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A post by fellow Roarer, Frank O’Keefe, has inspired me to write this article in which I will shamelessly re-write the history of Australian rugby by nominating various teams at chronological intervals, and including those players who defected to league, or retired too early, to get a real job back in the amateur era.
All for the purpose of demonstrating how strong Australian rugby OUGHT to have been!
But first, if John Lennon had been an Australian born, rugby union lover as well as a world famous singer-songwriter, he might have penned this:
Imagine there’s no league,
It’s easy if you try,
No defections below us,
Above us only union joy,
Imagine all the people,
Living rugby for today.
You may say that I’m a dreamer,
But I’m not the only one,
I hope someday you’ll join us,
And the rugby world will be as one.
1 – 1910.
In reality, rugby union was on its knees. The defection of Messenger in 1907, and another 15 Wallabies in 1909, had finally turned the tide of public opinion towards league. But it could have been so different! League defectors, and/or premature retirees are highlighted in bold. Other players actually appeared as is. Russell, Hickey, Messenger, McKivat, Craig, McCue, Burge and Barnett were league defectors. Hughes and Hammand retired early, while Richards was playing in SA for the Lions! Gilbert defected after this series.
15-Larry Dwyer, 14-CHARLIE RUSSELL, 13-Herb Gilbert, 12-DARB HICKEY, 11-DALLY MESSENGER, 10-Ward Prentice, 9-CHRIS MCKIVAT(c), 8-Syd Middleton(vc), 7-JIM HUGHES, 6-TOM RICHARDS, 5-PADDY McCUE, 4-PETER BURGE, 3-JACK BARNETT, 2-Tom Griffin, 1-Harry George. Bench: 22-Alf Dunbar, 21-Dinny Campbell, 20-Possum Wood, 19-BOB CRAIG, 18-Paddy Murphy, 17-CHARLES HAMMAND, 16-Jim Clarken.
2 – 1934.
Strangely, few players defected in the 20s and 30s, but getting work was a problem. And in 1934 the depression was still biting. Many of the 1933 tourists to SA retired to get work, but the team was still strong, beating the ABs. Cooke decided to stay in SA, Cerutti was injured, while Ford, Thompson, Steggall, Cowper and Bland all retired prematurely.
15-Alec Ross(c), 14-Doug McLean, 13-Cyril Towers, 12-Dooney Hayes, 11-Jockey Kelaher, 10-Welly Lewis, 9-Syd Malcolm, 8-JACK FORD, 7-Owen Bridle, 6-Aub Hodgson, 5-Bill White, 4-GRAHAM COOKE, 3-WILD BILL CERUTTI, 2-Eddie Bonis(vc), 1-EDDIE THOMPSON. Bench; 22-JACK STEGGALL, 21-DAVE COWPER, 20-Wayne Bennett, 19-Rob Loudon, 18-GEOFF BLAND, 17-Ron Walden, 16-Ted Jessep.
3 – 1953.
On tour in SA. Allan, Kearney and Mossop had all defected to league, while still relatively young. Their forward presence especially, would have been helpful in SA. In reality, Kearney wouldn’t have ousted hooker Cottrell, but for the purpose of the exercise, he is included. Windon toured, but missed the tests through injury. Piper, Tooth and Baxter were unavailable to tour. Here’s a composite team.
15-BRIAN PIPER, 14-Eddie Stapleton, 13-TREVOR ALLAN(c), 12-John Solomon, 11-Garth Jones, 10-DICK TOOTH, 9-Cyril Burke, 8-Brian Johnson, 7-Col Windon, 6-Keith Cross, 5-Rex Mossop, 4-Tony Miller, 3-JACK BAXTER, 2-KEN KEARNEY(vc), 1-Nick Shehadie. Bench: 22-Ray Colbert, 21-Murray Tate, 20-Brian Cox, 19-Norm Hughes, 18-Alan Cameron, 17-Col Forbes, 16-Nev Cottrell.
4 – 1963.
