Dally Messenger

Personal information
Full name	Herbert Henry Messenger
Date of birth	April 12, 1883
Place of birth	Balmain, Australia
Date of death	November 24, 1959
Nickname	Dally
Position	Centre
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (points)
1908 - 1913	Easts	56 (480)
Representative teams
1908 1908 - 1910 1908 - 1912 1911	New Zealand Australia New South Wales Queensland	3 (3) 7 (116) 6 1
* Professional club appearances and points counted for domestic first grade only. Image File history File links Herbert_Henry_Messenger. ... April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ... 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... November 24 is the 328th day (329th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sydney Roosters (also known as The Roosters) are a professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. ... The New South Wales Rugby League team represent New South Wales annually in the Rugby League State of Origin competition. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Queensland Rugby League team. ...

Herbert Henry "Dally" Messenger (born April 12, 1883 in Balmain, New South Wales, died November 24, 1959) was an Australian rugby league footballer, recognised as one of that games greatest ever players. Messenger, or ‘The Master’ as he was dubbed represented his country in both rugby codes, playing 2 rugby union tests and 7 rugby league. April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ... 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Balmain is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. ... November 24 is the 328th day (329th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... A rugby union scrum. ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ...

Not a tall man, by any standards, Messenger, stood around 172cm(5ft 7'), though said to be a powerful runner of the ball and solid defender. According to his peers the centres greatest attributes were his unpredictability and amazing coordination coupled with an almost freakish ability to kick goals from almost any part of the ground. A non drinker and non smoker during his career, and other than breakfast, Messenger would rarely eat before a match. A typical rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench. ... Look up goal in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Early life

Messenger grew up in Double Bay, New South Wales where his father owned a boatshed. He'd previously spent time living with an Aunt in South Melbourne, Victoria and later, recalled playing Australian rules football at this time or , as he refers to it,[1] [2] [3]. Double Bay is a harbourside suburb of Sydney, Australia, lying about 3 kilometres east of the central business district (CBD) in the Woollahra Local Government Area. ... Coat of arms of South Melbourne South Melbourne is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ...

“A game that was a mixture of rugby and soccer that was known simply as the ‘Australian game’".

Messenger attended the Double Bay Public School where he honed his skills not only in the game he would later master but also in cricket and his other love, sailing. While not competing on the sports field young Messenger worked at his fathers boatshed. Dally had a younger brother, Wally, who played Australian rules football for both Balmain Tigers and Paddington.[4] before switching codes and like Dally, went on to represent Australia in rugby league. Wally Messenger was an Australian rugby league player for the Eastern Suburbs club. ... The Big Men Fly - high marking is a key skill and spectator attribute of Aussie Rules Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the most important skill in Aussie Rules Footy Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy... Balmain Tigers is an Australian Rules Football club competing in the Sydney AFL league and based out of the Sydney suburb of Balmain, New South Wales. ... UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs is an Australian rules football club competing in the Sydney AFL league and based out of the Sydney eastern suburbs in New South Wales and is affiliated with the University of New South Wales. ...

Messenger received the 'Dally' nickname while only young, the NSW premier of the time, W.B. Dalley, sported a rather large ‘pot belly', the young Messenger shared a similar afflliction, if not somewhat less pronounced. Over the years the ‘pot belly’ and the 'e', dropped off. In 1900 Messenger first took up competitive rugby outside of school, playing for the local rugby union club, the Warrigals. NSW is a three-letter acronym that refers to: New South Wales, a state of the Commonwealth of Australia U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Year 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar, but a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. ...

Rugby Union

In 1905, Messenger began his career with the Easts rugby union club and within a year the young ‘standoff’(five-eigth) was playing first grade for the club. Dally quickly won a following amongst the fans due to his sublime ball skills, cheeky tricks and his highly accurate short and long kicking game, off whichever foot he desired. 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... A typical rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench. ...

Dally first moved to his more customary centre positon following his selection there for NSW in 1906 and had made that position his own by the time of he made his Australian debut the following season. A typical rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The new code of rugby, rugby league, still in its designer stages, received a massive boost when it was revealed rugby union’ greatest star, Dally Messenger, had agreed to play in the new breakaway movement.

Rugby League

Messenger played in the rebel series against a proffesional New Zealand team, the ‘All Golds’ as they were refferd to , and was then invited to tour England with the New Zealand professesional team, it's unclear if this was a result of the trmendous form he showed in the series or it was agreed as part of his sign on fee with the new rugby code . New Zealand team shirt The New Zealand national rugby league side represent New Zealand at rugby league, and are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ...

It was here in the North of England that Messenger became more acquainted with new game. By the completion of the tour it was found that Messenger had topped the tour aggregates by more than 100 points.

