Andy Morton

Andy Morton (1882-1950) was a pioneering Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s. An Australia international and New South Wales state representative backline player, he played club football for North Sydney and in England for Hull F.C.

Andy Morton
Personal information
Full nameAndrew Morton
Born1882
Manly, New South Wales, Australia
Died18 October 1950
St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
PositionWing, Centre, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1908 North Sydney 6 2 2 0 10
1909–11 Hull F.C.
1911–12 North Sydney 14 0 17 0 34
Total 20 2 19 0 44
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1908–11 New South Wales 4 0 0 0 0
1909 Australia 1 0 0 0 0
1908–11 Metropolis 2 0 2 0 4
As of 21 June 2019
Source: [1]

Playing career

Morton played for the North Sydney club during the 1908 NSWRFL season, the first ever for rugby league in Australia. That season he played for New South Wales in the first ever interstate rugby league match.[2] His club lost his services just before the finals, along with Norths' teammates Sid Deane, Jim Devereaux and Dinny Lutge as they had been selected to go on the 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain.[3] Morton was the first Australian to score a try in Britain: in their victory over Welsh club Mid-Rhondda in the first match of the tour. He was also selected to play on the wing in the second Test match loss, becoming Kangaroo No. 26.[4] He scored 30pts (4t, 9g) in another 22 matches on tour. Morton and Norths' teammate Deveraux were signed by English club Hull, and remained in England to play.[5] [6]

Andy Morton played left-centre, i.e. number 4, in Hull FC's 7-7 draw with Leeds in the 1910 Challenge Cup Final during the 1909–10 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield, on Saturday 16 April 1910, in front of a crowd of 19,413, this was the first Challenge Cup Final to be drawn, and played left-centre, i.e. number 4, in the 12-26 defeat by Leeds in the 1910 Challenge Cup Final replay at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield, on Monday 18 April 1910, in front of a crowd of 11,608.

After two seasons with Hull, Morton returned to Australia and resumed his career with North Sydney.[7]

Death

Morton died at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital on 18 October 1950, age 68. His funeral was held the following afternoon at Northern Suburbs Crematorium.[8]

References
  1. Rugby League Project
  2. Whiticker, Alan. "Andy Morton". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  3. Haddan, Stephen (1991). History of the NSW Rugby League Finals. Australia: Powers Brewing. p. 11. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  4. "Australian Kangaroos Player Register" (PDF). nrl.com. Australian Rugby League Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  5. "Hull's Australians". hullfc.com. Hull F.C. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  6. Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. (1995 edition) ISBN 1875169571
  7. "Andy Morton". nrlstats.com. Sports Data. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  8. Sydney Morning Herald - Death/Funeral Notice - 19/10/1950
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