Two firsts today in 1975 – the first visit of nearest rivals Leeds and the first televised match from the Greyhound Stadium (the previous season’s Floodlit tie against Widnes wasn’t broadcast). The programme for the game gave an overview of the career of commentator Eddie Waring from his days as a team manager at Dewsbury in the war, utilising many guests to bring wartime success, his trip to Australasia as journalist on HMS Indomitable with the 1946 Lions, as manager at Leeds where he started the career of future Hunslet favourite Dickie Williams, his time as the Rugby League reporter on the Sunday Pictorial to becoming the BBC’s RL commentator and presenter on ‘It’s A Knockout’. Looking at the match star-studded Leeds must have been hot favourites but the tight pitch and the spirit of the Hunslet players made for an uncomfortable night for them. Four Bob Gaiteley penalty goals and an Allan Agar drop held the Loiners to the narrowest of margins of 10-9. Peter Muscroft looked a try scorer with Hunslet’s only break but former Parksider Dave Marshall stopped him short of the line. John Holmes drop goal on 58 minutes looked to have saved his team’s blushes but Agar’s drop gave them a nervous end to the game.
The Australasian tourists came to Parkside today in 1911. The colonials were unbeaten on tour and Hunslet had lost one and drawn one of their previous two tour matches. With four minutes left it looked like Hunslet would break their duck and the Tourists would suffer a first reverse as a first-half piece of brilliance by half-back Harry Toft had made a try for Bill Jukes to give the home side a 3-0 lead. A very late try by Broomhill brought the scores level but the conversion was missed and the game ended level.
In 1953 at the Yorkshire Cup semi-final against Hull at Parkside fog rolled in shortly before kick-off making visibility impossible for the spectators. Referee Syd Abram had decided to start the match but after 27 minutes had had enough and abandoned the game. A section of the 5,403 crowd gathered outside the Secretaries office demanding a refund, especially as they had to pay the RL imposed special cup rate. George Richardson, the Secretary, had to explain that visibility was good when the gates were opened and RL rules did not allow for refunds. There was a concession for the following day’s replay in that normal league prices would be charged. Hull were winning 3-2 when the match ended.
In 1922 the 1st round Yorkshire Cup tie against Wakefield Trinity at Parkside finished with four men in the changing rooms. Early on E. Parkin and Bill Metcalfe were sent off for kicking and it was Trinity who were less affected scoring two first-half tries to lead 6-0 at the beak. A further sending-off saw Trinity’s Barraclough banished to the changing room. An obstruction try was awarded to winger Arthur Walker and a converted try by ‘Titch’ Brogden put Hunslet two points in front. Wakefield fell a further man down when Siswick was dismissed for kicking ‘Moggie’ Jones. Wakefield were back in front with a converted try and a drop goal.before Walter Guerin scored a late Hunslet try but his equalising conversion missed and ten man Wakefield went through 13-11.
Less eventful cup-ties today were….
In 1905 junior club Saville Green were the Yorkshire Cup 1st round opponents and Hunslet overcame them 14-0.
A War-time Yorkshire Cup tie, 1944’s first round first leg was at Parkside against Castleford and tries by Cyril Plenderleith and Arthur Thurling gave Hunslet the advantage 6-3.
1977’s John Player Trophy 1st round took New Hunslet to junior club Hull National Dock Labour Board. The match was played at Hull Kingston Rovers’ Craven Park Stadium and Hunslet did enough to come through 18-4.
Making his debut in the NDLB match was centre Stewart Smith- There is confusion as to the spelling of his christian name – he was ‘Stuart’ in programmes and Yearbooks in the early part of his career and ‘Stewart’ in the later stages (one Yearbook has him going out on loan as Stuart and returning as Stewart!). He was a solid centre in the 70s and later was converted to second-row. He signed from Featherstone Rovers and made 171 appearances and scored 50 tries in his eight seasons with Hunslet.
Representative matches today were largely County Trials in the early days but there was a Roses match in 1936 at Castleford with Harry Beverley in the pack. Yorkshire were hampered by losing two players to injury but Lancashire were described as superior anyway as they won 28-6. In 2016 Jamaica played Wales at Wakefield and recent signing Mo and Richie Barnett played for Jamaica. Both had played for Hunslet in the 2016 season but moved on for 2017. The Yearbook does not give club attachments so we do not know if Hunslet still held their registrations. The match was drawn 16-16.
