Rod O'Loan

Roderick Charles O'Loan (1915-1992) MBE, CBE was an Australian rugby league footballer for the Eastern Suburbs club in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership. He was also a businessman and a war veteran of distinction.

Sporting career

Rod O'Loan was born at Katoomba, New South Wales on the 26 March 1915 and enjoyed Rugby and Rugby League during his younger years. By the time he was at Sydney University, he excelled at Rugby League and played for the University club.

He played for University in 1933 and 1934 and played 28 games and scored 12 tries. He then played for Easts in 1935-1941. He played 82 games and scored 76 tries. He joined Eastern Suburbs with his University team-mate Ross McKinnon.

Rod O'Loan was a speedy winger who scored over 100 tries in his career.

He won four Premierships in his time at the Roosters: 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1940 in a stellar career, but he chose to never play at representative due to study and corporate commitemnts.

Talented Junior Sportsman

His junior sporting career began at Saint Patrick's College Goulburn, then he moved to the senior school at Waverley College before going onto the University of Sydney. In an article in the Freeman's Journal of 1931, it was stated that Rod O'Loan was the 1931 junior sprint champion over 100 yards in N.S.W., had won the Botany Junior Sprint title in 1931, was a champion high jumper at 13 years of age and was the holder of many junior swimming records, and he was in the First XI cricket and the First XV Rugby teams at 15 years of age.^[1]

After seven seasons in first grade at the Roosters, Rod O'Loan retired after the 1941 season and enlisted in the Army.

Try scoring record

In a match between Eastern Suburbs and his old club University in 1935 O'Loan scored a club record seven tries in a 61-5 win. This tally stood second (behind Frank Burge's eight tries in 1920) on the list of most individual tries in a premiership match.^[2] Rod O'Loan scored 27 tries that season.

War service

Rod O'Loan enlisted in the Australian Army in 1942. He rose to the rank of Major in the 2 Division Australian Army Services Corps.

Military and Civil Awards

At wars end in 1946, he was awarded the MBE for Gallant and distinguished service during the war in the South West Pacific.^[3]

He was awarded a CBE Commander Civil in the New Years Honours List of 1977 for Services to the Community.^[4] He held senior positions in the business world during his working life, and worked for large companies including David Jones Limited in Sydney. He was appointed Managing Director of Finney Isles Stores of Brisbane in 1958.

Rod O'Loan died in Brisbane on 19 February 1992. He was survived by his wife Molly, three sons and one daughter.^[5]

References

• 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.