William Neill (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
William "Webby" Neill was a pioneer Australian rugby league
footballer of the early 20th century who later became a leading referee in the NSWRFL.
Neill played for Souths in the first ever New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership season in 1908 and that year went on to play in the first ever Grand final
, which his team won. The following season Souths also won the premiership and he was first selected for the Australian national side that year. Neill moved to Newtown the following season, playing in their grand final-winning team to make it three premierships in three years. In 1911 he was selected for the second Kangaroo tour of Britain
. He played for another three seasons at Newtown before a final season with Glebe.
Neill later took to refereeing in the NSWRFL. He oversaw matches in a long refereeing career from 1916 to 1932 and officiated in a number of Grand final
s in that time.
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 of the early 20th century who later became a leading referee in the NSWRFL.
Neill played for Souths in the first ever New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership season in 1908 and that year went on to play in the first ever 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...
, which his team won. The following season Souths also won the premiership and he was first selected for the Australian national side that year. Neill moved to Newtown the following season, playing in their grand final-winning team to make it three premierships in three years. In 1911 he was selected for the second Kangaroo tour of Britain
1911-12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
The 1911-12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain was the second ever Kangaroo tour and was actually a tour by an "Australasia" team, which included four New Zealand players, rather than the Australian team alone...
. He played for another three seasons at Newtown before a final season with Glebe.
Neill later took to refereeing in the NSWRFL. He oversaw matches in a long refereeing career from 1916 to 1932 and officiated in a number of 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 in that time.