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Dally Messenger
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Herbert Henry Messenger | |
| Date of birth | April 12, 1883 | |
| Place of birth | Balmain, Australia | |
| Date of death | November 24, 1959 | |
| Nickname | Dally | |
| Position | Centre | |
| Professional clubs* | ||
| Years | Club | Apps (points) |
| 1908 - 1913 | Easts | 56 (480) |
| Representative teams | ||
| 1908 1908 - 1910 1908 - 1912 1911 |
New Zealand Australia New South Wales Queensland |
3 (3) 7 (116) 6 1 |
|
* Professional club appearances and points |
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Herbert Henry "Dally" Messenger (born April 12, 1883 in Balmain, New South Wales, died November 24, 1959) was an Australian rugby league footballer, recognised as one of that games greatest ever players. Messenger, or ‘The Master’ as he was dubbed represented his country in both rugby codes, playing 2 rugby union tests and 7 rugby league.
Not a tall man, Messenger stood around 172cm (5ft 7') but was a powerful runner of the ball and solid defender. According to his peers the centre's greatest attributes were his unpredictability and coordination coupled with a freakish ability to kick goals from almost any part of the ground. He was a teetotaller and non smoker during his career and other than breakfast, Messenger would rarely eat before a match.
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Messenger grew up in Double Bay, New South Wales where his father owned a boatshed. He'd previously spent time living with an Aunt in South Melbourne, Victoria and later, recalled playing Australian rules football at this time or as he refers to it,[1] [2] [3].
“A game that was a mixture of rugby and soccer that was known simply as the ‘Australian game’".
Messenger attended the Double Bay Public School where he honed his skills not only in the game he would later master but also in cricket and his other love, sailing. While not competing on the sports field young Messenger worked at his father's boatshed. Dally had a younger brother, Wally, who played Australian rules football for both Balmain Tigers and Paddington.[4] before switching codes. Like Dally, Wally represented Australia in rugby league.
Messenger received the 'Dally' nickname while only young. The NSW premier of the time, W.B. Dalley sported a rather large ‘pot belly', the young Messenger shared a similar affliction though less pronounced. Over the years the ‘pot belly’ and the 'e' dropped off. In 1900 Messenger first took up competitive rugby outside school, playing for the local rugby union club the Warrigals.
In 1905, Messenger began his career with the Easts rugby union club and within a year the young ‘standoff’(five-eigth) was playing first grade. Dally quickly won a following amongst the fans due to his sublime ball skills, cheeky tricks and accurate short and long kicking game off either foot.
Dally first moved to his more customary centre positon following his selection there for NSW in 1906 by the time of his Wallaby debut in 1907 he had made that position his own.
The new code of rugby league, still in its designer stages received a massive boost when it was revealed union’s greatest star, Dally Messenger had agreed to join the new breakaway movement.
Messenger played in the rebel series against a professional New Zealand team, the ‘All Golds’ as they were referred to , and was invited to tour England with the New Zealand professional side. It remains unclear whether this was a result of the form he showed in the series or if it was agreed as part of his sign-on fee with the new code.
It was in the North of England that Messenger became more acquainted with the new game. By the completion of the tour Messenger had topped the tour aggregates by more than 100 points.
On arrival back in Australia Dally played with the Eastern Suburbs club in the newly formed New South Wales Rugby League(NSWRL) though a heavy representative schedule saw him play only a handful of matches for his club side . Messenger's popularity helped showcase the new game and the NSWRL took full advantage of this. In rugby league's first year besides playing for his club, Messenger made representative appearances for Metropolis(Sydney), NSW and Australia as well as for New Zealand and in one case Queensland. Following two heavy defeats Messenger agreed to play for Queensland in a third match against New Zealand. The match endeed in a 12 all draw with Messenger scoring 9 of the 12 points. Towards the end of the season Messenger was again selected to tour England, this time with the first Kangaroos, or ‘Pioneers’.
Having toured with the New Zealand professional team the previous year, Messenger was well known in the North of England and on arrival attained celebrity status. Placards bearing the words 'Messenger Will Play' were erected outside of grounds and he was offered contracts by some of England's leading soccer clubs.
Messenger captained Australia in the first two tests of the tour, missing the third through injury. On tour Messenger was credited with numerous goals from the other side of half way, including one that appeared in earlier versions of ‘Guinness Book Of World Records’ measuring over 80 yards but which has faded out over the years. Another from over 75 yards is mentioned in an English newspaper under the heading
‘A Wonderful Kick’, ".
" Quite a sensation was caused at last Saturday’s football match when Mr Messenger kicked the ball from the 75 yards' mark and secured a goal....." ".
In the second test Messenger is said to have scored one of the greatest individual tries ever witnessed in Test rugby league. At the end of the tour Messenger had again topped the aggregates, this time by just under 100 points.
Returning home from the tour with injury and following a hectic schedule over the past few years, he elected to sit out most of the 1909 season, playing in just a few representative matches towards the end of the year. Messenger also rejected an offer to play with English club, Warrington, during the Australian off-season.
The 1911 season was Messenger's finest. In 21 matches played he totalled a then record 270 points. In one interstate match for NSW he scored 32 points from 4 tries and 10 goals. That record has only been equalled in recent years, with tries now being worth 4 points as opposed to 3. He amassed a total of 72 points for the three match series.
Recently married Messenger stood down from the 1911 Kangaroo Tour leading his club Eastern Suburbs to its first premiership. In the semi-final that year against South Sydney Messenger scored 20 of Easts' 23 points.
After retirement from representative football, he led his side to a second premiership in 1912 and followed that with a third consecutive premiership in 1913. Easts were given permanent possession of the NSWRL’s first trophy, the RAS shield. On announcement of his retirement the Eastern Suburbs club presented the shield to Messenger in appreciation.
Following his retirement Messenger took to nurturing his second love, sailing. Dally was for several years catamaran champion of Sydney Harbour and for a brief time long oarsman champion of Australia.
Unsuccessful with various business opportunities, Messenger died penniless in 1959, aged 76. The final 9 months of his life were spent living rent free in a friend's hotel in the NSW country town of Gunnedah.
His career while only brief left an everlasting impression upon fans who saw him play due to his uncanny natural talents and ability. More importantly he left an unmatched print on the game of rugby league.
The 'Dally M. Medal’ is awarded to Australian rugby league's best player each year.
In comparison to the modern day, Messenger's career numbers are still quite astonishing. In only 140 career match appearances games he amassed 998 points.
While some of his numerous feats may have been embellished over the years, he is in Australian rugby league folklore generally regarded as the greatest ' - the Master' .
- Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
- Various Authors (1997) Oxford Companion to Australian Sport, Oxford University Press, Melbourne
- Ian Heads (1992) True Blue
- Sean Fagan (2005) The Rugby Rebellion