Frank Stanmore (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Frank Stanmore was an Australian rugby league
footballer of the 1940s and 50s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate
representative five-eighth, he played club football in Sydney's NSWRFL for Western Suburbs
, winning the 1948 Premiership with them. Stanmore also played in the Newcastle Rugby League
and was inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame.
Frank Stanmore, who played representative rugby league as a 17-year-old five-eighth for Coalfields against Newcastle in 1947, moved from Cessnock
to Sydney
's Western Suburbs club
. During his first season of NSWRFL Premiership first grade in 1948, he earned selection for Sydney and New South Wales
. Also that year he played in Wests' grand final
victory over Balmain
. At the start of the following season he was at the centre of a dispute between the Cessnock and Western Suburbs clubs. Remaining with Wests, that year he was selected to go on the Australian national team's tour of New Zealand but did not play in a test match
.
Stanmore was selected to play in 1950's Ashes series victory over Great Britain
alongside his club halves partner, Keith Holman
. At the end of the 1950 NSWRFL season Stanmore played in Wests' grand final loss to South Sydney
. The following year he represented Australia against France
. He was selected to go on the 1952-53 Kangaroo tour
of Great Britain and France, thus missing Western Suburbs' victory in 1952 NSWRFL Premiership Final. On tour he played in four tests and captained the Kangaroos to victory in seven out of seven minor matches.
Returning to the Newcastle Rugby League
, Stanmore captain-coached Maitland
's club in 1954, taking them to the grand final, but the match was lost to Cessnock. He also continued playing representative football for Country NSW.
Stanmore died at age 75 from a heart attack related to a breathing disorder in 2005.
In 2011 Stanmore was named at five-eighth in Cessnock's team of the century.
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 1940s and 50s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate
New 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...
representative five-eighth, he played club football in Sydney's NSWRFL for Western Suburbs
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...
, winning the 1948 Premiership with them. Stanmore also played in the Newcastle Rugby League
Newcastle Rugby League
The Newcastle Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Newcastle, Australia. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1910...
and was inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame.
Frank Stanmore, who played representative rugby league as a 17-year-old five-eighth for Coalfields against Newcastle in 1947, moved from Cessnock
Cessnock, New South Wales
Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road west of Newcastle. It is the administrative centre of the Cessnock City Council LGA and was named after an 1826 grant of land called Cessnock Estate, which was owned by John Campbell...
to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's Western Suburbs club
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...
. During his first season of NSWRFL Premiership first grade in 1948, he earned selection for Sydney and New South Wales
New 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...
. Also that year he played in Wests' grand final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
victory over Balmain
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
. At the start of the following season he was at the centre of a dispute between the Cessnock and Western Suburbs clubs. Remaining with Wests, that year he was selected to go on the Australian national team's tour of New Zealand but did not play in a test match
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...
.
Stanmore was selected to play in 1950's Ashes series victory over Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
alongside his club halves partner, Keith Holman
Keith Holman
Keith Victor Holman, MBE was an Australian rugby league footballer, a national and state representative whose club career was played with the Western Suburbs Magpies from 1949 to 1961. He has since been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century...
. At the end of the 1950 NSWRFL season Stanmore played in Wests' grand final loss 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...
. The following year he represented Australia against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
. He was selected to go on 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...
of Great Britain and France, thus missing Western Suburbs' victory in 1952 NSWRFL Premiership Final. On tour he played in four tests and captained the Kangaroos to victory in seven out of seven minor matches.
Returning to the Newcastle Rugby League
Newcastle Rugby League
The Newcastle Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Newcastle, Australia. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1910...
, Stanmore captain-coached Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
's club in 1954, taking them to the grand final, but the match was lost to Cessnock. He also continued playing representative football for Country NSW.
Stanmore died at age 75 from a heart attack related to a breathing disorder in 2005.
In 2011 Stanmore was named at five-eighth in Cessnock's team of the century.