Ferris Ashton
Encyclopedia
Ferris Ashton was an Australian rugby league
footballer who represented his country in 8 test matches
. Ferris was also a member of the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) during the Second World War.
Ashton began his rugby league career playing with the Bondi United club at a junior level. In 1950 the burly forward
began his senior career with Eastern Suburbs
. A loyal clubman, Ashton played 87 matches for Easts
in the years (1950–56), captaining the side in many of those years and has now been made a life member of that club.
In 1951 he played for NSW before gaining selection for Australia the following year in the series against New Zealand
. Ashton made a stunning debut giving the final pass for three tri
es. At years end he was selected for the 1952/53 Kangaroo Tour
, on tour he played in twenty-two matches including five tests. His final test appearance was in 1953 when he was Australias sole try scorer in the side that was defeated by New Zealand.
During the Second World War Ferris served onboard the destroyer HMAS Quickmatch and served with the British Fleet in the Pacific Ocean. Ferris was also a very good boxer, taught by Major Francis O'Connor, having been undefeated in 19 amateur fights. He beat the best of the U.S. Navy when in Tokyo Harbour after the surrender. After the war, Ferris was on leave getting ready to go back to Japan when he slipped down some stairs breaking he knee. He met Patty Brennan, Miss Bondi 1946, and later married in 1950. In July '52 he was selected for the Kangaroo tour and spent the next 8 months in England and France. The boat took 6 weeks to get there and 7 to get back. Ferris made the test team to tour N.Z. in 1953 and played his last test. He never played for his country again.
Ferris met Patty Brennan, Miss Bondi, in 1946 and married in 1950, Michael was born in 1951. Michelle was born in 1954, Kelly in 1955 and Greg in 1957.
In 1953 the American All Stars toured Australia with Ferris partnering Jack Gibson
in the second-row for NSW. He Captain-coached the Roosters in 1954 and finishing his career in 57 when taking a job offer as safety manager for the Snowy Mountains Scheme
. Ferris moved his family back to Sydney in 1962 settling on the Northern Beaches at Allambie Heights where he still resides.
A former first grade cricketer
with Waverley, Ashton was a wicketkeeper/batsman with 106 not out his highest score. He was a regular on the rugby league television program 'Controversy Corner' with Rex Mossop
, Alan Clarkson, Col Pearce
and Noel Kelly
discussing pertinent Rugby League matters. The show ran for 19 years.
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 who represented his country in 8 test matches
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
. Ferris was also a member of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) during the Second World War.
Ashton began his rugby league career playing with the Bondi United club at a junior level. In 1950 the burly forward
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
began his senior career with Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
. A loyal clubman, Ashton played 87 matches for Easts
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in the years (1950–56), captaining the side in many of those years and has now been made a life member of that club.
In 1951 he played for NSW before gaining selection for Australia the following year in the series against New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Ashton made a stunning debut giving the final pass for three tri
Tri
Tri may refer to:* An intern specializing in Float and Share research.* tri-, a numerical prefix meaning three* El Tri or El Tricolor, are the nickname of the Mexico national football team.* El Tri, Mexican rock group...
es. At years end he was selected for the 1952/53 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...
, on tour he played in twenty-two matches including five tests. His final test appearance was in 1953 when he was Australias sole try scorer in the side that was defeated by New Zealand.
During the Second World War Ferris served onboard the destroyer HMAS Quickmatch and served with the British Fleet in the Pacific Ocean. Ferris was also a very good boxer, taught by Major Francis O'Connor, having been undefeated in 19 amateur fights. He beat the best of the U.S. Navy when in Tokyo Harbour after the surrender. After the war, Ferris was on leave getting ready to go back to Japan when he slipped down some stairs breaking he knee. He met Patty Brennan, Miss Bondi 1946, and later married in 1950. In July '52 he was selected for the Kangaroo tour and spent the next 8 months in England and France. The boat took 6 weeks to get there and 7 to get back. Ferris made the test team to tour N.Z. in 1953 and played his last test. He never played for his country again.
Ferris met Patty Brennan, Miss Bondi, in 1946 and married in 1950, Michael was born in 1951. Michelle was born in 1954, Kelly in 1955 and Greg in 1957.
In 1953 the American All Stars toured Australia with Ferris partnering Jack Gibson
Jack Gibson (rugby league)
Jack Arthur Gibson OAM was an Australian rugby league identity – a player, commentator and most notably a coach...
in the second-row for NSW. He Captain-coached the Roosters in 1954 and finishing his career in 57 when taking a job offer as safety manager for the Snowy Mountains Scheme
Snowy Mountains Scheme
The Snowy Mountains scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in south-east Australia. It consists of sixteen major dams; seven power stations; a pumping station; and 225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts and was constructed between 1949 and 1974. The Chief engineer was Sir...
. Ferris moved his family back to Sydney in 1962 settling on the Northern Beaches at Allambie Heights where he still resides.
A former first grade cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
with Waverley, Ashton was a wicketkeeper/batsman with 106 not out his highest score. He was a regular on the rugby league television program 'Controversy Corner' with Rex Mossop
Rex Mossop
Rex Peers Mossop was an Australian rugby league and rugby union footballer—a dual-code international, and an Australian television personality from 1964 until 1991.-Rugby union career:...
, Alan Clarkson, Col Pearce
Colin Pearce
Colin Frederick Pearce was an Australian rugby league referee. He is one ofthe most widely known and widely respected referees in the history of Rugby League....
and Noel Kelly
Noel Kelly (rugby league)
Noel Kelly is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach, who played at club, state and national level. He has been named amongst the country's finest footballers of the 20th century...
discussing pertinent Rugby League matters. The show ran for 19 years.
"From early days i was the keenest of [Eastern Suburbs- Ferris Ashton.Sydney RoostersThe Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
] fans. Many, many times I sat on the hill at the sports groundSydney Sports GroundThe Sydney Sports Ground was a Stadium and Dirt track racing venue in Sydney, New South Wales. The ground was located where the car park of the Sydney Football Stadium currently sits. The ground had two main grandstands and was surrounded by a grass covered hill, giving it a capacity of more than...
and SCGSydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
and watched Easts in their red, white and blue. When I look back now I'm very, very proud of the fact that I never played with another club. They were my club."