Lionel Cooper (rugby league)
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| Full name | Lionel William Cooper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 February 1922 West Wyalong, New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 16 May 1987 (aged 65) Cherrybrook, New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lionel William Cooper (18 February 1922 – 16 May 1987) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s.[2] A state and international representative winger, he played in Sydney for the Eastern Suburbs club and in England for Huddersfield.
Australian career
After being spotted playing Australian rules football in a services team in Darwin by Ray Stehr in 1941, Cooper joined the Eastern Suburbs club. Stehr invited Cooper to trial with the Roosters following World War II.
A powerful
The Gregory's reference describes him as a bullocking, bruising winger who was a great finisher of back-line movements. His hard-running style incorporated a hip-bumping technique to brush off defenders.[3]
British career
In 1947 he joined English club Huddersfield, where he had 9 successful seasons – scoring 420 tries,[4] including 71 in the 1951–52 season. In one match that year, against Keighley, he scored a record 10 tries. Also joining Cooper was his friend Johnny Hunter, a full-back, and a little later Pat Devery, an Australian test centre who formed a partnership with Cooper on the left.
Cooper continued to play test rugby league whilst at Huddersfield, playing for 14 matches for the
Cooper played left-wing, i.e. number 5, in Huddersfield's 4–11 defeat by
He also played in Huddersfield's 2–20 defeat by
Cooper played on the wing and scored two tries in Huddersfield's 15–10 victory over
Cooper's Testimonial match at Huddersfield took place in 1955.
Family
Three of his brothers,
References
Bibliography
- Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players
- Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
- Pollard, Jack (ed) Gregory's Guide to Rugby League (1965), Grenville Publishing Sydney
Footnotes
- ^ RLP
- ^ Whiticker, Alan, Hudson, Glen (2006). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Australia: Gary Allen Publishing. p100.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Pollard, Jack (1965). Gregory's Guide to Rugby League. Australia: Grenville Publishing. p157.
- ^ Roberts, Chris (26 August 2009). "Is he the Giants' best ever Aussie? Riding high in Super League and a Cup final slot. Not bad for Nathan Brown's first season in charge". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
- ^ "1949-1950 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ McCorquodale, London S.E (25 April 1953). The Rugby League Challenge Cup Competition – Final Tie – Huddersfield v St. Helens – Match Programme. Wembley Stadium Ltd. ISBN n/a
- ^ Goodman, Tom (27 April 1953). "St. Helen's hooted in R.L. Cup final". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
External links
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