Alex Burdon
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Alex Burdon 1879 - 1943 was an Australian rugby league and rugby union player - a dual code rugby international.
He was one of the founding fathers of rugby league in Australia, representing the Kangaroos in the first 2 Tests in 1908 & 1909. He was the fourth captain of the Australian team enjoying that honour in the decider Test of the inaugural tour.
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[edit] Rugby union career
Born in Glebe, New South Wales he played first grade for the district from 1902 and the following year represented Sydney then New South Wales. That same year he made his Wallaby Test debut against the All Blacks in the 22-3 victory in Sydney.
In 1904 he represented against Great Britain then toured New Zealand in 1905.
Folklore would suggest that Burdon's injury on the 1907 NSW Rugby tour of Queensland and the resultant unfairness of him having to pay his own medical expenses and suffering a loss of wages, was a catalyst leading to the 1907 split away from rugby union. Similar sentiments in the North of England for working class players who could not afford time off due to injury had indeed prompted the changes that formed the new "Northern Union" (Rugby League) two years earlier. However the movement to start a rugby league competition in Sydney was already well under way before Burdon's injury.
[edit] Rugby league career
Burdon joined the newly formed Glebe Rugby League Club in 1908 and was named the club's foundation captain.
He was one of the five selectors for the Pioneer Kangaroo tour of England.
He played in 25 tour matches including the first and second Anglo-Australian Test matches. Seven former Wallabies had debuted for the Kangaroos in the Tests against New Zealand earlier that year, Burdon's league Test debut in the first Test against England with Pat Walsh made them the 8th and 9th Australian dual code internationals.
[edit] Playing record
- Club: Glebe Rugby League Club1908-10 20 games, 3 tries
- Representative: Australia (1908-09) 2 Tests.
[edit] Sources
- Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
