Ken McCaffery
Encyclopedia
Ken McCaffery is an Australian former rugby league
footballer, commentator and administrator. He started playing first grade rugby league with Sydney's Easts
club in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1948. After three seasons with them he was persuaded to move to Toowoomba by legendary Queensland footballer Duncan Thompson
. In his first year playing in Toowoomba McCaffery was selected to represent Queensland. The following year he was selected to play for the Kangaroos, appearing in his first test in 1953 and playing for Australia in the 1954 World Cup
. He moved to the city to play in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership with the Fortitude Valley club in 1955. Having become Queensland captain, McCaffery returned to Sydney to play with Norths from 1957. That year he was part of the 1957 World Cup
-winning Australian side. He lent his vast experience to the Norths club but suffered a shoulder injury and retired after two seasons.
Post-playing, McCaffery became a commentator with Channel 9
, School's Liaison Officer for the NSWRFL and Assistant Secretary to the NSWRFL before being approached to take on the Club Secretary role at Canterbury after the 'coup' of 1969. A decade later he moved back to Norths as club secretary. Credited with bringing Mark Graham
and Mitchell Cox to the club, he also battled to improve the image and financial position of the Bears. In 1982 McCaffery sacked successful coach Ron Willey
and later appointed Greg Hawick
, who had not coached in Sydney for almost 20 years. Hawick resigned in 1985 and McCaffery was voted out of office the following year. Ken has since retired and become a publican in Lismore. His son Paul also played for Norths in the 1980s.
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, commentator and administrator. He started playing first grade rugby league with Sydney's 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...
club in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1948. After three seasons with them he was persuaded to move to Toowoomba by legendary Queensland footballer Duncan Thompson
Duncan Thompson
Duncan Fulton Thompson MBE was an Australian rugby league footballer, coach and administrator...
. In his first year playing in Toowoomba McCaffery was selected to represent Queensland. The following year he was selected to play for the Kangaroos, appearing in his first test in 1953 and playing for Australia in the 1954 World Cup
1954 Rugby League World Cup
The first Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954 and officially known as the "Rugby World Cup". The prime motivators behind the idea of holding a rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the seizing of their assets by the rugby union in World War II.The...
. He moved to the city to play in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership with the Fortitude Valley club in 1955. Having become Queensland captain, McCaffery returned to Sydney to play with Norths from 1957. That year he was part of the 1957 World Cup
1957 Rugby League World Cup
The second Rugby League World Cup was held in Australia in 1957. As before a group stage was held first, with matches being held at locations in Sydney and Brisbane....
-winning Australian side. He lent his vast experience to the Norths club but suffered a shoulder injury and retired after two seasons.
Post-playing, McCaffery became a commentator with Channel 9
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
, School's Liaison Officer for the NSWRFL and Assistant Secretary to the NSWRFL before being approached to take on the Club Secretary role at Canterbury after the 'coup' of 1969. A decade later he moved back to Norths as club secretary. Credited with bringing Mark Graham
Mark Graham (rugby league)
Mark Kerry Graham is a New Zealand retired rugby league footballer and coach. A back-rower and former captain of the New Zealand national rugby league team, he has been named as the greatest player the country has produced in the century from 1907 to 2006.-Playing career:An Otahahu junior, Graham...
and Mitchell Cox to the club, he also battled to improve the image and financial position of the Bears. In 1982 McCaffery sacked successful coach Ron Willey
Ron Willey
Ron Willey was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative for the Australian national side. Post-playing, Willey had a long and successful first grade and State representative coaching career.-Club career:...
and later appointed Greg Hawick
Greg Hawick
Greg Hawick was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. A fine utility back for the champion South Sydney Rabbitohs teams of the 1950s and a representative player in the Australian national side, he was named at five-eighth in the Australian 1950s rugby league team of the...
, who had not coached in Sydney for almost 20 years. Hawick resigned in 1985 and McCaffery was voted out of office the following year. Ken has since retired and become a publican in Lismore. His son Paul also played for Norths in the 1980s.