Ron Bailey
Encyclopedia
Ron Bailey was an Australian
rugby league
footballer
of the 1930s and 40s. He was a New South Wales Country, New South Wales
, and Australian
representative whose club career was played with Waratah Mayfield
, Newtown Bluebags
, Huddersfield
, and Canterbury-Bankstown in Sydney. He captained his country in one Test in 1946 and was the first Canterbury-Bankstown player to do so.
club at age 18, then represented for Country in 1935-36. In 1936 he came to the attention of Sydney talent scouts when he represented for Newcastle against a touring English side, downing the visitors 21-6.
Bailey came to Sydney for Newtown Bluebags
in 1937 and playing at alongside Frank Hyde
helped Newtown to win the City Cup that year.
He accepted an offer to join Huddersfield
in England in 1937 and played two seasons there at /.
Ron Bailey returned to Australia at the outbreak of World War II
and after another season at Waratah Mayfield joined Canterbury-Bankstown as captain-coach in 1941 back at centre. Canterbury won a premiership under Bailey in 1941.
With no international fixtures scheduled in 1947 Bailey had played his last Test in 1946. He played out the 1947-48 seasons as captain-coach with West Maitland before his retirement.
Australian people
Australian people, or simply Australians, are the citizens of Australia. Australia is a multi-ethnic nation, and therefore the term "Australian" is not a racial identifier. Aside from the Indigenous Australian population, nearly all Australians or their ancestors immigrated within the past 230 years...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
of the 1930s and 40s. He was a New South Wales Country, New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
, and Australian
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
representative whose club career was played with Waratah Mayfield
Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs
Waratah Mayfield is a rugby league club based in the Newcastle, New South Wales region of Australia.Known as The Cheetahs and wearing Maroon and Gold, they were a member of the First Grade Newcastle Rugby League until 2004.-History:...
, Newtown Bluebags
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
, Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
, and Canterbury-Bankstown in Sydney. He captained his country in one Test in 1946 and was the first Canterbury-Bankstown player to do so.
Club career
Bailey was graded with the Waratah MayfieldWaratah Mayfield Cheetahs
Waratah Mayfield is a rugby league club based in the Newcastle, New South Wales region of Australia.Known as The Cheetahs and wearing Maroon and Gold, they were a member of the First Grade Newcastle Rugby League until 2004.-History:...
club at age 18, then represented for Country in 1935-36. In 1936 he came to the attention of Sydney talent scouts when he represented for Newcastle against a touring English side, downing the visitors 21-6.
Bailey came to Sydney for Newtown Bluebags
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
in 1937 and playing at alongside Frank Hyde
Frank Hyde
Frank Hyde, MBE, OAM, was an Australian rugby league footballer, coach and radio caller. A New South Wales representative three-quarter, Hyde played his club football in Sydney for NSWRFL Premiership clubs Newtown, Balmain and North Sydney...
helped Newtown to win the City Cup that year.
He accepted an offer to join Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
in England in 1937 and played two seasons there at /.
Ron Bailey returned to Australia at the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and after another season at Waratah Mayfield joined Canterbury-Bankstown as captain-coach in 1941 back at centre. Canterbury won a premiership under Bailey in 1941.
Representative career
After the war Bailey made his state and national representative debuts. He played five games for New South Wales against Queensland, and visiting English sides. He played two games for Australia against Great Britain in 1946, the second of those as captain.With no international fixtures scheduled in 1947 Bailey had played his last Test in 1946. He played out the 1947-48 seasons as captain-coach with West Maitland before his retirement.