After Hunslet’s performance against Wigan at Wembley, the Great Britain selectors were obviously impressed as in 1966 they selected three of the Wembley team to play against France at Wigan. Bernard Prior was at hooker, Bill Ramsey second row and Geoff Shelton at centre. Great Britain lost the game 4-8, but more importantly for Hunslet, they would lose all three of these players as the Wembley team started to break up. Prior went to Wakefield Trinity in October, Shelton to Oldham the following January and Ramsey to Leeds in December 1967.

A coincidence saw us make our first visits to our Heavy Woollen neighbours on this day. 1897 saw us make the trip to Batley and come away defeated by 1 goal to nil in a Yorkshire Cup tie and in 1889 at Dewsbury, it was another defeat by 1 try to nil in an Ordinary Match.

In 1898 we travelled over the hill to Widnes in the second round of the Challenge Cup. After a home win over Lancaster in the first round, hopes must have been high that some success may come in this, the second season of the new cup. It was not be though as a Hannah try and two goals by Albert G. were not enough to avoid a narrow 7-8 defeat.

A couple of more recent players were on debut today. In 2000, forward Craig Ibbetson played for the first time at home to Dewsbury. Over three seasons he played 57 games. In 2003 he played for The National League Under 21s against their Super League counterparts.

And in the same game Willie Swann played at stand-off. He only played 21 games for the club but in June at Lancashire Lynx he scored 6 tries to put him second in the tries in a match records behind George Dennis (7 against Bradford Northern in 1934).