The Rugby League news

Call Number
N 796.33309944 RUG
Created/Published
Sydney : N.S.W. Rugby Football League, 1920-1973
Issue
Vol. 4 No. 21 (September 8, 1923)
Images
16
Page Notes
Official programme attached after back cover of issue
View Catalogue

Text

THE  

Rugby League  

News  

Vol. 4-No. 21.  

Journal devoted to the interests of Rugby League Football, and containing the  

only authorised List of Names, Numbers, Colors and Positions of Players.  

Published by the N.S.W. Rugby Football League at their Office, 165 Phillip Street, Sydney, N.S.W.  

(COPYRIGHT)  

SYDNEY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1923.  

Price — Threepence  

W. A. CANN.  

We have recently heard great  

deal about “the greatest forward’’  

and “the greatest half-back,” etc.,  

but when speaking on these most  

vexed subjects the present-day en-  

thusiast often forgets the giants of  

yesterday. In his day, Billy Cann  

must rank as one of the “great”  

players, and in view of the “Ath-  

letic News” plaint that the English  

system does not tend to encourage  

versatility in their players, while the  

Australians have produced number  

of men capable of filling almost any  

position on the field with credit, one  

can recall fine displays by this player  

both at home and abroad. As  

member of South Sydney District  

Club, he has held the offices of cap-  

tain, vice-captain, selector, coach,  

treasurer, vice-president, and dele-  

gate. As footballer, Billy Cann’s  

name is household word amongst  

lovers of the 13-aside code. Start-  

ing in the City and Suburban Com-  

petition with Cleveland Club, he  

played centre three-quarter against  

such future stars as Dally Mes-  

senger, E. Mandible, Boxer Russell,  

Snowy Baker, Wally ©gaard, etc.,  

graduating to South Sydney second  

grade, thence to first grade, as wing  

three-quarter when that club won the  

premiership. Billy scored the first  

try against Auckland City when they  

visited Sydney, which club included  

such mighty men as Geo. Tyler,  

Chas. Seeling, and Geo. Smith. Find-  

ing the three-quarter position trifle  

irksome for want of work, Billy de-  

cided to have go as breakaway,  

feeling that such big, strong,  

husky fellow as he was wasting  

lot of energy, and his knowledge of  

back play should be an asset. In  

1907 he played as breakaway for  

Souths, proving in every way suc-  

cessful. When in the latter part of  

that season the breakaway from the  

Union took place, Cann, with E. Fry  

and Arthur Hennessey, played  

against Baskerville’s All Blacks on  

their way to England. In the initial  

match an enthusiast, Mr. Brackenrig,  

offered trophy for the first forward  

to score, which was won by the  

South Sydney representative, and  

handsome watch chain now keeps the  

memory green. Billy has represen-  

ted the League in so many matches  

for Australasia, Australia, and New  

South Wales that the figures seem  

prodigious, scarcely missing an en-  

gagement right up to the time of his  

retirement. He has toured England  

three times, viz., 1908-9 and 1911-12  

(when he played at various times as  

five-eighth, half, centre three-quar-  

ter, as well as forward); and again  

in 1921 (as joint-manager); he also  

toured the Dominion, and visited  

Queensland twice, so that on the  

score of football, both from play-  

ing and administrative capacity,  

there are few with better record.  

Billy also coached St. Joseph College,  

Sydney High School, and Marist  

Brothers, Darlinghurst, both Union  

and League.  

NEXT SATURDAY'S  

FIXTURES  

Semi* Finals  

City Cup and  

League Cup.  

JACK LAWRENCE,  

who, with his brother, is piling up  

points for South Sydney.  

Cite

Citation options:
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663061810

APA citation

New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1920). The Rugby League news Retrieved April 14, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663061810

MLA citation

New South Wales Rugby Football League. The Rugby League news Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League, 1920. Web. 14 April 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663061810>

Harvard/Australian citation

New South Wales Rugby Football League. 1920, The Rugby League news N.S.W. Rugby Football League, Sydney viewed 14 April 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663061810

Wikipedia citation

{{Citation
  | author1=New South Wales Rugby Football League.
  | title=The Rugby League news.
  | year=1920
  | section=v. : ill., ports ; 24 cm.
  | issue=Vol. 4 No. 21 (September 8, 1923)
  | location=Sydney
  | publisher=N.S.W. Rugby Football League
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663061810
  | id=nla.obj-663061810
  | access-date=14 April 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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