Alex Watson (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Alex Watson was an Australian professional rugby league
footballer of the 1950s. An Australian international and Queensland interstate representative three-quarter back, he played club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Western Suburbs
.
Watson first represented Queensland in 1951 in a match against New South Wales. He made his test debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 12 June 1954 against Great Britain in the first test of that year's Ashes series. Australia won this test 37-12.
In 1953 Watson toured New Zealand with the Australian team.
In the 1954 Brisbane Rugby League Grand Final Watson scored two tries and kicked four goals before fracturing his left collarbone about ten minutes after the start of the second half and leaving the field. His team, Western Suburbs
, went on to win the game. He then travelled to France to play in the inaugural World Cup
.
In 1956 New Zealand toured Australia and in the last ever test match played at The Gabba, Watson scored the decisive try, a forty-metre effort that gave Australia their first series victory at home against the Kiwis since 1909. In that year's premiership semi-final Watson was suspended for two weeks using abusive language and refusing to leave the field when ordered to by the referee.
Watson played his last match for Australia during the 1957 World Cup. That year he also played his last game for the Maroons. Watson then moved north to play for Sarina
in 1958.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1950s. An Australian international and Queensland interstate representative three-quarter back, he played club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Western Suburbs
Wests Panthers
The Western Suburbs Panthers, often simply referred to as Wests, are a rugby league club from Brisbane, Australia. The Club is the oldest in the QRL and despite absences from the top grade in recent years and several name changes the club continued to operate...
.
Watson first represented Queensland in 1951 in a match against New South Wales. He made his test debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 12 June 1954 against Great Britain in the first test of that year's Ashes series. Australia won this test 37-12.
In 1953 Watson toured New Zealand with the Australian team.
In the 1954 Brisbane Rugby League Grand Final Watson scored two tries and kicked four goals before fracturing his left collarbone about ten minutes after the start of the second half and leaving the field. His team, Western Suburbs
Wests Panthers
The Western Suburbs Panthers, often simply referred to as Wests, are a rugby league club from Brisbane, Australia. The Club is the oldest in the QRL and despite absences from the top grade in recent years and several name changes the club continued to operate...
, went on to win the game. He then travelled to France to play in the inaugural World Cup
1954 Rugby League World Cup
The first Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954 and officially known as the "Rugby World Cup". The prime motivators behind the idea of holding a rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the seizing of their assets by the rugby union in World War II.The...
.
In 1956 New Zealand toured Australia and in the last ever test match played at The Gabba, Watson scored the decisive try, a forty-metre effort that gave Australia their first series victory at home against the Kiwis since 1909. In that year's premiership semi-final Watson was suspended for two weeks using abusive language and refusing to leave the field when ordered to by the referee.
Watson played his last match for Australia during the 1957 World Cup. That year he also played his last game for the Maroons. Watson then moved north to play for Sarina
Sarina, Queensland
Sarina is a town in central Queensland, Australia. It is situated south of the city of Mackay, and approximately north of the city of Rockhampton. At the 2006 census, Sarina had a population of 3,285....
in 1958.