Harry Wells.

[Magaoidh]

Ha Ing a keen sense of humour I like stories about characters on the field and off.
Harry was a big 15stone centre who played for Wests and was an international for years partnering the real Reg Gasnier in Tests at times.
A mate of mine told this story about Harry,it was Souths v Wests at the SCG.Back in those days first line d.was shakey so the f.b.was called on to do a lot more tackling than in todays game,Mitch take note!
Anyway Harry broke through and was approaching the 10 and a half stone f.b.Clive Churchill,thinks Harry I will sidestep Churchill.Clive promptly and expertly picked up Harry and spear tackled him into the much loved SCG turf.
Later in the game Harry broke through and was bearing down on the midget f.b.again Harry put a swerve on Clive who once again picked him up and drove him into the much loved SCG turf.
Shit said Harry this is embarrassing,so even later in the game he decided to run over the top of Clive,duck it said Harry as Clive picked him up and once more drove him head first into the SCG hallowed turf.
By this time the 50,000 strong crowd were laughing at Harry’s endeavours but Harry took it well he was a good sportsman unlike the Penrith team of turds in todays game!
btw Souths won that game!

 

[Gazman]

From what you’ve just described the contrast between the game then vs now is that Clive would have been sent off for the spear tackles in todays game. It was still part of the game up until the 70’s and 80’s…it’s treated as just about the most dangerous tackle in the game nowadays.
The best little bloke tackle I ever saw was under 10 stone Ivan Jones totally upending Norths front rower Lloyd Weir at Redfern Oval. Weir was at full throttle and in the clear with little Ivan the final defender in his wake.
The other thing I can appreciate is the size of players then vs now. 15 stone equals 95 kgs which is about average for a centre these days.

How times have changed.

 

[Magaoidh]

Great little player Ivan,career ending injury both shoulders dislocated same tackle in a night game at Redfern.Lloyd Weir big b.
Gaz anything goes was the motto.
Clive used to run the ball back diagonally and for a change up the sideline dodging stiff arms as he went!

 

[Gazman]

Great little player Ivan,career ending injury both shoulders dislocated same tackle in a night game at Redfern.Lloyd Weir big b.
Gaz anything goes was the motto.
Clive used to run the ball back diagonally and for a change up the sideline dodging stiff arms as he went!

Ivan was a great halfback, as game as they come. Pity he never represented as there were other gun half backs in that era, Billy Smith most notable.
Amongst all of the stars playing for Souths I always had Ivan as my favourite.

 

[Magaoidh]

Really enjoyed his running game and chopping away at the would be tacklers arms!

 

[bigbopper]

Harry came from Wollongong to Souths were he played a few games in 1951, then back to Wollongong (from where he was picked for Australia - it happened in those days) then after a few years to Wests where he had a great career. But he won his only premiership with us.

Cheers

 

[bigbopper]

I know I have posted about this before but Magaoidh is referring to the first game in the 1956 finals series. We had won three premierships in a row but only finished third on the ladder that year. St George were first, Balmain second while Wests and Newtown tied for fourth (teams didn't get in on point differential in the days). There was only a final four with first playing second (winner to grand final, loser to preliminary final) and third playing fourth (loser eliminated and winner to preliminary final).

So first up Wests had to play Newtown on the Tuesday to see who met us in the semi. The game was played at Redfern Oval - the crowd was over 20,000 which I think at the time was a ground record. I attended Redfern-Central primary school which was very nearby and went to the ground and caught most of the game.

Wests won but we massacred them in the semi 45 - 7 (11 tries). We lost the preliminary final to the Tigers 33 - 36 scoring 7 tries to 6 - Chicka Cowie scored four tries that day.

So question for those who can find stats easily.

How many clubs have scored 18 tries in a finals series? Not a bad effort considering we only played two games?

Cowie scored six tries in the series - how many players have scored six tries or more in a finals series?

Cheers

 

[Kempy]

How many clubs have scored 18 tries in a finals series? Not a bad effort considering we only played two games?

Tigers in 2005 scored 23 in 4 games. We went close in 2014 with 17 in 3 games. That was only looking at 2 that I knew in recent time racked up multiple big scores.

