher’s world were represented: family, Randwick Rugby Club and the police. His wife, Virginia, was joined by brothers Greg, Paul and Andrew. The NSW Police group portrayed both Randwick and Eastern Suburbs players on the field. By the afternoon, a large crowd had gathered to fill the area, forming queues in front of the door.
Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh and NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon also led both teams into a minute’s silence to remember a man who always put others before himself.
After 35 years of distinguished service with the NSW Police, Meagher had enjoyed more time for his other passion, photography, which unfortunately put him in danger at Bondi Beach on December 14.
Meagher was taking photographs of a large Hanukkah gathering for the local Jewish community before he was killed.
The Meagher family has been involved with Randwick Rugby Club for over 100 years; Peter first volunteered as a ball boy at Coogee Oval when he was five years old.
He has refereed more than 500 matches, spent two decades as team manager in the lower grades and spent the last eight years helping manage the varsity team at the Galloping Greens.
Former Wallaby and Randwick player Morgan Turinui had watched Meagher do countless untold and unseen deeds since he was a young player at the club, but ahead of the first home game of the season it was clear to all just how irreplaceable Marzo was.
“Everyone was feeling the absence of Marzo and before the match they were still discovering the little things that he would do that we assumed were somehow done,” Turinui said.
“There were things we never thought he would do – now people have to buy jerseys, organize them, put them in lockers and there are a lot of little things that you take for granted.
“He was volunteering for rugby at pretty much every season of his life, he was Randwick rugby royalty but you wouldn’t know it. He was very quiet and unassuming, just done with work, never made a fuss.”
Everything Meagher did was with great effort and dedication, but it was also compartmentalized. At Randwick he was completely focused on ensuring every player had everything they needed to deliver, whether it was a spare strap or a kind word before taking to the field.
During his long career with the police as a detective, upcoming rugby matches at Randwick were rarely mentioned.
On Saturday, Lanyon and his colleagues were honored to help bring Meagher’s worlds together; They gave them the opportunity to spend time in a place that meant so much to Meagher, and where she meant so much more to them.
“As horrific as his funeral was, I think when you listen to some of the actual conversations about Peter, he was always expressing himself, always being the last one there, always cleaning up when everyone else left. That’s Peter,” Lanyon said.
“Peter was always understated, always thinking of others before himself and I think selflessness is the quality I admire in police.
“Having a life of service is certainly something worth remembering.”
