Eddie Lumsden

Eddie Lumsden (born 28 September 1935^[1] in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league player. He was a winger with the St. George Dragons during their eleven-year premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966, playing in nine grand finals.

Early life and pedigree

Lumsden moved from Kurri Kurri in 1955 to play with Manly. After just four games he was ruled ineligible on the grounds he didn’t reside in the area.

Lumsden is one of four brothers who all played for Country. Jack Lumsden played for Manly and Australia. Eddie Lumsden's twin, Richie, and his other brother, Ray, were both "bush footballers".^[1]

St George career

Lumsden played 166 games for St George between 1957 to 1966 appearing in nine Grand Final victories in each of those years except 1960. He scored 136 tries and 17 goals for 442 points for the Dragons. He was the competition's leading try scorer in 1958 (18 tries) and 1962 (21 tries). He was the second post-war player after Ian Moir to score a century of tries. He reached this milestone in his 100th game during the 1963 season.

Playing style

Big, gangling and fast, Lumsden was an edgy player, hyperactive and intense who seemed to take three stuttering steps instead of one. His scampering style made him difficult to tackle and he combined elusiveness with a good fend and hip-bump.

Representative career

In 1956 Lumsden represented for Country seconds and while playing for Country he was seen by St. George. He was offered £300 and a job with the water board. In his debut Sydney season in 1957 represented for both Sydney firsts and New South Wales in 1957. He was a regular selection in the Australia national team from 1959 to 1963 earning 15 Test caps. He played against France in 1961; Great Britain in the 1962 Ashes series; New Zealand New Zealand in 1963; with his last Test appearance against South Africa in 1963.

On the 1959-60 Kangaroo tour he played in all six Tests and 21 minor tour matches scoring 25 tries in total, topping both the try-scoring list and tally for most matches played by an Australian on the tour.

Post football

He retired from the game after the Dragons eleventh consecutive premiership in 1966. After working as a wine merchant he enjoyed business success managing, then buying and selling hotels. He became a rugby league selector in 1977 for Country and NSW, spending 23 years in the position, and 14 years as an Australian selector.^[1] Like his St. George skipper, Ken Kearney, Lumsden is a Freemason.

In February 2008, Lumsden was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.^[2]

In 2010 he was named on the wing in Kurri Rugby League Club's team of the century.^[3]

Footnotes

References

• Writer, Larry (1995) Never Before, Never Again, Pan MacMillan, Sydney
• Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. p. 609. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1. 
• Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
• Tony Adams. "Legend Q&A". Rugby League Week (Sydney, NSW: PBLMedia) (11 July 2007): pgs 22–23.  |accessdate= requires |url= (help)