Following from my recent article about inspirational coach Geoff Mould I want to focus on one of his protégés at Matraville High School, the precociously talented Russell Fairfax.
With a philosophy of running rugby, it was no wonder Fairfax exemplified this attitude. Mould moved him from flyhalf to fullback where he was a sensation on the Australian Schoolboys tour of South Africa in 1969. Mould regarded Fairfax as the best player he ever coached, saying “whereas there were three Ellas and the whole was greater than the three parts, there was only one Fairfax.”
Recalling the words of Elton John; “and I would have liked to know you, but I was just a kid”, my knowledge and experience of Russell Fairfax are just vague memories of this silky player. Through research and anecdotal quotes, a quite brilliant player was unearthed. A fan favourite with his long, flowing blonde hair, good pace, terrific swerve, security under the high ball and capable tackling – he had it all.
Australia’s Russell Fairfax runs the ball against England. (Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images)
The golden-haired boy who played for Sydney as an eighteen year-old sixth former who needed permission for leave to play while at school. Fairfax was “an exhilarating runner of great flair, to appreciate what union missed, his first four seasons of league in 1974/77 encapsulates all that was brilliant about him”.
Yes, as with Michael O’Connor, his time in rugby union was all too brief with only eight Tests for the Wallabies from 1971 to 1973. He lit up the rugby world like how Mark Ella and David Campese would do in following years.
Russell Lance Fairfax was born in Sydney NSW in 1952, but grew up in Sorrento, Victoria with his army-based father, playing Australian Rules. They then moved to Ipswich, Queensland where he played rugby league before another move to Sydney, where he attended Matraville High. Fairfax played league in his younger years before joining the Randwick rugby union club.
His flair was noticed and he was selected for the Junior Wallabies against the Springboks in 1971, then a Test debut against the French under coach Bob Templeton. He partnered John Hipwell in his Test debut on the tour of France. Injury disrupted his 1972 season when he toured New Zealand with the infamously named “Woeful Wallabies” side, but he made the tour of Wales, England and Italy in 1973.
Fairfax broke the devastating news to rugby union he had signed for the Eastern Suburbs rugby league club, making the Roosters his new home in 1974. The new club met with instant success when they won the premierships in 1974 and 1975 and Fairfax became a crowd favourite.
Wallabies legend Mark Ella. (Photo by Getty Images)
Honours for Sydney and NSW followed and he seemed certain to be selected for Australia in rugby league. However, he suffered a career influencing broken leg in 1975 at the peak of his powers. He may not have been the same player again as he was in his debut season. Russell played in the unofficial World Club Challenge against St Helens in Sydney, scored a wonderful try in the 1977 Amco Cup against Wests then joined South Sydney in 1981 as his career began to fade.
A stint as coach in 1990 for Easts came to an unfortunate end when he was sacked after losing 23 of 36 matches. He was named in the Sydney Roosters “Team of the Century’ from players who represented the club from 1908 to 2000.
Fairfax was a physical education teacher in the 1970s, but after retiring from professional sport he joined Fox Sports as a commentator, where he excelled. In 2017 he also stood as a councillor for the Randwick City Council.
Fairfax is married with two children and in 2014 had intensive surgery for a brain injury, stating he was “lucky to be alive” with the hospital bills and intense rehabilitation also putting financial pressure on him.
I know more about Russell Fairfax than I did a week or so ago and all that I have heard is complimentary. A gifted player who brought excitement to rugby as few players do, those with unique talent, a maverick style and bravery to express themselves, the Campese’s, Spencer’s, Cullen’s and Ella’s of this world. The free spirits. Russell Fairfax fits right in.
Dual code legend Russell Fairfax says there’s no ‘free spirits’ in the current Australian setup. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
I was able to conduct a brief interview with Russell Fairfax via Roar member sheek, with generous assistance from him, Russell’s partner Sharon and of course Russell himself, to whom I am grateful.
What influence did Geoff Mould have on your playing career?
Enormous. He was my schoolteacher, rugby coach & life mentor. He remains a close friend. We had dinner with him recently. He had an extremely positive personality.
Who were the inspiring Rugby Union or Rugby League players you looked up to when young?
Ken Catchpole (Union) and Arthur Beetson (League).
What is your involvement with union and league today?
I remain members of both clubs – Randwick Galloping Greens & Sydney Roosters. I regularly attend functions, both personally and for sponsors. I am also an unofficial mentor at both clubs.
Was it an easy decision to switch to Rugby League?
No, extremely difficult. My family was working class and I did it to support them. I switched for financial reasons -keep in mind rugby union was amateur back in the 70s.
Are there any union or league players today who are “free spirits” like yourself, Mark Ella & David Campese?
Unfortunately, none in union at the moment. In league, James Tedesco despite his responsibility load, and Sam Walker for his youthful enterprise.
How is your health?
in the main, okay. I turn 72 this year and I’m still enjoying life. I do a lot of walking, playing golf & now I have a granddaughter to dote on.
Poss
Roar Rookie
Hi Sheek I remember Russell Fairfax very well he made many of us teenage girls in the middle 1970's hearts flutter...I also remember him with the Snowy River Bears (think in a Coaching capacity) in group 16 if my memory serves me right...I came across an old photo album the other day with a Russell Fairfax picture cut out of an old "Rugby League Week"... Another good player (& good looker) was Ian Shubert...Ahhh those were the days.. :laughing:
Bushranger
Roar Rookie
I refereed him once in a sub-districts game. He would not shut up the whole game. A real pest for the ref.
cs
Roar Guru
Good read. RF was one of the most talented and charismatic players I've seen, up until he sadly hurt his leg. Good luck to the man.
