Joe Reaiche

Joseph "Joe" Reaiche (REESH; born 20 March 1958) is an Australian Rugby League football player of the late-1970s and early-1980s. He played in the New South Wales Rugby League Football Competition (NSWRL); now called the National Rugby League; NRL. He debut his rookie year with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters Rugby League team (now the Sydney Roosters) in 1978, then with the Canterbury Bulldogs and the South Sydney Rabbitohs.^[2] He is the father of American actress Alanna Masterson.^[1]

Early life and education

Joe was born in the suburb of Redfern in Sydney, Australia; and is the middle sibling of a younger brother and sister and two older sisters. He began playing Rugby League with his brother Tony with the local kids at Redfern Park that was adjacent to Redfern Oval; home to the famous Rugby League football team the South Sydney Rabbitohs, currently owned by Australian actor Russell Crowe and Billionaire James Packer.

Career

Early in Joe's career most Australians were not favorable towards any foreign immigrants, and Joe's Lebanese heritage was not spared their wrath either. Despite this issue neither discrimination, bullying or racism; never wavered Joe nor his brother's passion to play footy and would always watch the Rabbitoh games by climbing the Oval's 10-foot high barbed wire fence.

By the age of 10 Reaiche went to St Mary’s Cathedral College, Sydney a Roman Catholic Secondary School in the city; where he played in his first official Rugby League team. He also was selected to play representative district football for the Sydney Roosters Juniors. This accomplishment; while excelling at school academically; spared him from ever being expelled despite constant reprimanding, detention and corporal punishment by the Christian Brothers.

Then all of a sudden his father decided in late October 1972; to leave Australia and move to Beirut, Lebanon and never return. Joe was forced to leave his friends; and more importantly his joy and passion for playing Rugby League.

After a rough 6 months Joe finally settled in to attend the Good Shepherd Secondary Institute (GSSI) School in the suburb of Achrafieh. There was no Rugby League being played in Lebanon, so Joe decided to take up the game of soccer with the school's team. Realizing that the students were from all various religion beliefs and militia faction groups Joe and his brother began teaching the students on how to play Rugby League. With no real grass playing fields; they began teaching them on the schools concrete grounds with full tackling techniques; and much to the amusement and shock of the teachers and fellow students.

Then the political landscape changed drastically and sectarian fighting between all of the various militias of the Christian, Palestinian and Muslim forces escalated. Joe was now left with dodging death from the vicious civil war. His parents, fearing for his life; decided to send him back to Sydney. Sadly Joe lost some of his close school buddies of the rugby league team; that had an immense effect on his life.

In 1977; and back to playing Rugby League despite a 4-year absence; Reaiche captained the Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham First's XIII Rugby League team. He became the highest point scorer in the metropolitan college league division that year and was awarded Best & Fairest Player (similar to the Most valuable player; or MVP in American sporting events); in all of the four sudden death knock-out games he played in at the GIO Schoolboy Cup, formerly the St. Gregory's Campbelltown Rugby League Knock Out Competition. That award was presented to him by Rugby League legend Ron Coote. Later that year, the school team lost its coach due to an unexpected death; so Joe took over the coaching job and lead the team to victory in the Metropolitan Catholic Colleges Sports Association; MCC Final at Henson Park defeating Marcellin College Randwick; where he scored 13 of the teams 25 points in their 25-15 victory.

Then in January 1978; at the age of 19; Reaiche was drafted into the Sydney Roosters Rugby League Squad; where he played in their First Grade team alongside some of the Rugby Leagues greatest players like, The Immortals (rugby league); Arthur Beetson, Bob Fulton, and some of the teams most outstanding players in Russell Fairfax, Mark Harris, Bill Mullins and Kevin Hastings. In 1981, he played for the Canterbury Bulldogs; where he played alongside the Club's famous sets of brothers; the Mortimer Brothers Steve Mortimer, Peter and Chris; the Hughes Brothers as in Greg Hughes; Mark and Gary; and the Gearin Brothers who all went to Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham; as in Steve Gearin; Paul and Greg.

In 1982 he played first grade for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, where he fulfilled his childhood dream of playing 1st Grade for the team on its home field of Redfern Oval; from where he used to watch from the hilltop as a kid with his brother.

Personal life

After finishing his final year in 1983 with the Sydney Roosters, Joe headed to North America where he met Carol (née Masterson); who had 2 children of her own. They both married in 1985 and added 2 more children to the family starting with his son Jordan; who was born at the Mease Hospital in Dunedin, Florida in 1986; and his daughter Alanna; born at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, New York in 1988. Both Jordan and Alanna; who are current actors in the United States; use the last name Masterson professionally; due to their two older brothers Danny; who starred in the TV series That '70s Show; and half-brother Christopher; who starred in the TV series Malcolm in the Middle. The family moved to California in 1993 from New York to further their kids acting careers, managed by their mother Carol.

Joe and Carol divorced in 1995; all the siblings careers began to take off from about 1998 onward for Danny and Chris in TV sitcoms followed by Jordan and Alanna a few years later. As of 2012 Jordan plays the role of Ryan Vogelson on the current TV Series Last Man Standing and Alanna plays the role of Tara Chambler on the current TV series The Walking Dead.

Joe and Carol were Scientology members before they were married; and the 4 children (who are still current members of the Scientology organisation) have severed their ties with Joe due to the Church's ex-communication in 2005. The practice and enforcement of Disconnection by the Scientology organization breaks up families (including Joe's); friends or business associations if the Church considers a member to be an enemy to its doctrine or criticises and/or speaks out in any manner.^[1]

Joe currently works in the Insurance and Health industry.

References