Still 18 in 2 games is impressive.

 

[Magaoidh]

Len Chicka Cowie was yet another great player from the 50’s.
Our pack back then was
Lock Cowie international
Big Jack Rayner captain and Bernie Purcell both internationals in the second row.
Denis Donoghue Ernie Hammerton and Big Jim Richards.Front row.
Richards was a State rep.
The rest of the pack were all Ozzie reps.
Our backline were similiar,mostly internationals.
Glory days.

 

[Magaoidh]

AJ wouldn’t get close to Moir in footballing ability or in speed I suspect.

 

[chelseabree]

I know I have posted about this before but Magaoidh is referring to the first game in the 1956 finals series. We had won three premierships in a row but only finished third on the ladder that year. St George were first, Balmain second while Wests and Newtown tied for fourth (teams didn't get in on point differential in the days). There was only a final four with first playing second (winner to grand final, loser to preliminary final) and third playing fourth (loser eliminated and winner to preliminary final).

So first up Wests had to play Newtown on the Tuesday to see who met us in the semi. The game was played at Redfern Oval - the crowd was over 20,000 which I think at the time was a ground record. I attended Redfern-Central primary school which was very nearby and went to the ground and caught most of the game.

Wests won but we massacred them in the semi 45 - 7 (11 tries). We lost the preliminary final to the Tigers 33 - 36 scoring 7 tries to 6 - Chicka Cowie scored four tries that day.

So question for those who can find stats easily.

How many clubs have scored 18 tries in a finals series? Not a bad effort considering we only played two games?

Cowie scored six tries in the series - how many players have scored six tries or more in a finals series?

Cheers

A great game- looked like we were going to win the premiership. Ah Chick Cowie was a great player. Not trying to push a barrow but BUNNIES TV has a story on him. Don't know how to do the link.

 

[Magaoidh]

Martin Gallagher and Greg Hawick in the centres gulp.Did you see them play Chelsea?
Hawick an international and Gallagher a state rep.
Two really tough players!

 

[cmorrison9]

AJ wouldn’t get close to Moir in footballing ability or in speed I suspect.

Any modern day player would wipe the floor with players of the past.

Todays player’s sole job is rugby league. Live it, breathe it, eat it. The sports science put into preparing players these days cannot be understated.

Players from the past, come in from work, bunger in the mouth and rock up on game day. Training pretty much optional (if you could get off work in time).

This is why it is so difficult comparing players from different eras.

 

[Gazman]

Any modern day player would wipe the floor with players of the past.

Todays player’s sole job is rugby league. Live it, breathe it, eat it. The sports science put into preparing players these days cannot be understated.

Players from the past, come in from work, bunger in the mouth and rock up on game day. Training pretty much optional (if you could get off work in time).

This is why it is so difficult comparing players from different eras.

This is true.
I recall that when GI was at his peak I said to a mate that I believe he’d have scored 10 tries a game if he was transplanted back to the 60’s. They’d have to change the value of a try to reduce his influence. The only thing that would slow him up would be the chopped up grounds. This isn’t a slight against the players of yesteryear it’s a combination of so many advances and the professionalism of the modern player. Physicality, fitness, training techniques, stadium playing surfaces, coaching….so much has changed. The game is almost unrecognisable as the same game of 50 years ago.

 

[Magaoidh]

I know it’s hard but consider these valid points,when Moir played international RL.The Poms we’re top dogs and France were equally amazing.
To get a run in the OZ team you had to be bloody good okay.
Ian scored 105 tries in 110 games with Souths not so with Wests.
He ran the 100 metres in 12.7 secs.at age 50,how fast was he at his peak faster than Ken Irvine who I consider the best winger I have seen play the game.
AJ has barely played Test footy,
I doubt that AJ at his peak was faster than Moir.Would be interesting to see the numbers.
There is a valid reason why Moir and Horder were selected in the Souths Team of .the century.They were the best!
Today players have muscles in their arse doesn’t make em better!
Gi was a freak but the answer lies in your responses!
Ian beat Irvine over 110 yards in 11.1 secs.