Rugby League

Patrick McMahon was born in Brisbane on 21st June, 1927. For his parents, Patrick and Dorothy, Brisbane in the late 1920s was not a particularly attractive option for raising a family. Queensland was in the midst of a recession, and this situation was further exacerbated by the collapse of stock markets all over the world […]

Wide Bay State Champions 1966   Bundaberg – A Major Factor in Establishing Rugby League in Australia – 1908-1909 The city of Bundaberg was a major contributor to the establishment of rugby league in Australia. Between 1908 and 1909, five Bundaberg players were chosen to represent both Queensland and Australia. Bill Heidke (centre/half-back/winger) and Mick […]

The crowning achievement of the 1924/25 undefeated Toowoomba Clydesdales was beating England in 1924. The English touring side was a team full of talent and were confident of success in Australia. They were the holders of the Ashes, and would go on to retain them by beating Australia two Tests to one just a short […]

Bulimba Cup Records Winners: 1925 – 1972                                                            Team Records Brisbane         19 times                          Most consecutive championships: 6 – Toowoomba Toowoomba  16 times                             Most Bulimba Cups retained: 4 – Brisbane Ipswich           11 times                      Most club representatives: 120 – Toowoomba Valleys Individual Records Most points in a game: 27 – Lionel Morgan (5 tries, 6 goals vs Ipswich, […]

Arch Foley and the Foley Shield   Notable North Queensland Firsts 1915 First time the majority of Queensland team from North Queensland – nine players chosen 1920 First North Queensland player to be picked for a Test match – Harry ‘Mucker’ Fewin (playing for Brisbane Carltons at the time) 1921 First time the reigning Bulimba […]

Queensland Rugby League Team, 1951   Qld vs NSW Game 1, 1951 – Bernie Drew rises to the occasion. The state of the game of rugby league in Queensland the late 1940s was at a critical juncture. Since the end of World War II, Queensland had won only two games overall in the interstate series. […]

The Australian Test Team in the Battle of Brisbane III   Battle of Brisbane I Date: June 18th, 1932 Venue: The ’Gabba Score: Australia 15 – Great Britain 6 Before the game, the Australian coach, Harry Sunderland, made an audacious visit to the visitors’ dressing room. He proceeded to give a ‘helpful’ explanation of how […]

‘The Downs Fox’ was born in Warwick, Queensland in 1895. At 17, he started playing for Starlights in the Ipswich competition and debuted for Queensland in 1915. Although he was shot at Dernancourt, France in the right lung in World War I, he survived to become the captain of the Queensland team. He made his […]

Organiser, manager and second-rower Mike Dimitro brought 21 players with him for the American All Stars Tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1953. Dimitro was an elite American football player who had come to Australia during World War II and developed a keen interest in rugby league while being involved in services wrestling and […]