James Devereux(1887–1934), also known by thenicknameof"Muscles",[3]was a pioneering Australianrugby leaguefootballer who played in the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s. AsNew South Wales stateandAustralia nationalrepresentativethree-quarter back,he played in theNew South Wales Rugby Football League premiershipfrom its first season in 1908 for theNorth Sydney club,[4]before playing several seasons in England withHull FC.He later returned to Australia and coached North Sydney.
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| Full name | James Devereux | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 June 1887 Crows Nest,New South Wales,Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 7 March 1934(aged 46)[1] Wisbech,England,United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Centre | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing career
editThe son of Irish immigrant parents, Michael and Honorah Devereux,[5]Devereux played for the first everNew South Wales rugby league teamin their début match againstNew Zealand,and later on was selected to play in thefirst ever trans-Tasman test,which was début match of theAustralia national rugby league teamagainst New Zealand on the return leg of their tour of Britain. Devereaux is listed on theAustralian Players Registeras Kangaroo No. 4.[6]He went on to play in all three matches.
Devereaux was a member of the Australian side selected for the first everKangaroo tourand was the first Australian to score atryin rugby league againstGreat Britainwhen he got a hat-trick in the first ever Test between the nations.[3]After the tour he stayed in England and played forHull FC,and became the first player to score 100 tries for the club.[7]He was awarded Life Membership of theNew South Wales Rugby Leaguein 1914.[8]
Jim Devereux played atcentreinHull FC's 7–7 draw withLeedsin the1910 Challenge CupFinal during the1909–10 seasonatFartown Ground,Huddersfield,on Saturday 16 April 1910, in front of a crowd of 19,413 as this was the firstChallenge CupFinal to be drawn. He also played atcentrein the 12–26 defeat byLeedsin the1910 Challenge CupFinalreplayatFartown Ground,Huddersfield,on Monday 18 April 1910, in front of a crowd of 11,608, and playedstand-offin the 6–0 victory overWakefield Trinityin the1914 Challenge CupFinal during the1913–14 seasonatThrum Hall,Halifax,in front of a crowd of 19,000.
Devereux was in England duringWorld War Iand served in the military. In April 1916 he gained selection in an Australasian servicemen'srugby unionside[9]but the war he resumed his playing career with Hull.
Testimonial matchesatHull F.C.were shared with; Jim Devereux,Tom Herridge,William HolderandNed Rogers,and took place againstKeighleyatThe Boulevard,Hullon Saturday 29 January 1921, and againstYorkatThe Boulevard,Hullon Saturday 12 February 1921.
Post playing
editReturning to Australia after the War, Devereux coached North Sydney in the1924 NSWRFL season,and worked as a labourer on the construction of theSydney Harbour Bridge.On 3 December 1929, his leg was crushed in an industrial accident on the bridge, and was subsequently amputated atRoyal North Shore Hospital.[3]Devereux was unable to work thereafter, and came close to destitution. TheNorth Sydney Leagues Clubvoted him a £50 donation in 1932 to assist with living costs.[3]
Devereux died in England on 7 March 1934[10]as stated in the Sydney Sun by Claude Corbett on 22 March 1934.[11]The Sydney Sun newspaper noted on 30 October 1941, that "Devereux had died about 4 years ago." Some argued for many years that he died at sea, but his death was later confirmed as being registered atWisbechinCambridgeshire.His wife, Daisy Elizabeth Deveruex née Heath, did not remarry and died at Leeds in 1956.[3][12]
On 26 August 2006, the North Sydney club announced their team of the century, with Devereux named in the centres.
References
edit- ^"Jim Devereaux Dead".Sun.22 March 1934 – via Trove.
- ^rugbyleagueproject.org
- ^abcdeMasters, Roy (25 April 2014). "Enlisting Kangaroos were followed by NSW league players in their thousands".Sydney Morning Herald.Fairfax Media. p. 44.
- ^Jim Devereuxat yesterdayshero.com.au
- ^Moore, Andrew(2000)."Jimmy Devereux's Yorkshire pudding: Reflections on the origins of rugby league in New South Wales and Queensland"(PDF).1st AnnualTom Brock Lecture.Australia: Tom Brock Bequest Committee. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 8 August 2012.Retrieved17 January2011.
- ^ARL Annual Report 2005, page 52
- ^Hull's AustraliansArchived27 April 2014 at theWayback Machineathullfc.com
- ^Referee, Sydney. 13 May 1914.
- ^Collins, Tony(2006).Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain.England: Routledge. p. 15.ISBN9780415396141.
- ^Sydney Morning Herald: Death Notice 24/03/1934 (page 14)
- ^The Sun (Sydney) 22 March 1934 "Jim Devereaux Dead" by Claude Corbett:https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/230536345?searchTerm=jim%20devereaux
- ^Tom Brock Lecture: Andrew Moore
External links
edit- Jim Devereuxat stats.rleague.com