If ever a year showed how much stronger rugby could have been, this is the year. A strong touring team headed off for SA. Phelps had prematurely retired, while Miller, Chapman, Freedman and one of the Boyce twins were unavailable. Chapman was later a leading thoroughbred racehorse trainer and Freedman an America’s Cup sailor. Then first choice fullback Lenehan was injured in the last training outing before the team took off. Meanwhile, another ex-Wallaby Des Connor was playing for the All Blacks. Then later that year, the 1963-64 Kangaroos headed off with 5 ex-Wallabies in Cleary, Lisle, Summons(c), Ryan and Dick Thornett. Last but not least the 3rd Thornett brother Ken, also toured with the Kangaroos. Such is the depth, I’ve selected 2 XVs. The mind boggles!!
1st XV: 15-JIM LENEHAN, 14-MIKE CLEARY, 13-Dick Marks, 12-Beres Ellwood, 11-Jim Boyce, 10-Phil Hawthorne, 9-Ken Catchpole(vc), 8-KEVIN RYAN, 7-Greg Davis, 6-Jules Guerasimoff, 5-Rob Heming, 4-DICK THORNETT, 3-Jon White, 2-Peter Johnson, 1-JohnThornett(c).
2nd XV: 15-KEN THORNETT, 14-STU BOYCE, 13-ROD PHELPS, 12-JIMMY LISLE, 11-John Douglas, 10-ARTHUR SUMMONS(c), 9-DES CONNOR, 8-John O’Gorman, 7-Ted Heinrich, 6-GEOFF CHAPMAN, 5-Dallas O’Neill, 4-Peter Crittle, 3-TONY MILLER, 2-Mike Jenkinson, 1- JOHN FREEDMAN.
5 – 1978.
We beat 5N grand slam champions Wales, and just missed winning the series against the ABs by a failed last minute penalty. But how much better might the team have been with league defectors, unavailable and injured players? Fairfax and Price had defected to league; Crowe, McLean and Loane were injured; G.Shaw and Hillhouse were unavailable. Here’s a composite team.
15-RUSSELL FAIRFAX, 14-PHIL CROWE, 13-Andy Slack, 12-GEOFF SHAW, 11-Brendan Moon, 10-PAUL McLEAN(vc), 9-John Hipwell, 8-MARK LOANE(c), 7-RAY PRICE, 6-Greg Cornelsen, 5-Peter McLean, 4-DAVID HILLHOUSE, 3-Stan Pilecki, 2-Peter Horton, 1-John Meadows. Bench; 22-Laurie Monaghan, 21-Ken Wright, 20-Rod Hauser, 19-Gary Pearse, 18-Tony Shaw, 17-Chris Handy, 16-Bill Ross.
6 – 1987.
I’ve bypassed 1984, and gone straight to 1987, the year of the inaugural world cup. What if Mark Ella was still playing? What if indeed! How would he and Alan Jones have got on? Who would have been captain, without Slack being able to make the starting XV? O’Connor, and D’Arcy had defected to league, while Moon was injured and unavailable. Williams and Ella of course, had retired too early.
15-Roger Gould, 14-David Campese, 13-MICK O’CONNOR, 12-Mick Lynagh(vc), 11-BRENDAN MOON, 10-MARK ELLA, 9-Nick Farr-Jones, 8-Steve Tuynman, 7-Simon Poidevin(c), 6-David Codey, 5-Steve Cutler, 4-STEVE WILLIAMS, 3-Andy McIntyre, 2-Tom Lawton, 1-TONY D”ARCY. Bench: 22-Matt Burke, 20-Brett Papworth, 20-Brian Smith, 19-Jeff Miller, 18-Bill Campbell, 17-Cameron Lillicrap, 16-Mark McBain.
7 – 1991.
This is the last of our revisits. O”Connor, Burke and Papworth had defected to league. Gavin was injured on the eve of the world cup, while Lawton was playing in SA. By the 90s, rugby union was losing very few players to league, and none of the key players. Post professionalism, and we’ve seen the trend reverse.
15-Marty Roebuck, 14-David Campese, 13-MICK O’CONNOR, 12-Tim Horan, 11-Jason Little, 10-Mick Lynagh, 9-Nick Farr-Jones(c), 8-TIM GAVIN, 7-Simon Poidevin, 6-Willie Ofahengaue, 5-John Eales, 4-Rod Mccall(vc), 3-Ewen McKenzie, 2-Phil Kearns, 1-Tony Daly. Bench: 22-Matt Burke, 21-Brett Papworth, 20-Peter Slattery, 19-Troy Coker, 18-Jeff Miller, 17-Dan Crowley, 16-TOM LAWTON.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.