In 2017 silverware came Hunslet’s way as they took on and defeated London Skolars at home in the League 1 Shield final. It might have been a tournament to be Best Of The Rest but someone has to win it and Hunslet played well apart for the game in North Wales. London had come north the previous week and lost in close, tense game but this week was a bit of an easier ride for Hunslet with James Duckworth and Liam Mackay getting a brace each and George Flanagan one try. Joe Sanderson got 6 goals as Hunslet won 32 -12. This obviously ended the season and George Flanagan was top try scorer with 27 and Joe Sandserson’s goal haul was 92.

1n 1898, Northern Union records fell at Parkside. In the fourth season of Northern Union and under Union rules, matches were usually settled with, at most, points in the 20s. Today against Liversedge Hunslet set a new record of points scored and widest margin by winning 42-0. Billy Hannah set a new points in game record with five tries and a goal for 17 points. After taking three years to get the points in match record it was only held for a week as Swinton won 46-2 the following week against Rochdale Hornets. Hunslet had scored 75 points previously but this was against amateurs Broughton Moor in the challenge Cup.

Two notable Union players made their debuts today at Selby. Charles Bennett and Jack Skirrow were both forwards and they had similar careers, both playing in the 1892 Yorkshire Cup final. Charles played for 7 seasons making 147 appearances and Jack one season more for 164. Charles signed from Thornes in Wakefield and played in three County trials without making the County side and for the South Of Leeds in the annual Challenge match against The North. Jack was from Knostrop and played for South Of Leeds and East Of Leeds in the annual Challenges.  

Charles Bennett

Jack Skirrow

Later came the first appearance of Richard Baker. He signed from East Leeds ARLFC inn 1995 and played a big part in the 1999 Grand Final campaign coming on as a substitute in the final. He was selected for the First And Second Division Player Of The Year in 1998. In all he played 128 games for Hunslet, scoring 67 tries.

Richard Baker

Just one representative game today in 1958 as Yorkshire played Lancashire at Hull Kingston Rovers, Hunslet supplying the back three of the pack in Harry Poole, Geoff Gunney and Brian Shaw. It was these three who the papers reported laid the foundation of a 35-19 Yorkshire win, their work giving the half-backs and three-quarters plenty of chances.

Other cup ties today were in 1951 against Batley in the Yorkshire Cup quarter-final. Hunslet’s passing was described as much faster than Batley’s as they ran out 27-8 winners.

In 1956 it was a visit to Clarence Street, York in the semi-final of the Yorkshire Cup. Always a bogey side in the Yorkshire Cup, Hunslet had only beaten them twice in eleven games in the competition. At half-time today the Hunslet fans were rueing Arthur Talbot’s three missed, relatively easy, penalty goals while York landed their three. Alfred Drury in the Yorkshire Post noted neither side looked as though they would score a  try if they played while Christmas. However thing changed in the second half. A few minutes after the restart Arthur finally landed a goal (from 37 yards), on three-quarter time he converted Frank Child’s try from touch.  Two further Talbot penalties (from 30 yards and near touch) and his late drop goal gave Hunslet a semi-final place 13-6 (achieved without Brian Gabbitas and Ginger Burnell). The crowd of 11,830 was a record for Clarence Street.

The John Player Trophy was competition that Hunslet very rarely progressed in and today was no different in 1978 as Hull came to the Greyhounds and won 17-7. Hunslet reportedly tackled very well, but, with an abundance of possession, lacked ideas near the line. Against a team with “£75,000 of talent” it was satisfactory effort.

1932/33 was a joint benefit year for Hector Crowther and Frank Dawson. Today’s game with St Helens was their benefit game and a crowd of 10,000 should have given their benefit fund a nice start.