Making his debut today in 1994 over at Leigh was club legend Steve Pryce. Signed from Ryedale-York and having played his junior rugby at West Bowling, Steve was at Hunslet for 13 seasons, making 255 appearances and scored 25 tries. He played for a Northern Ford League XIII representative side in 1999 against Villeneuve Leopards and faced the USA with Jamaica in 2009 in an Atlantic Cup match at Jacksonville in Florida. He is a member of Hunslet’s Hall Of Fame.
Steve Pryce
Today’s 1905 edition of the Athletic News reported on new players for the season. Two of note were Billy Eagers, the old Bradford centre and Bill Jukes, a forward from Featherstone Rovers. Eagers was a Cumbrian representative who played in three Yorkshire Cup finals and the Championship and Challenge Cup finals in 1907/08. He played 146 games for the club, scoring 38 tries and 22 goals. Jukes, one of the “Terrible Six”, played in the same finals as Eagers and would tour with Great Britain in 1910. He played 306 games for Hunslet, his last being a couple of years after WW1. He scored 94 tries. He captained Yorkshire in 1910 and 1911.
Bill Eagers
Newly promoted to Division One in 1977, Hunlset opened their campaign with a home Yorkshire Cup tie against Hull Kingston Rovers and on a wet and windy day upset the fancied Humbersiders 14-8. The programme for the game commented on the appearance of the ground after a close season of hard work by the ground staff. The club had high hopes for Danny Rowe who made his debut at the end of last season and he showed up well in the pre-season friendly at Bradford. Injuries were carried over from last season by Peter Muscroft, Bak Diabira, Arnie Long and Dave Hill
The last match of the 1954 tour was against Southern District and Dickie Williams was at stand-off as GB ran riot in Canberra, winning 66-10.
In 1948 the players could not agree terms for the upcoming season and refused to turn out for the first game of the season at Wigan. To avoid a fine or points deduction Hunslet had to play the game and East Leeds ARLFC stood in to play the fixture. They lost 2-45 and on the following Wednesday lost at Bramley 5-27. They were coached by former Hunslet favourite Frank “Dolly” Dawson. The players were back on the 28th for the fixture at home to Keighley.
The papers today in in 1971 were reporting on the burning down of the wooden stand at Parkside the previous night. As there had been previous vandalism the police were treating it as arson. Today’s “A” team game with Huddersfield was postponed as the fire had scorched the pitch.
Season 1983/84 started today and the programme for the game with Doncaster told us that after a new agreement with Leeds United the club had some stability after the nomadic existence of the last few years. Hunslet were reported to be 4/1 second favourites behind Barrow for the Second Division title. Last Season’s “Motorola Award “ was won by Paul Briers with Stewart Smith second and Neil Lean third. John Wolford got the Clubman Award and Eric Fitzsimons got a Special Award after his scoring feats. Keith Mitchell got the “A” team Award, John Lockwood the Colts and Lee Saunders Most Promising Young Player. This was the first season of a try being worth 4 points.
Paul Briers
Today was the first home game of 1972/73, the old club’s last season and Bramley were the visitors. A 7-20 defeat did not get things off to good start. Bill Mason, Peter Rycroft and Steve Hudson were carrying leg injuries into the new season according to the programme. New rules for this season were the change to six tackles from four and the introduction of time keepers.
