Harry Bath: The Old Fox

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

Harry Bath

It has been said many times about Harry Bath that he was "the best player never to represent Australia".

We decided it was time to have a look at his career highlights, particuarly in England, and work out why that description is so deserved.

Bath's career extended from the mid-1940s in Brisbane, went through Balmain, Barrow, Warrington and ultimately concluding with St George in 1959.

Harry Bath made his debut in Sydney rugby league for the Balmain Tigers in 1946, but it was not where he first came to prominence.

Back in 1945 Bath gained selection for his home state of Queensland for the resumption of interstate matches after the end of WW2.

He didn't play in the first game in Sydney, but was chosen in the second row for the return match in Brisbane (NSW winning 30-19). Also playing in that game were two other players headed for bigger days in England in Arthur Clues (NSW) and Lionel Cooper (Qld). Bath, playing front row for the Southern Suburbs club, enjoyed success in the 1945 Brisbane Grand Final winning 21-11 over Norths.

After Balmain finished their Sydney 1945 games they went on an end of season playing tour. Clubs often went to areas of country NSW, Queensland or even to New Zealand to mark the end of the season. The Tigers set themselves an arduous 5 match tour of Queensland that covered 3000 miles in eight days including as far north as Rockhampton and Townsville.

Balmain beat a Brisbane representative side 21-14 that included Harry Bath. After the game Bath agreed to terms to play for the Tigers in the Sydney competition. Balmain wasted no time in putting Bath in a black and gold jersey - he played for the Tigers against Rockhampton a few days later on the same tour!

Bath's impact upon Sydney football was immediate. Playing in a premiership-bound Balmain side that included many class individuals (including Pat Devery) didn't hurt his chances for representative football either.

The young Bath, at just under six foot tall, was proving a handful with the ball and a more than willing defender.

He was selected for NSW in the first two interstate matches of 1946 at second row alongside Arthur Clues. Bath, still only 21, won man-of-the-match in NSW's 41-10 win and he was rewarded with a position in the state side's game against the touring British Lions.

With Queensland's forwards unable to muster a challenge in the state games, Bath's selection for the Australian Test side a week later seemed all but assured.

Bath though suffered a severe knee injury during the Great Britain match, choosing to play on until fulltime. The decision to play on with the injury proved to be costly when he was ruled out of the first two Tests.

As events unfolded, Bath would never wear a Green and Gold Australian jersey.

In 1947 there were no Tests for Australian players and all minds, including Bath's, were focussed on the 1948 Tests against NZ and a Kangaroo Tour. Harry Bath continued in fine form as Balmain reached the 1947 Grand Final, winning again.

Bath had two seasons in Sydney and both were in premiership winning sides, but he was quickly off to England after Barrow stepped in with a massive offer. He couldn't refuse.

The former Queenslander was far from the only Sydney player leaving for the money on offer in the UK and an international transfer ban was soon imposed. By the time the 1948 Kangaroos arrived in England, there were enough of Australia's finest players in the English competition to have given the Aussie Test side a particularly formidable opponent.

After sailing to England, Bath made his first appearances for Barrow in late 1947 including a match against the touring New Zealanders (a 2-all draw). However by March 1948 he had fallen out with the Cumbrian-based club and was soon signed by Warrington.

Warrington 100 Greats (Tempus Publishing) takes up the story of Bath's time in England:

Australian forward Harry Bath was the first overseas captain to lift the Challenge Cup - for Warrington at Wembley in 1950. He was also a vital component of the Warrington team that completed the impressive League and Cup double in 1953/54, contributing more than 300 points to the cause and kicking goals in all the important matches.

By the time he returned home to Australia in 1957, he was the most prolific try-scoring forward, most prolific points scorer and second greatest goalkicker in the club's history. Even now, almost half a century later, he still holds one club record, for scoring 363 points in the 1952/53 season.

