Quietly spoken and modest, Dick Poole is very much the unassuming type who is considerable and calculated. When he speaks, people listen.
On the field, Dick’s speed off the mark, solid defence and unselfish play has him regarded as one of the finest centres to play the Game. But it was as a leader of men that Dick Poole truly shone.
Throughout his career, Dick battled injury setbacks but persistence paid off. He made the most of his opportunities, achieving all the accolades at the Game’s highest level.
Dick Poole, the Parkview Men of League Honouree, has vivid memories of a wonderful career. “I did everything anyone would like to do. I captained NSW to victories over Queensland, New Zealand and Great Britain and captain-coached my country. The only thing I missed out on was a premiership.”
Uniquely, Dick started off in League as a joint Canterbury and Newtown junior. After leaving De La Salle Marrickville as a sixteen year old, Dick loved his League to the point where he played for Belmore Juniors on a Saturday and for Earlwood CYO on a Sunday.
Kevin Considine played for Lakemba CYO against Dick in that Earlwood CYO team and they progressed through the grades at Newtown: “I’ve known Dick since he was 16 and can’t speak highly enough and that speaks for all the players who played with him. He is one of the finest men you’ll ever meet. A very strong family man.
“I played in the centres with Dick and then as a winger outside him and I rate him as one of the best centres ever. He had great hands and a terrific game, built around the men outside him.”
Dick was graded in C-Grade for Newtown in 1948 and made his first grade debut in 1950.
In 1954, Brian Clay played inside centre, moving Dick to outside centre and Considine on to the wing with Ray Preston. Newtow’s outside men were outstanding that season with Clay and Poole and the two wingers combining beautifully to see Ray Preston score a remarkable 34 tries and Kevin Considine 24.
They finished as minor premiers but unluckily for Newtown, 1954 was the first season that a compulsory finals series was introduced. Prior to that, the minor premiers would have been crowned premiers. Souths, led by the great Clive Churchill, beat Newtown 24-14 in the major semi final and 23-15 in the Grand Final, played in front of 45,759 at the SCG.
During the 1954 season, Dick played for NSW against Great Britain at the SCG in the infamous match called off by referee Aub Oxford due to excessive brawling. Oxford never refereed again and the match remains the only top-level game ever abandoned in Rugby League history.
When Col Geelan retired as Newtown coach at the end of 1954, Poole was appointed captain-coach of the Bluebags. As a major contributor to Newtown’s continued success, Dick started to receive the personal recognition he deserved.
Dick was outstanding in his first season at the helm, taking the Bluebags to the minor premiership and consecutive grand finals. Newtown had accounted for St George 11-8 in the major semi-final and looked set to claim the JJ Giltinan Shield.
Meanwhile, South Sydney were staging one of the greatest comebacks in Rugby League history. Halfway through the 1955 season Souths were in equal last place having won just three of nine matches. From that point they didn’t lose another game winning 9 season encounters in a row before the finals.
Despite the huge momentum with the Rabbitohs, Newtown were still regarded as the hot favourites, given that Churchill, who broke his arm in the second last match of the season against Manly, and Test five eighth Greg Hawick, were both ruled out.
In the decider, Newtown led 8-4 at the break and looked to be winners when leading 11-7 only 10 minutes from full time. Newtown had the ball and were working away from their own line. It was legal to compete for the ball at marker in those days and Jack Rayner toed the ball through. Souths halfback Col Donohoe won the race to the ball and scored next to the posts. The easy Bernie Purcell conversion made the score 12-11. On the bell, Newtown were awarded a penalty and fullback Gordon Clifford took a long range shot at goal. It just missed and Souths won 12-11.
Dick also came under the eye of the Australian selectors in 1955 and made his international debut in the third Test against France in the most peculiar circumstances. Only picked as a reserve, Dick was in the dressing sheds before the match, not expecting to take the field when the following happened:
“We were in the sheds getting ready to play and poor old Darcy Henry was wrapping some rubber packing around his back. There was an injury cloud but he had already been cleared to play. When they saw all the packing he was using they changed their minds. Darcy was pulled out and I went in.”
Australia were narrowly beaten in that Test but Dick Poole was embarking on a rep career that would see him achieve so much.
“In 1956, I captained NSW then played three Tests against New Zealand we won all three and managed to gain selection on the 1956 Kangaroo touring squad, captained by Ken Kearney. I played centre in all three Tests against England and all three Tests against France,” Dick proudly recalls.
In 1957, Poole was selected to replace Kearney as the Australian captain coach and he led a young squad that included the likes of Harry Wells, Alec Watson, Greg Hawick, Ken McCaffrey and Keith Holman in the second ever World Cup, the first played in Australia.
Dick will always be known as a beautifully balanced, hard running centre, who appeared in 10 Tests, 14 interstate matches for NSW, two Grand Finals with Newtown and two strong seasons at Western Suburbs. But Dick’s proudest moment is as captain-coach of the all conquering Australian World Cup holders in 1957.
Britain were the favourites going into the tournament but the Australians smashed them 31-6 after defeating NZ 25-5 and went on to do the same to France 26-9. With no final necessary, Australia also defeated the Rest of the World in an exhibition match.
The World Cup turned out to be Dick’s last international appearance because he snapped his Achilles in a club match against Balmain in the next season. He rounded off his career with Wests and although Dick says “my best years were past me at the Magpies,” winger John Mowbray says Dick Poole was the greatest player he ever played with in 10 seasons at Wests: “He was great to play outside of. He had a great pass straight into your chest every time”.
Now aged 77, Dick still lives in Earlwood and the father of five is now the proud grandfather of seven. He is so grateful for all the Men of League Foundation has done: “For the first time in years I’m going to be able to enjoy Christmas without worrying about the pain in my knees.”
A young Dick Poole on the attack for Newtown.
Photo courtesy of News Pi