Tom Brock Lecture
Encyclopedia
The Tom Brock Lecture is an annual scholarly lecture organised by the Australian Society for Sports History under the bequest
of Australian sports historian Tom Brock. The topic of the lecture is the history of rugby league football. It has been given by leading writers and academics every year since 1999, at the New South Wales Rugby League
's headquarters at Phillip Street in the Sydney CBD.
David Rowe
, an academic, caused some controversy when he used his 2006 lecture to question football's prospects in the future following negative off-field media coverage. Shane Webcke
was set to become the first player to give the lecture when he was invited to do so in 2007, but this did not eventuate.
In 2010, the Australian Society for Sports History and the Tom Brock Bequest Committee published Tales From Coathanger City: Ten Years of Tom Brock Lectures. The book includes the Tom Brock lectures delivered from 1999 to 2008, an essay considering 10 years of lectures and study of the game, a biography of Tom Brock and some information on the Bequest Committee.
Bequest
A bequest is the act of giving property by will. Strictly, "bequest" is used of personal property, and "devise" of real property. In legal terminology, "bequeath" is a verb form meaning "to make a bequest."...
of Australian sports historian Tom Brock. The topic of the lecture is the history of rugby league football. It has been given by leading writers and academics every year since 1999, at the New South Wales Rugby League
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
's headquarters at Phillip Street in the Sydney CBD.
David Rowe
David Rowe
David Rowe may refer to:* David E. Rowe, American science historian* David C. Rowe, American psychologist* David Rowe-Beddoe, Baron Rowe-Beddoe, British politician*David Rowe , British Olympic cyclist*David Rowe , Australian tennis player...
, an academic, caused some controversy when he used his 2006 lecture to question football's prospects in the future following negative off-field media coverage. Shane Webcke
Shane Webcke
Shane Webcke is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, who spent his entire top-grade career playing for the Brisbane Broncos. His position of choice was at prop forward and at his peak he was renowned as the best front rower in the world...
was set to become the first player to give the lecture when he was invited to do so in 2007, but this did not eventuate.
In 2010, the Australian Society for Sports History and the Tom Brock Bequest Committee published Tales From Coathanger City: Ten Years of Tom Brock Lectures. The book includes the Tom Brock lectures delivered from 1999 to 2008, an essay considering 10 years of lectures and study of the game, a biography of Tom Brock and some information on the Bequest Committee.
List of lectures
- 29 September 1999 - Dr Andrew MooreAndrew Moore (historian)Dr Andrew Moore is an Australian historian and academic, a specialist in Australian right-wing politics. He has taught at the University of Sydney, The University of New South Wales, England's University of Lincoln and the University of Western Sydney...
: Jimmy Devereux's Yorkshire Pudding: Reflections on the origins of rugby league in New South WalesRugby league in New South WalesRugby league has the highest spectator numbers of the various codes of football in New South Wales. It began in Australia in 1907, when the New South Wales Rugby League was formed as a professional competition, following the rules of the Northern Rugby Football Union in England...
and QueenslandRugby league in QueenslandRugby league is the most popular sport in the Australian state of Queensland.-History:The earliest record of rugby football being played in Queensland is in 1876... - 30 November 2000 - Ian Heads: "Gang-gangs at one o'clock" … and Other Flights of Fancy; A Personal Journey through Rugby League
- 20 September 2001 - Alex BuzoAlex BuzoAlex Buzo was an Australian playwright and author who wrote 88 works.-Early life:Buzo was born in Sydney in 1944 to an Albanian-born father and an Australian mother...
: Sydney: The Heart of Rugby League - 22 August 2002 - Alan Clarkson: The Changing Face of Rugby League
- 4 July 2003 - Tony CollinsTony Collins (historian)Tony Collins is a British sports and social historian and author specialising in Northern England and rugby football.Collins is a professor of social history at Leeds Metropolitan University. He also acts as a historical consultant to the Rugby Football League. Collins has been described as rugby...
: "Ahr Waggy": Harold WagstaffHarold WagstaffHarold Wagstaff was an English rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. He played as a and was nicknamed the Prince of Centres...
and the making of Anglo-Australian rugby league culture - 22 September 2004 - Tom Keneally, AO: No more bloody bundles for Britain: The Post-World War II tours of the British and French Allies
- 21 September 2005 - Roy Masters: The Great FibroWestern Suburbs MagpiesThe 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...
versus SilvertailManly-Warringah Sea EaglesThe 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...
Wars - 21 September 2006 - David RoweDavid RoweDavid Rowe may refer to:* David E. Rowe, American science historian* David C. Rowe, American psychologist* David Rowe-Beddoe, Baron Rowe-Beddoe, British politician*David Rowe , British Olympic cyclist*David Rowe , Australian tennis player...
: The Stuff of Dreams, or the Dream Stuffed? Rugby League, Media Empires, Sex Scandals, and Global Plays - 27 September 2007 - Sean FaganSean FaganSean Patrick Fagan is a Sydney, Australia based sports historian, author and journalist, specialising in early Australian history and particular the origins and local development of the popular football codes in Australia. He has written articles for Australian national daily newspapers, numerous...
: Nothing But a Nine-Day Wonder: The founding of rugby league—Australia’s first professional code - 6 November 2008 - Lex MarinosLex MarinosLex Marinos OAM is an Australian television actor, director and writer. Notable for his acting role as 'Bruno', the Italian son-in-law of bigot Ted Bullpitt, on the Australian comedy television series Kingswood Country as and host of Late Night Legends on ABC2, he was also a presenter on radio...
, OAMOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
: From a Federation Game to a League of Nations - 23 September 2009 - Terry WilliamsTerry WilliamsTerry Williams may refer to:*Terry Williams , English former professional footballer*Terry Williams , former American football defensive back*Terry Williams , Welsh rock drummer...
: The Lost Tribes of League – the fate of axed and merged clubs and their fans - 23 September 2010 - John FaheyJohn Fahey (politician)John Joseph Fahey, AC is a former Premier of New South Wales and Federal Minister for Finance in Australia. John Fahey is currently the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1984 to 1996 and the federal House of Representatives...
, ACOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
: Tries and Tribulations