Wooliej
Roar Rookie
Those were the days. Thanks for the read!
Double Agent The Second
Roar Rookie
In November I stopped reading the Roar such was my disappointment with the Wallabies and my disgust with the whole EJ saga. Today I thought I'd have a peek and very much enjoyed this article about one of my favourite players Russell Fairfax. At age 11/12 he was my absolute favourite player. Then I delve into the comments section and it doesn't take long to come across the usual slagging off comments. The know alls the know nothings. Life's too short. See ya!
Blink
Roar Rookie
A current player of similar ability I think would be NZs Damien McKenzie. Fairfax was a bit ahead of his time.
Blink
Roar Rookie
Fairfax was fantastic. I mean as a schoolboy in ChCh 1974 the Wallabies played but in Chch it was all Fairfax. So by 1976 I finally got to see him and Beetson play for Eastern Suburbs in Sydney on a weekend trip that included "Little Feat". They were great. The downside was the Sydney crowd was the same or less than were watching me play in Condobolin where the whole town turned out to support you. It has changed so much.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Yeah - nah mate ! Don’t see much incoherence in my responses , maybe you missed the joke about your favorite coach and maybe you didn’t like my pointed response to your ridiculous assertion , veiled as it was , about M. Ella but no lack of coherence to be seen . Your thought process about Mark is faulty and needed to be challenged nothing shallow about it .
sheek
Roar Guru
Gary – goodbye. Thanks for the shallow retort. You’re barely coherent in your responses.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Well sheek, as many know Jones was never what one would call a great coach, but a very good motivator, as if you remember, that particular team that went to the UK, was a team put in place by one, Bob Dwyer, who IMO was an excellent coach. Even to say, Jones was no fool, is laughable due to his past starting to catch up with him now. No doubt there will be more to come on that possibly in the near future. TBH I can always remember Olsen RIP, talking about him when Jones went to the Tigers.
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Great read. St George were about to sign him, but he was an Easts fan and when Jack Gibson called, he signed up with the Roosters. After the 74GF, the papers were calling him the 'new Gasnier'. The article/comments mentioned Brassy also being a Wallaby/Randwick player, but did you know Mark Harris also played schoolboy Union? He may have represented Qld schoolboys? He had a torpedo punt to rival Roger Gould's.
Gary
Roar Rookie
To reply to the comment about Mark Ella not being able to keep up with AB’s 87 or anyone – What a lot of complete and utter Uber crap. What goes on in the mind of people staggers me .
Gary
Roar Rookie
— COMMENT DELETED —
Gary
Roar Rookie
I don’t recall John Dorahy or Graham Eadie for example playing to any “ structure “ either so not sure of your point . They just busted the line . These were the first of Fullbacks who dispersed with the old kicking duels and tucked the ball under the arm and went for it ,
Gary
Roar Rookie
Fairfax was a gifted Rugby footballer who , like Ray Price and John Brass and Stephen Knight and Kenny Wright ( to name but a few ) could have made Australia a force in the late 70’s . You could make the same case for the 60’s and early 80’s as well.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Cut off his what to spite his what ?
Gary
Roar Rookie
If true “ that Coach “ now hiding in England has a lot to answer for . All the years of denials , even by Mark ? “That Coach “ is a fiend by many standards let’s call the bar#%+d out !
Reds Harry
Roar Rookie
Thank you Peter, Sheek and Russell Fairfax. An excellent read. As Sheek says below, I can remember that 1975 season when Fairfax took the Sydney comp by storm in the first half of the season in particular with some brilliant play, but also surrounded by brilliance ... John Brass, Harry Cameron, Mark Harris in the backs, with the forwards featuring Big Artie and Ron Coote. What a team. Can remember seeing Fairfax play brilliantly at Ballymore in a drawn Bledisloe game when Australia stormed back late - 73 or 74? My memory may be faulty but I recall Paul McLean having an eminently gettable goal kick to win and it shaving the post and missing. Fairfax must have been at fullback that day, can also remember him flying flyhalf against France.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Interesting read …It immediately got me thinking about a South African player named Tom Von Vollenhoven ..Some striking parallells to Fairfax and the decisions they had to make for very similiar reasons ..Von Vollenhoven in the late 1950s just a sensational wing who can be credited with scoring a hatrick against the B& I Lions ..How many can claim that ? Then switched to league and finished a 10 year career in the code with St Helens and lauded as a legend ..But …back home seen as a traitor and shunned by his own .You werent even allowed to mention his name ….I mean even in these apparant more enlightened times league is somehow portrayed as this great evil..Back then switching codes was akin to high treason when all the dude wanted to do was support his family doing what he loved and was very , very good at .
Pedro
Roar Rookie
Great piece, Peter! I recall observing Fairfax back in the day. I sported long hair, which was prohibited at school, so witnessing a rugby player with flowing locks was truly inspiring. Your insights on his league career have finally addressed my curiosity about why he didn't rise to stardom despite effortlessly gliding past opponents on the rugby field. Amazing how many retired rugby players play golf, competition is competition.