Successful Trial
1954, and three of our players were invited to Swinton to partake in the Tour Trial for the upcoming visit Down Under. For the Whites, Alf” Ginger” Burnell and Dickie Williams were at half-back and Geoff Gunney was in the second row for the Reds. The Reds won 20-14, Geoff scoring a try and kicking 4 goals. Alf also helped himself to a try. All three must have impressed as they all made the plane. Dickie was selected as Tour Captain after the game but was found to have a depressed fracture of the cheekbone which would require an operation.
Nine years earlier, 1945, forward Colin Stansfield made his only appearance for England at Wigan. 23,500 saw England win 18-8.
A couple of debutants today. Way back in 1888, forward Edward Kaye made the first of his 321 appearances which saw him score 29 tries and play in both Rugby Union and Northern Union eras. He played in the 1892 Yorkshire Cup final and the 1898 Championship Play-off. In his first season he scored 3 tries against Belfast Albion which set a club record for tries in a match and was club captain for two season in the mid 1890s.
In 1991 winger Paul White came in on loan from Ryedale-York to make his debut at Dewsbury and play one further game. He signed for the club in 1993/94 and stayed 5 seasons, making 72 appearances and scoring 21 tries.
The match in which Kaye made his debut marked the first occasion we played Dewsbury, the visitors going home with a 1 goal to nil win.
A couple of Challenge Cup ties today. In 1985 Hull KR visited Elland Road for the second time in three years. Mansfield Marksman were seen off in the 1st round. In the 2nd round Hunslet visited Leigh who had new boss Alex Murphy in charge. Hunslet were 18-4 down at the break. Andy Bateman got a try back and at 10-23 with 12 minutes left Mal Graham (reported to have knocked on gathering his kick through) scored .Andy Marson scored a lucky try under the posts when a Graham King drop goal attempt bounced back off the cross bar. Graham King scored a further try as Leigh fell apart to lose 27-28. Rovers did not let Hunslet repeat their heroics of 1983 as they eased to a 27-7 win.
In 1934 Hunslet has won through to the quarter-finals with wins over Leigh and Castleford (after a replay) and today faced York in what the paper reported was “a scramble in the mud”.13,590 watched on as a solitary Mark Tolson goal saw Hunslet home 2-0.
It was the last match of the 1893/94 Yorkshire Senior Competition today. An average season for Hunslet as they only won 9 and drew 1 of their 22 games. Top goal scorer was Albert Goldthorpe with 37 and top tries went jointly to brother Walter and Jack Wright. It was only the second season of leagues in the Rugby Union but Hunslet did manage to gain their first league win over Hull.
