Dick Poole
Encyclopedia
Herbert Richard Poole is an Australian former rugby league
footballer and coach. He was a centre for the Australian national team. He played in ten Tests and three World Cup
games between 1955 and 1957, as captain on three occasions.
and then with the Earlwood Christian Youth Organisation before being graded with Newtown
in 1949. Initially he played mainly in reserve grade with occasional first grade appearances up until 1952 when he established himself as a centre in the top grade.
He was captain-coach of Newtown in 1955 when they went down by one point to South Sydney
in the Grand Final. He played for 133 games for Newtown over nine seasons till 1958, the last four seasons as captain-coach. In 1959 he moved to the Western Suburbs Magpies
for his last two seasons.
in 1954. Following his Kangaroo Tour
appearances of 1957 he was selected as captain-coach of New South Wales in 1957.
He made his Australian Test debut in 1955 in the series against France after having initially been picked as a reserve for the squad. His last minute call up was for the third Test played in Sydney in July 1955. He was selected for the three Tests of 1956 against New Zealand and then for the 1956–57 Kangaroo Tour
of England and France. He appeared in six Tests and 11 minor tour matches scoring 17 tries in all.
In 1957 he was a surprise selection as captain-coach ahead of the more experienced Ken Kearney
in the squad for the World Cup
tournament to be played in Australia. Poole's side included magnificent players such as Brian Carlson
, Norm Provan
, Kel O'Shea, Kearney
and Brian Clay
and they swept all before them. Poole enjoys a record of three times captaining his country for three victories.
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 and coach. He was a centre for the Australian national team. He played in ten Tests and three World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
games between 1955 and 1957, as captain on three occasions.
Club career
Poole played junior football at the De La Salle school in MarrickvilleMarrickville, New South Wales
Marrickville, a suburb of Sydney's Inner West is located 7 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia and is the largest suburb in the Marrickville Council local government area...
and then with the Earlwood Christian Youth Organisation before being graded with Newtown
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
in 1949. Initially he played mainly in reserve grade with occasional first grade appearances up until 1952 when he established himself as a centre in the top grade.
He was captain-coach of Newtown in 1955 when they went down by one point to South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in the Grand Final. He played for 133 games for Newtown over nine seasons till 1958, the last four seasons as captain-coach. In 1959 he moved to the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
for his last two seasons.
Representative career
He first represented for New South WalesNew South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
in 1954. Following his Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
appearances of 1957 he was selected as captain-coach of New South Wales in 1957.
He made his Australian Test debut in 1955 in the series against France after having initially been picked as a reserve for the squad. His last minute call up was for the third Test played in Sydney in July 1955. He was selected for the three Tests of 1956 against New Zealand and then for the 1956–57 Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
of England and France. He appeared in six Tests and 11 minor tour matches scoring 17 tries in all.
In 1957 he was a surprise selection as captain-coach ahead of the more experienced Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
in the squad for the World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
tournament to be played in Australia. Poole's side included magnificent players such as Brian Carlson
Brian Carlson
Brian Carlson was an Australian professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a centre & utility back for the Australia national team. He played in 17 Tests and 6 World Cup games between 1952 and 1961, as captain on 2 occasions...
, Norm Provan
Norm Provan
Norm "Sticks" Provan is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. A giant of a man, he was a second-row forward with the St. George Dragons during their 11-year consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966...
, Kel O'Shea, Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
and Brian Clay
Brian Clay
Brian Joseph 'Poppa' Clay was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a five-eighth with the St. George Dragons during their 11-year consecutive premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966...
and they swept all before them. Poole enjoys a record of three times captaining his country for three victories.
Post playing
At the end of his playing career Poole returned to Newtown as coach from 1966–68. In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Poole was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.Matches played
| Team | Matches | Years | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newtown | 133 | 1950–58 | 168 |
| Wests | 31 | 1959–60 | 27 |
| New South Wales | 15 | 1954–1957 | 27 |
| Australia (Tests & World Cup) | 13 | 1955–1957 | 15 |