Jack Holmes (rugby league, born 1904)

Last updated

Jack Holmes
Personal information
Full nameJohn James Holmes
Born(1904-12-11)11 December 1904
Glebe, New South Wales, Australia
Died10 September 1931(1931-09-10) (aged 26)
Burwood, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Position Five-eighth
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1926 Western Suburbs 73009
1927–31 Newtown 4571026
Total52101035
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1929–30 New South Wales 31003
1929–30 Australia 00000

John James Holmes (1904-1931) was an Australian rugby league player who played in the 1920s and 1930s.

Contents

Career

Born at Glebe, New South Wales to parents George and Ellen Holmes in 1904, Holmes was a five-eighth that came from Western Suburbs Magpies in 1926 to Newtown. He spent the next five seasons at Newtown between 1927 and 1931, often as captain. Holmes represented New South Wales on three occasions between 1929-1930 and was then chosen from the 1929-30 Kangaroo Tour, playing in 12 matches. Holmes is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No.158. [1] He met and married an English girl, while on tour and returned with her to live in Sydney. [2]

Death

He had completed the 1931 NSWRFL season, when he became ill with appendicitis and died during the operation to remove the infected appendix. Much grief was felt for his wife Mary and his infant daughter Angela, and a benefit match was played on 29 September 1931 at Earl Park, Arncliffe between the Kangaroos and a combined Newtown-Western Suburbs team that raised in excess of £300 for the widow and child. His funeral was attended by many members of the Newtown Rugby League Football Club and other rugby league identities. [3]

Holmes died on 10 September 1931 aged 26, and was buried at the Catholic section of Rookwood Cemetery on 11 September 1931. [4]

Related Research Articles

Johnny Raper Australian rugby league player and coach (1939–2022)

John William Raper was an Australian professional rugby league footballer and coach. Nicknamed "Chook", he was a lock-forward who earned a then-record of 33 Test caps in the Australia national team between 1959 and 1968. He also played six World Cup games between 1960 and 1968. Raper captained Australia on eight occasions from 1967 to 68 and played in eight consecutive NSWRFL first-grade grand final victories for the St George Dragons club. He was named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Tedda Courtney Australian RL coach and Australia international rugby league footballer

Ed "Tedda" Courtney (1885–1957) was a pioneer Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He played club football for North Sydney, Western Suburbs and representative football for the New South Wales state and Australian national sides. He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Frank Burge Australia international rugby league footballer & coach

Frank Burge was one of the greatest forwards in the history of rugby league in Australia. Later Burge became one of the game’s finest coaches. His club career was with Glebe and the St. George Dragons. He represented New South Wales on twenty-six occasions and played thirteen test matches for the Kangaroos and played for Australia in a further twenty-three tour matches.

Cec "Dicky" Fifield (1903-1957) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s, and coached in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative centre, he played in the NSWRFL premiership for Sydney clubs, Western Suburbs, Balmain and Canterbury-Bankstown, as well as in England for Hull FC. Following his playing career, Fifield returned to the NSWRFL premiership as coach, first with Canterbury-Bankstown then with Parramatta.

Arthur Halloway Australian rugby league footballer and coach

Arthur 'Pony' Halloway (1885–1961), was a pioneering Australian rugby league footballer and coach. Born in Sydney, New South Wales he played for the Glebe Dirty Reds (1908), Balmain Tigers and Eastern Suburbs (1912–1914), in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership. He played for New South Wales in the first rugby match run by the newly created 'New South Wales Rugby Football League' which had just split away from the established New South Wales Rugby Football Union.

Joe Pearce (Australian rugby league) Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer

Sid 'Joe' Pearce was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. An Australian international and New South Wales representative second-row forward, he played his club football for Eastern Suburbs with whom he won the NSWRFL Premiership in 1935, '36, 37 'and '40. Son of fellow Australian Rugby League Hall of Famer, Sandy Pearce, he is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Viv Thicknesse (1910–1986) was an Australian dual-code rugby half-back, a state representative in both rugby league and rugby union. His rugby league career was spent with the champion Eastern Suburbs sides of the 1930s and he represented Australia in that code in seven Tests.

Cliff Pearce Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer

Clifford George Pearce (1907-1976) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. His primary position was as a centre.

Alan Ridley (1910–1993) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative winger, he played club football for Sydney's Western Suburbs, with whom he won the 1934 NSWRFL Premiership.

Jim Craig (rugby league) Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer

Jim Craig (1895–1959) was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a versatile back for the Australian national team. He played in seven tests between 1921 and 1928 as captain on three occasions and has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century. Craig was a player of unparalleled versatility. It is known that he represented in Tests at fullback, centre, halfback and hooker with some of his club and tour football played at winger, five-eighth and lock forward. Whiticker's reference reports that the great Dally Messenger regarded Craig as the greatest player Messenger ever saw.

Alfred Lewis "Smacker" Blair was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach whose playing career ran from 1917 to 1930 with South Sydney. A skilled five-eighth, he made a single appearance for the Australian national team in 1924.

Dick Poole (rugby league) Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer

Herbert Richard Poole is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a centre for the Australian national team. He played in ten Tests and three World Cup games between 1955 and 1957, as captain on three occasions.

Frank McMillan Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer

Frank McMillan was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a full-back for the Australian national team and played in nine Tests between 1929 and 1934, two as captain. McMillan has since been named amongst the nation's finest players of the 20th century.

Ted Goodwin is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer in the NSWRL competition. Goodwin played for the St George Dragons, Newtown Jets and Western Suburbs Magpies as well as representing for Country and New South Wales and Australia.

Edward Root Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer

Eddie Root (1902–1986) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. A New South Wales state and Australia national representative forward, his club career was played in Sydney with South Sydney, Newtown and St. George. Enlisted in World War I at the age of just 16 years, he had the distinction of being the last representative footballer to go to the Great War.

Henry James Kadwell was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative fullback who later moved to the-halves, he played his club football for South Sydney with whom he won the 1927 and 1928 NSWRFL premierships, and later St. George whom he captain-coached to the 1933 grand final.

Les Mead (1909-1996) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s. A New South Wales interstate and Australian international representative goal-kicking half back, he played his club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership with Western Suburbs.

Ray Morris Australian rugby league footballer

Ray Morris (1908-1933) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. A New South Wales representative three-quarter back, he played his club football in Sydney for Western Suburbs, then for Sydney University until his death on the 1933-34 Kangaroo tour.

Arthur Fitzgerald Folwell was a British-born Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, coached in the 1940s, and was an administrator in the mid-20th century. An Australia national and New South Wales state representative hooker, he played his club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League for Sydney's Newtown before becoming their coach and taking them to the 1943 NSWRFL premiership.

John Why was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. A New South Wales state and Australian national representative three-quarter back, he played in the NSWRFL Premiership for the South Sydney club, winning the 1928, 1929, 1931 and 1932 titles with them. He was the brother of fellow South Sydney footballers, Oliver Why and Alby Why.

References

  1. ARL Annual Report 2005, page 53
  2. Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995 ( ISBN   1875169571)
  3. Referee, Sydney: 'Jack Holmes Benefit Match Huge Success' 30/09/1931
  4. Sydney Morning Herald: Funeral Notice 11/9/1931