On This Day….17th April
We’ve all heard of the “Terrible Six” of 1907/08 and there were nine forwards used during the season. Tommy Walsh and Harry Wilson had been in the team for around ten years, Billy Brookes and Walter Wray since 1900. Bill Jukes (1905), Charles Cappleman, John Higson, Jack Randall and Jack Smales (all 1906) came into the team to make up the formidable pack. On debut today in 1906 was John “Jack” Smales. Signed from juniors Outwood Church, Jack would play in the match which gave Hunslet the fourth trophy in 1908, the Championship final replay against Oldham. He later became a regular Yorkshire player and in 1914 was selected to tour Australasia. His Hunslet record was 281 games and 30 tries He died in 1930 after being electrocuted on live pipework in the cellar of his pub, The Beehive in Wakefield.
Apart from the first season of the Northern Union, the league was split into two county leagues. In 1900 there was an informal meeting today attended by Hunslet and 11 other Yorkshire clubs dissatisfied with the nature of the Yorkshire League games (rough play, unattractive quality of some opposition) and proposed a new Northern Rugby League. A meeting of the Northern Union Committee in June narrowly approved the proposal and Hunslet would be included.
There were number of seasons concluding today and it proved to be a pretty miserable day for Hunslet. 1910/11’s finish of 6th in the league and 2nd in the Yorkshire League were fair return but 1st round exits in both cups were disappointing. Winger Albert Jenkinson scored 22 tries and Freddie Farrar kicked 33 goals. Added to his 17 tries his points tally was 117.
1914/15, the last before cessation of competitive football for WW1, was an average one, a 10th place finish out of 25 teams and again 1st round cup exits. Harold Buck topped the tries (21) and Walter Guerin goals and points (62 and 146).
1936/37 was a very similar season, 12th out of 30 and a 1st round exit in the Challenge Cup. However a run to the Yorkshire Cup semi-final gave the club a lift in the first half of the season. Eric Batten’s 25 tries put him top Hunslet’s and 5th in the leagues top tries. Mark Tolson kicked 60 goals and scored 123 points.
Mid table and two 1st round exits were the outcome of 1960/61. Billy Walker (16) and Billy Langton (65) were the top try and goal scorers.
The dark days of the late 60s/early 70s hit their lowest point today as the team finished bottom of the pile for the first time in their history in 1970/71. Six wins and a draw was all they could muster. No try scorer hit double figures, Cliff Watson being the best (8) with Dave Marshall’s goals and points being 41 and 88.
1987/88 and it was bottom again as injuries to two of Hunslet’s Aussie imports wrecked their plans for this season following last year’s promotion. There were some heavy defeats towards the end of the season, 6-70 at St Helens, 14-66 at home to Widnes and a last day 10-62 at Wigan. Jimmy Irvine was top try scorer with 8 and Alan Platt with 59 and 140 topped the goals and points.
The only cup match played today brought little relief as a 2016 home Challenge Cup game with Salford Red Devils ended 14-50 to the visitors.
First time opponents today were Toulouse Olympique at home and a 28-6 win. York’s first visit to Parkside as a Northern Union club was today in 1906, a 22-2 win for Hunslet.
