Pat Devery
Encyclopedia
Pat Devery is an Australian former rugby league
footballer and coach of the 1940s and 50s. An Australian international representative half, he played in Australia for the Balmain
club, winning the 1944, '46 and '47 grand final
s with them. He was also the 1947 season's top point-scorer.
Devery was discovered by Latchem Robinson while playing football in the Domain as a sailor in the Royal Australian Navy during the war.
He made his debut for Australia in 1946.
At the end of the 1947 season a large number of Australians signed with English clubs, headed by Devery who signed with Huddersfield
for a fee of £1,350 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £122,000 in 2009). He went on to break the club's record for most points in a season with 332, achieved in 1952–53. He also made 11 appearances for the Other Nationalities
team.
He was a teacher at Oakes Elementary school in Huddersfield in the late 1940s and early 1950s at the same time as was Bonwell Spence the former Huddersfield Town full back.
Devery also became a coach back in Australia, coaching the Manly-Warringah
club in 1955 and 1956.
In 2005 Devery was named as one of the inaugural inductees into the Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame.
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 of the 1940s and 50s. An Australian international representative half, he played in Australia for the 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...
club, winning the 1944, '46 and '47 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...
s with them. He was also the 1947 season's top point-scorer.
Devery was discovered by Latchem Robinson while playing football in the Domain as a sailor in the Royal Australian Navy during the war.
He made his debut for Australia in 1946.
At the end of the 1947 season a large number of Australians signed with English clubs, headed by Devery who signed with Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
for a fee of £1,350 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £122,000 in 2009). He went on to break the club's record for most points in a season with 332, achieved in 1952–53. He also made 11 appearances for the Other Nationalities
Other Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
team.
He was a teacher at Oakes Elementary school in Huddersfield in the late 1940s and early 1950s at the same time as was Bonwell Spence the former Huddersfield Town full back.
Devery also became a coach back in Australia, coaching the Manly-Warringah
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
club in 1955 and 1956.
In 2005 Devery was named as one of the inaugural inductees into the Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame.