Jerry Brien
Encyclopedia
Jerry Brien was a rugby league
footballer and coach. He played for the Western Suburbs Magpies
, St. George Dragons
and for the New South Wales Rugby League team
. He also coached the Canterbury-Bankstown club.
reserve grade, and had played just a handful of first grade games since his debut in 1923.
Brien represented NSW again in 1928, and was selected to represent Australia in the second test against England, but an injury suffered playing for Wests stopped him from making his international debut.
After 6 seasons with the Magpies, Brien joined the St. George Dragons
for 4 games in 1929.
After his retirement as a player, Brien began coaching, including stints with South Grafton in 1932 & Cowra in 1933. In 1937, Brien returned to coach the Magpies for the eight games of the shortened season. In 1939, he took over as coach at Bulldogs for a season, and returned to be at the helm when they won their second premiership in 1942.
By 1947, Brien was NSW coach and one of their selectors. Later, he became an Australian selector, but was dropped as a NSW selector in March 1951, making him inelegible to fill the national role.
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 played for 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...
, St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
and for the New South Wales Rugby League team
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...
. He also coached the Canterbury-Bankstown club.
Career
In 1925, Brien was chosen to play for New South Wales although he was only playing for the MagpiesWestern 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...
reserve grade, and had played just a handful of first grade games since his debut in 1923.
Brien represented NSW again in 1928, and was selected to represent Australia in the second test against England, but an injury suffered playing for Wests stopped him from making his international debut.
After 6 seasons with the Magpies, Brien joined the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
for 4 games in 1929.
After his retirement as a player, Brien began coaching, including stints with South Grafton in 1932 & Cowra in 1933. In 1937, Brien returned to coach the Magpies for the eight games of the shortened season. In 1939, he took over as coach at Bulldogs for a season, and returned to be at the helm when they won their second premiership in 1942.
By 1947, Brien was NSW coach and one of their selectors. Later, he became an Australian selector, but was dropped as a NSW selector in March 1951, making him inelegible to fill the national role.