Bath played most of his career in the second row, although he could, and did, perform admirably at prop. He was not an eighty minute player - Bath tended to pace himself, lulling the opposition into complacency before coming into a move with such devastating effect that he was over the try-line before they knew what had hit them. In short, he was world class.

Bath needed to have a pain-killing injection before the 1950 Challenge Cup final against Widnes, but that did not stop him scoring a typical try in the first half when he crashed through a quarter of would-be tacklers.

He had signed too late to be eligible for the Championship play-offs of 1948, when Warrington won the title for the first time, and then had to suffer Championship final defeats against Huddersfield in 1949 and Workington Town in 1951.

Everything fell into place in the 1953/54 season as Bath's two goals against Halifax at Wembley set up the Challenge Cup final replay at Odsal Stadium which Warrington won 8-4 in front of a world record crowd of 102,569.

He also kicked the four goals that gave Warrington an 8-7 victory over Halifax in the Championship final at Maine Road to seal the double (both Cups in the one season).

Twelve months later, his two goals made the difference between Warrington and Oldham as the Wire proved their mettle by retaining the title.

While Bath was away in England he missed selection on three Kangaroo Tours that he would easily have been a member of. As it was, he ended up playing against Australia. The 1948 tourists met Warrington in front of over 27,000 at Wilderspool and led the home team by 7-2 early. Warrington won the match 16-7.

In 1956/57 Bath played in consecutive games against the Aussie tourists, first for Warrington and then a few days later for the English League XIII. Warrington were skippered by Bath and his side took three intercept tries to beat the Kangaroos by 21-17.

The League XIII side included fellow New South Welshmen based in England, the great Arthur Clues and Brian Bevan. Under floodlights at Leigh the Australian side won another close game by 19-15.

With other Australians Harry Bath also played for the famous Other Nationalities (ON) team during their golden era of the 1950s. The team was brought back to the international calender by English officials to provide in-season opposition to England, Wales and France.

Bath played in the first ON game in September 1949 which beat England by 13-7 before 17,576 fans. He played seven more times over the next four years including in games held in France and Wales - a 1950 match against France at Bordeaux's Stade Municipal attracted over 28,000 fans.

Bath scored a try in the final ON game of the era in September 1955 when 18,232 filled Central Park (Wigan) and saw England lose by 33-16.

Bath played his final game for Warrington against Bramley at Wilderspool in February 1957 before returning with his family to Australia.

Many at St George chided their officials for buying a player that was 32 years old, had been out of the Sydney scene for a decade and was pretty much unwanted elsewhere. After all, Saints had just won the 1956 Grand Final.

They were soon singing a different tune when Bath's "English-tactics" saw the Ken Kearney led Dragons win the next three Grand Finals.

The 'Old Fox', as he was soon known, achieved a remarkable feat in his five Sydney seasons by winning a premiership each year.

Yet, even in these successful later seasons where his form was still of a high standard, he was overlooked by the Australian selectors.

In both the 1958 and '59 seasons Bath amassed over 200 points for the Dragons, including a then record 108 goals (1958). Harry Bath remains the only player to top the points scoring table in both Australia and England. His last game was the 1959 Grand Final win - in a not unfamiliar ending to a game, Bath was sent off.

In later years Bath became a successful club and national coach. He won premierships with St George in 1977 (the famous "Bath's Babes") and again in 1979. On the international stage Bath coached the Australian side to wins in the 1968 and 1970 World Cups.

In a fitting tribute, Harry Bath was a special guest at the opening rugby league game held at the Sydney Olympic Stadium in 1999. It was largest crowd ever seen at a rugby league match, breaking the 'official' crowd figure that attended Odsal Stadium in 1954.

While the crowd at Odsal Stadium in 1954 may have been larger, Bath is probably one of only a handful of people (if not, the only) who were present at the biggest drawing games on both sides of the world.

Harry Bath may never have played for Australia - but he crossed off plenty more things of his list than most rugby league players!