Keith Froome
Encyclopedia
George Keith Froome was an Australian rugby league
player. He was a halfback for the Australian national team. He played in 8 Tests between 1948 and 1949 as captain on 2 occasions.
and played his junior football with Wests Newcastle. He was a talented soccer player as a youngster and also played first grade and district representative cricket in Newcastle.
During WWII he was required to continue working as a boilermaker it being an essential service. He joined the AIF
in 1944 and served with the 2/43 Australian Infantry Battalion. He was stationed at Goulburn
and though restricted in availability signed to play with Sydney's Newtown club
in 1943 and played two first grade games that year. He served overseas from 1944-45.
after the war and played all of his first grade football with the club from 1946-50 scoring 288 points as a goalkicking half-back in 72 first grade games.
in 1941 and after the war made State appearances regularly against Queensland
from 1946 to 1948 and against a touring New Zealand side in 1948.
He made his Australian Test debut in 1948 in the domestic series against New Zealand and played in both Tests kicking five goals in all.
He was selected on the 1948-49 Kangaroo Tour
of England and appeared in four Tests and 12 minor tour matches. He was the tour's leading goalkicker finishing with 39 goals (and 3 tries) in his 16 appearances ahead of John Graves's 35 goals.
In 1949 he was named by a local newspaper. as New South Wales' Player of Year after captaining NSW to a 4-0 whitewash against Queensland in the interstate series.
At the end of the 1949 season he was selected to lead an Australian side on a 10 match tour of New Zealand. He captained Australia in both Tests of the series to a loss and a win and played in three additional tour matches scoring 2 tries and 11 goals in all.
NSW. He had a career in the club industry and as a liquor sales representative. Keith succumbed to cancer aged 58 on the 28th of January 1978.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Froome was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man 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...
player. He was a halfback for the Australian national team. He played in 8 Tests between 1948 and 1949 as captain on 2 occasions.
Early life and wartime
Known as Keith, he was born in Armidale but grew up in Newcastle, New South WalesNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and played his junior football with Wests Newcastle. He was a talented soccer player as a youngster and also played first grade and district representative cricket in Newcastle.
During WWII he was required to continue working as a boilermaker it being an essential service. He joined the AIF
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
in 1944 and served with the 2/43 Australian Infantry Battalion. He was stationed at Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
and though restricted in availability signed to play with Sydney's Newtown club
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 1943 and played two first grade games that year. He served overseas from 1944-45.
Club career
He returned to NewtownNewtown 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...
after the war and played all of his first grade football with the club from 1946-50 scoring 288 points as a goalkicking half-back in 72 first grade games.
Representative career
He had 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 1941 and after the war made State appearances regularly against Queensland
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
from 1946 to 1948 and against a touring New Zealand side in 1948.
He made his Australian Test debut in 1948 in the domestic series against New Zealand and played in both Tests kicking five goals in all.
He was selected on the 1948-49 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 appeared in four Tests and 12 minor tour matches. He was the tour's leading goalkicker finishing with 39 goals (and 3 tries) in his 16 appearances ahead of John Graves's 35 goals.
In 1949 he was named by a local newspaper. as New South Wales' Player of Year after captaining NSW to a 4-0 whitewash against Queensland in the interstate series.
At the end of the 1949 season he was selected to lead an Australian side on a 10 match tour of New Zealand. He captained Australia in both Tests of the series to a loss and a win and played in three additional tour matches scoring 2 tries and 11 goals in all.
Post playing
At the tail end of his playing career Froome coached a country side in Gunnedah. Keith and his family settled in BellingenBellingen
Bellingen may refer to:*Bellingen, Rhineland-Palatinate, a municipality in the district Westerwaldkreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany*Bellingen, Saxony-Anhalt, a municipality in the district of Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany...
NSW. He had a career in the club industry and as a liquor sales representative. Keith succumbed to cancer aged 58 on the 28th of January 1978.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Froome was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.
Matches played
| Team | Matches | Years | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newtown | 72 | 1943 & 1946-50 | 288 |
| New South Wales | 7 | 1941–1949 | 14 |
| Australia (Tests) | 8 | 1948–1949 | 30 |
Sources & Footnotes
- Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
- Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney