'George' Anlezark: A Forgotten Pioneer

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

He was one of the most colourful players in Australian rugby at the dawn of the 20th century. E. A. 'George' Anlezark would go on to a career that would see him become a dual international in Union and League.

His rugby-travels took him through NSW and Queensland, New Zealand, and ultimately England as a member of the 1908 Pioneer Kangaroos. After the tour he stayed on in the north of England and became a successful player and captain with the Oldham club.

Anlezark never played for one of Sydney's founding rugby league clubs and his deeds have largely been overlooked with the passage of time. Known as 'George' or 'Alec', his story and the path he took, are an excellent demonstration of the nomadic and ever changing life that many men of his day lived.

According to the Bathurst Advocate, Anlezark was a native of the district, the first major town over the Blue Mountains on the Western Highway from Sydney. Born in 1882, he played his first senior football for the Bathurst club when only 14 (1897).

Anlezark excelled as a great all-round sportsman, particularly in swimming and rugby. A product of the town's public school, from 1899 to 1906 Anlezark was the 100-yard swimming champion of the 'Western district'.

In an era that included many famous footballers, Anlezark was regarded as one of the best. At home he came up against neighbouring Orange's Chris McKivat and Stanley Wickham, while on visits to Sydney he played with and opposite Dally Messenger. Anlezark held his own against all these great Australian Test players, and was a regular of the ' NSW Country' and NSW representative team.

However, the rugby world of the early 1900s was full of cliques, back-stabbing and nepotism. Feelings amongst the players against the rugby union authorities were causing increasing tension.

Most of the men were working-class, and they felt they were not being treated well by rugby union. Players were not being picked on form, and the increasing gate-takings of the NSWRU were not being returned to the footballers in the shape of medical insurance and reasonable financial assistance.

Along with Alec Burdon and Pat Walsh, Anlezark was one of the footballers who suffered the most. The treatment of these popular men exasperated many, and the idea that the players should take matters into their own hands, by forming a ''professional rugby league', began to grow.

Holding the five-eighth position in the NSW team, Anlezark was rewarded with selection in Australian rugby union's first overseas team in August 1905. The team travelled to New Zealand, where they played one Test (in Dunedin).

Despite Australia losing the match, Anlezark felt he had done all he could to "get his team moving". The Canterbury Times described his performance "as possibly the best of the Australian backs". However, it was to be Anlezark's one and only rugby union Test. In what appears to be a case of personal vindictiveness, the selectors never considered him for the national team again.

For the next three seasons Anlezark tried to get back into the Australian team. Despite being praised by the Sydney newspapers during Country Week trials, and being a very popular player with the city's fans, his efforts were repeatedly overlooked.

Anlezark was employed by the NSW Railways, and after earning a promotion, moved to Lismore. It was there that he learnt he was dumped from the NSW team. With rugby league clubs being formed in Sydney in early 1908, Anlezark resisted joining 'the professional game' as he would have to permanently move to the city.

Despite his treatment, he also continued to hold hope that he would be selected in the Wallabies team that was about to tour Great Britain. After playing in Country Week matches in Sydney, he realised his chances of being chosen as a Wallaby were non-existent. During his stay in the city, he held discussions with rugby league officials about his future.

Anlezark returned to Lismore, where he packed his belongings for a trip that would eventually see him away from Australia until just before the outbreak of the First World War.

His first stop was Brisbane, where he played rugby league for Queensland in matches against a touring New Zealand Maori team. He stayed with the Maroons for their visit to Sydney, where they played the first ever inter-state matches. Anlezark performed so well he was chosen to represent Australia against the Maoris in a 'Test match'. Then news came that he had been selected in the Kangaroos, who would be immediately sailing to Britain.

In weather described as "being far too torrid for football", the Kangaroos played their first tour match in the Welsh town of Tonypandy against Mid-Rhondda. Anlezark was chosen as the starting half-back for the team and had the great Dally Messenger as his five-eighth.

Cruelly for Anlezark, he was cut down by a severe knee injury, and was stretchered from the field. It took until the third Test against England, some two months later, for Anlezark to reclaim his place. England won the match 6-5 in a desperately close battle.

For Anlezark he had achieved the personal honour of becoming Australia's tenth 'dual international'. His form was impressive enough to attract the interest of the rich English clubs, and he agreed to stay on after the tour, playing for Oldham.

Anlezark was a great success with Oldham, making 114 appearances in six seasons. He quickly became an integral member of the side's success. This included Club Championship wins in 1909/10 and 1910/11, Lancashire League winners in 1909/10, Lancashire Cup winners in 1910/11 and Challenge Cup finalists in 1911/12.

Anlezark also had the honour of captaining Oldham in 1911 against the touring Australian team. Ironically, on the other side of the world, the Kangaroos' captain was Orange's Chris McKivat.

Anlezark married during his time in England (May 1911), and returned home just as the world descended into the 'Great War'. He became a successful cotton broker, and passed away in 1956.

References.
Sean Fagan, The Rugby Rebellion
Ian Heads, The Kangaroos
Bathurst Advocate
The Canterbury Times (NZ)
The Referee
Oldham Heritage Trust

Copyright © 2006 - Sean Fagan. All rights reserved - the article above may not be reproduced (in full or part) in any form without written permission.