20th December….
In 1992 Hunslet travelled to Batley for a league match. After overnight frost the pitch was still frozen when the team arrived. In the next home programme Paul Daley tells us that both himself and the team and also the Batley players felt the ground was unplayable. However when the referee arrived and inspected the pitch he declared the match was on. Daley refused to play the game due concerns over the welfare of his players. Hunslet were later fined £1,360.
A couple of representative games today. Hunslet’s Australian Gary Souter made his second appearance for Other Nationalities against Cumberland at Barrow. Cumberland won the match 21-13.
Gary Souter
Back in 1911 the first ever game of Rugby League in Bristol featured a combined Wales and The West Team against the Australasian tourists. Danny Wyburn was in the home side. A forward he had signed for Hunslet from Gloucester RU. The tourist had no problems in gaining a 23-3 win.
James “Danny” Wyburn
21st December….
It was the first of the four today as Hunslet travelled to Bradford to face Halifax in the final of the 1907 Yorkshire Cup. Both sides had absentees, Hunslet’s being Walter Goldthorpe who was replaced by Charlie Ward. The game itself was a disappointment played on a heavy ground. An Albert Goldthorpe penalty and a Billy Eagers drop goal took Hunslet in at half-time 4-0 to the good. Billy Batten missed a good chance of a try early in the second half but three minutes later Albert dribbled through the defence to touch down and soon after dropped a goal. A Fred Smith try, a Charlie Ward drop goal and a last minute Batten try won the cup for Hunslet 17-0.
The 1968 league fixture with Leeds at Parkside was in danger of postponement due to frost but Leeds offered to stage the game at Headingley utilising their undersoil heating. Leeds won the game easily 34-14. A week later Hunslet staged the return fixture at Parkside, again losing heavily 10-35.
Doug Billings was a forward who gave good service throughout the Second World War and he made his debut today at Batley. He played in both legs of the 1944 Yorkshire Cup final and made 100 appearances before moving to York.
There was a first trip today in 1980 to the capital to play newly formed Fulham. Hunslet competed well in the first half but a hat-trick by Cambriani took Fulham to a 19-5 win.
Hunslet had a man on each side in the 1929 Glamorgan & Monmouthshire v Cumberland match at Cardiff. Les White was hooking for the home side but his Hunslet team mate Johnny Coulson had the happier journey back north as his Cumberland side won 19-5.
22nd December….
Bill Ramsey toured Australasia in the summer of 1966 and returned with a broken arm. The papers today in 1966 reported that Hunslet were to make a compensation claim to the Rugby League as he was in their employ when he suffered the injury and had been unable to play since his return. This was a first for Rugby League but there was a precedence in football who insured their players while they were on international duty. The case was heard by the International Committee in January and ruled that no compensation would be forthcoming as insurance matters were decided and agreed before the tour and could not be altered.
23rd December….
In 1939 the Second World War had begun and Rugby League had recommenced. An International was arranged for Odsal between England and Wales with the Red Cross to benefit from the takings. 15,267 turned up paying £700 to see Hunslet’s Eric Batten score England’s only try in a 3-16 defeat.
In 1984 the re-formed club played Wigan at Elland Road and suffered their heaviest defeat home defeat to date After half an hour Hunslet were 12-10 in front but Wigan’s Aussie international Brett Kenny scored four tries as they won 48-16. Hunslet’s new Australian stand-off David Murray made his debut but couldn’t make any impact against Kenny.
The 1922 league match against Hull at Parkside was selected as the benefit match for Hunslet’s international tourist Walter Guerin. On a wet day 5,000 turned out and Walter played despite limping with an injury. A weakened Hunslet side had no answer to Hull and went down 3-23.
Walter Guerin
