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Ged rowed six seasons with Wauchope-Bonny Hills SLSC, including Juniors, Reserves and Open Male. This season he rowed with David Luck, Tony Kee, his best mate Mat Bird and they were swept by Manfred Sonntag. The crew name was Full Cassowary, and it was their second season together.
The crew had their best result at state titles this season, finishing in the top eight and missing the Surf Life Saving NSW Open Male Surf Boat Final in the closest of margins, and the crew were planning on making that final in 2021. Recently they held their own end of season rows and held their presentation via social media with Ged and his best mate 'Birdy' holding a mock surfboat race in a wheelbarrow.
Outside of Surfboats Ged was the President of the Wauchope Blues Rugby League Club for four years. He was a champion bloke for only 26 years old and had lived through a lot. His father Dan Roods also a rowed for Wauchope Bonny Hills and passed away in 2006.
Ged was known as an absolute larrikan, full of life, so reliable and an incredible athlete.
Ged is survived by his mother, Karen and siblings, older brother Aaron and younger sister Kristy.
The Australian Surf Rowers League, its members, and the wider surf boat community would like to pass on our condolences to the Roods family, Wauchope-Bonny Hills SLSC and wider Wauchope community.
AN OPEN LETTER BY TONY KEE, dated 12 April 2020
Dear Ged Roods
I have to write this as I can't bring myself to say it out loud. Ive had the privelege to know you for a long time now, we've rowed side by side for several seasons. It's a bit of a crazy sport, old Surfboat rowing.
I've heard it said that life is like Surfboats. We stand on the shore looking out, never sure what to expect but we take it on anyway, side by side. Some times we make it out clean, some times we get swamped and sometimes we catch the wave of the day from the turning cans and hit the beach first. And trust me mate we have done each of those many times!
They say your only ever as good as your last race so you will forever be a champion in my eyes. I dont know how we will ever be the same without you so I remember these words adapted by Wayne Gill which I used this afternoon as the sun sets on this day.
"I must go down to the sea today,
To the lonely sea and the sky.
Where I'll see you again old mate
In a Surfboat rowing by"
I know you'll be out there just over the horizon cracking waves with Buck, Stenno and your dad, Dan. And we all can't wait to see you again but we will cheers to you tonight and remember you forever!
