Doug McRitchie

Douglas Allan McRitchie (1923–1998) was an Australian rugby league player who played in the 1940s and 1950s. A New South Wales state and Australia national representative centre, he played his club football in Sydney for the St. George club.

Doug McRitchie
Personal information
Full nameDouglas Allan McRitchie
Born(1923-07-31)31 July 1923[1]
Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia
Died30 July 1998(1998-07-30) (aged 74)
Milton, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
PositionCentre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1942–50 St. George 81 25 0 0 75
1951 Queanbeyan
Total 81 25 0 0 75
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1948–50 New South Wales 6 0 0 0 0
1948–50 Australia 6 0 0 0 0
1948–50 NSW City 4 0 0 0 0
1951 NSW Country 1 1 0 0 3
Source: [2]
Doug McRitchie (middle row right) in StGeorge's 1946 side

St. George career

McRitchie was a St. George local junior who was graded in 1940. He had a long career with the club playing eight seasons in first grade between 1942 and 1950. McRitchie featured in three Grand finals for the club. He was part of two sides who lost deciders - 1942 and 1946 and saw success with the 1949 premiership team.[3]

His career was disrupted during by WWII, he enlisted in the AIF and he saw service in New Guinea with the 129 Australian Brigade.[4] After demobilisation, he resumed his playing career at St George, and he captained and co-coached the club with head coach Charlie Lynch in the 1947 NSWRFL season.

Representative career

McRitchie represented New South Wales on six occasions between 1948–1950. He was named in the 1948-49 Kangaroo Tour squad and played two Tests against Great Britain, two Tests against France and a further ten tour matches during that series. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 261[5]

1950 Ashes win

He played a further two tests in 1950 against Great Britain, the last being of major significance.

Doug McRitchie will always be remembered as the player who clinched the Ashes for Australia in 1950. He made the initial opening and overlap that gave Ron Roberts the try in the Sydney Cricket Ground mud heap on the 22 Jul 1950 Third Test. The Kangaroos won the Test 5-2. McRitchie had hit the English Captain Ernest Ward so hard that the visiting star developed an aversion to tackling that resulted in a split-second hesitancy that gave McRitchie the opening that proved so vital. [6]

Later career

He was signed to captain-coach Queanbeyan, New South Wales in 1951.[7] During the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand McRitchie played for a Monaro side against the Les Chanticleers.

Doug's brother Bill McRitchie played for St George from 1942 to 1945. Bill was involved in an infamous event in 1945, when he lost a portion of his ear during a match at Henson Park. Newtown stalwart Frank Farrell was accused of the allegation.[8] McRitchie was awarded Life Membership of St. George Dragons in 1997.[9]

Death

McRitchie died at Milton, New South Wales on 30 July 1998 on the eve of his 75th birthday.[10]

References
  1. McRitchie at WWII Roll
  2. "Doug McRitchie - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". Rugbyleagueproject.org.
  3. Alan Whitiker/Glen Hudson: The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 2005 edtn. ISBN 9780732908164
  4. McRitchie at WWII Roll
  5. ARL Annual Report
  6. Rugby League News. 14 Aug 1954 "Immortals - Doug McRitchie" https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-631853959/view?sectionId=nla.obj-642595337&partId=nla.obj-631854458#page/n3/mode/1up
  7. http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/doug-mcritchie/summary.html
  8. "The Ear Bite Incident" Canberra Times. 31 July 1945. (p4)
  9. http://www.jubileeavenue.com.au/history/records.php
  10. Daily Telegraph - Death Notice 04/08/1998
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