On his arrival back in Australia Dally played with the Eastern Suburbs club in the newly formed New South Wales Rugby League(NSWRL), though a heavy representative schedule saw him play only a handful of matches for his club side . Messengers immense popularity helped to showcase the new game and the NSWRL took full advantage of the situation, in rugby leagues first year, besides playing for his club, Messenger made various representative appearances for Metropolis(Sydney), NSW and Australia as well as playing for New Zealand and in one case Queensland. Following 2 very heavy defeats Messenger agreed to play for Queensland in a 3rd match played against New Zealand, the match endeed in a 12 all draw, with Messenger scoring 9 of the 12 points. Towards the end of the season Messenger was once again selected to tour England, this time with the first Kangaroo’s, or ‘Pioneers’. The Sydney Roosters (also known as The Roosters) are a professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. ... The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in New South Wales. ... New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body for the sport of Rugby League in New South Wales. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Peter Beattie (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd)  - Product per capita  $40,170/person (6th) Population (June Quarter Released Statistics 2006)  - Population  4,053,444 (3rd)  - Density  2. ... Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian Rugby League tours of Great Britain and France. ...

Having toured with the New Zealand proffesional team the previous year, Messenger was already well known in the North of England and on his arrival almost attained celebrity status, placards bearing the words 'Messenger Will Play' were erected outside of grounds and he was offered contracts by some of Englands leading soccer clubs.

Dally Messenger in action

Messenger captained Australia in the first 2 tests of the tour, missing the 3rd through injury . On tour Messenger was credited with numerous goals from the other side of half way, including one that appeared in earlier versions of ‘Guiness Book Of World Record’ measuring over 80 yards, but has faded out over the years, another from over 75 yards out is mentioned in an English newspaper under the heading Image File history File links Dally_Messenger_in_action. ...

‘A Wonderful Kick’, ".

" Quite a sensation was caused at last Saturday’s football match when Mr Messenger kicked the ball from the 75 yards' mark and secured a goal....." ".

In the second test Messenger is said to have scored one of the greatest individual tries ever witnessed in test match rugby league. At the end of the tour Messenger was found to have topped the aggregates, this time by just under 100 points.

Messenger, who returned home from the tour with injury and having had a very hectic schedule over the past few years elected to sit out most of the season, playing in just a few representive matches towards the end of the year. Messenger also rejected an offer to play with English club, Warrington, during the Australian off-season. Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league team in the town of Warrington, Cheshire in England. ...

The 1911 season was Messeenger finest, In a 21 matches played that season he totalled a record 270 points . In one interstate match for NSW he scored 32 points, coming from 4 tries and 10 goals, that record has only been equalled in recent years, with tries now being worth 4 points as opposed to 3. He amassed a total of 72 points for the 3 match series.

A recently married Messenger stood down from that years Kangaroo Tour leadding his club side, Eastern Suburbs to it’s first premierships. In the Semi-final that year against South Sydney Messenenger scored 20 of Easts' 23 points, the only points he didn't score he was heavily involved in the lead up work of the try. The Sydney Roosters (also known as The Roosters) are a professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. ... This article refers to the use of the word Try in rugby football terminology. ...

Messenger, now retired from representative football, led his side to a second premiership in 1912 and followed that up with a third consecutive premiership the following year giving Easts permanent possession of the NSWRL’s first trophy, the RAS shield. On the announcement of his retirement the Eastern Suburbs club presented the shield to Messenger as a token of appreciation for all that he’d done for the club. Royal Agricultural Society Shield, or,(RAS Shield) was the New South Wales Rugby League(NSWRL)’s first premiership trophy. ...

Image File history File links Sydney_Roosters_2007. ...

Life After Rugby League

Following his retirement Messenger took to nurturing his second love, Sailing. Dally was for several years catamaran champion of Sydney Harbour and for a brief time long oarsman champion of Australia. It has been suggested that Catamaran History be merged into this article or section. ... Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge located on Port Jackson Port Jackson is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia, also known as Sydney Harbour and is the largest natural harbour in the world. ...

Unsuccessful with varioous buisness opportunities, Messenger died pennyless in 1959, aged 76. The final 9 months of his life were spent living rent free in a friends hotel in the NSW country town of Gunnedah. Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gunnedah is a town and Local Government Area (LGA) in north-western New South Wales, Australia. ...

His career while only quite brief left an everlasting impression upon fans who saw him play with his uncanny natural talents and ability, though, more importantly he left an unmatched print on the game of rugby League.

The 'Dally M. Medal’, named in his honour, is awarded to rugby league best player each year.

In comparison to the modern day games players Messenger's career numbers are still quite literally astonishing, he appeared in a total of 140 career games amassing 998 points

While it's probably fair to say that some of his numerous feats may have been somewhat embellished over the years the people he played with, and the people that witnessed him play invariably regard him as the greatest ' - the Master' .

Sources

• Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
• Various Authors (1997) Oxford Companion to Australian Sport, Oxford University Press, Melbourne
• Ian Heads (1992) True Blue
• Sean Fagan (2005) The Rugby Rebellion

External links

• Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame
• A Personal History told by Dally Messenger III