Billy Smith (rugby league, born 1942)
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | William John Smith | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia | 12 July 1942|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Halfback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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William John Smith (born 12 July 1942 in
Early life
Born in
Club career
He returned to St. George in 1960 as a centre. After a few games in 1961 and 1962 he established a permanent place in 1963 when Reg Gasnier's first and second-choice partners (Johnny Riley and Dave Brown) were both forced out by injury. Billy Smith went on to play fifteen seasons at St. George Dragons between 1963 and 1977.[1]
In 1964, Smith was shifted to halfback and adapted quickly under
By
Due to injury he missed the first half of the 1971 season. His three vital field goals in the final won St. George a place in the
Halfway through 1972 he was injured and played in third grade when he returned. By 1976, Smith was suffering from severe leg problems and his previously brilliant kicking game was gone. He captained the reserve grade side to a
Billy Smith was awarded Life Membership of the St. George Dragons in 1973.
Playing style
Small in size compared to most rugby league players, Smith was renowned for his toughness. He was capable of challenging any opponent head-on on the field, and his organising and kicking skills were a vital part of St. George's success during his career.
Legendary rugby league hardman John Sattler is quoted as follows in the Writer reference:
People talk about the enforcers in the game, but Langlands and his mate Smithy were the toughest of the tough because they could play with injury – arm hanging off, crook leg, strap 'em up and send 'em out – and they could perform. And they had such club spirit. They were knockabouts and larrikins off the paddock, but they respected their club and teammates and treated Frank Facer like their own father." [2]
Representative career
He made his Test debut against France in 1964 in his first season as a halfback. In 1966 Smith won the
In 1967 Smith won the Harry Sunderland Medal again (this time for his performance against
In spite of having been fined half his 1967-68 tour bonus, when it came time to pick the 1970 World Cup squad, Smith was selected as vice-captain and, after injury to captain Ron Coote, Smith enjoyed the honour of leading his country in a tournament match against Great Britain at Headingley in October 1970 in which he was also named as man-of-the-match.
He featured in Australia's 1970 World Cup Final (the "Battle of Leeds") won 12–7 and was sent off in the 78th minute. Further injuries prevented Smith retaining his Test spot despite his 110% effort every time he took the field.
All up Smith appeared in seven Tests against Britain, five against New Zealand and six against France. He appeared in eight matches across the 1968 and 1970 World Cups. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 392.[3]
Coaching and post-playing accolades
After Smith retired as a player, he joined former Dragon teammate Norm Provan as an assistant coach with Cronulla. Provan took the Sharks to the grand final in 1978, only to be crushed in a replay by the unstoppable Graham Eadie, and to third at the end of the 1979 home-and-away season. Smith concurrently coached the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks reserve grade side to two grand finals in 1978[4] and 1979. It was thought in 1979 that Smith would be likely to succeed Provan, his former captain, mentor and long-time friend, as Cronulla first-grade coach, but he resigned controversially after a preliminary semi-final thrashing by Parramatta.[5] Provan would be succeeded by Tommy Bishop, under whom in 1980 Cronulla fell to ninth with only four wins in their final fifteen matches.
Smith was named in Australia's best team from 1970 to 1985 by Rugby League Week, and gained two votes in 1995 as best halfback of the limited-tackle era.[6]
In February 2008, Smith was named in the list of Australia's
On 20 July 2022, Smith was named in the St. George Dragons District Rugby League Clubs team of the century at halfback.[9]References
- Graeme Langlands and Helen Elward: Billy Smith: A Saint from Head to Toe; published 2004 by Best Legenz.
- Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
- Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
- Writer, Larry (1995) Never Before, Never Again, Pan MacMillan, Sydney
- Whiticker, Alan & Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney
Notes
- ^ "Home". Rugby League Project.
- ^ Writer, p. 375
- ^ ARL ANNUAL REPORT 2005, page 54
- Sydney Morning Herald. p. 54.
- The Sun-Herald. p. 69.
- ISBN 0732256720.
- ^ Peter Cassidy (23 February 2008). "Controversy reigns as NRL releases top 100 players". Macquarie National News. Archived from the original on 25 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
- ARL. 23 February 2008. Archived from the originalon 26 February 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
- ^ "Gasnier joins Immortals in St George Dragons 'Team of the Century'". National Rugby League. 20 July 2022.