Jack Reardon

Jack Reardon (1914–1991) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s and who later became a sports journalist. An Australian international and both a New South Wales and Queensland representative centre, he played club football in country New South Wales before moving to Queensland and playing in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership. He is also well known for his football journalism and being the first to suggest 'state of origin' selection rules for interstate rugby league.

Jack Reardon
Personal information
Born1914
Died22 July 1991
Playing information
PositionCentre[1]
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1932–3? Marist Bros. (Lismore)
1936–4? Norths (Brisbane)
19??–?? Brothers (Brisbane)
Total 0 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1934 New South Wales 1 0 0 0 0
1936–41 Queensland 21 4 0 0 12
1937–38 Australia 4 2 0 0 6
Source: [2]

Playing career

Reardon came from Ballina, New South Wales to play for the Marist Brothers club of the Lismore district.[3] He achieved selection for the New South Wales rugby league team before being lured north in 1936 to play in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for the Norths club. In his first year in Brisbane he was selected to represent Queensland, and the following year he was named vice-captain for the 1937-38 Kangaroo Tour. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 212.[4] He captained his club, Norths, to a premiership in 1938 and in 1939 was named captain of Queensland.[5] He won another premiership with Norths in 1940.

Post-playing career

Reardon later became a football journalist for Brisbane's Courier Mail. He suggested the adoption of 'state of origin' selection rules as far back as 1964 but was met with derision from New South Wales.[6] He died in 1991.[7]

For his thirty years' service as the Courier Mail's senior rugby league writer, in 2006 he was inducted into Suncorp Stadium's Sports Media Hall of Fame.[8] On 16 August 2008, the year of the Centenary of Rugby League, Norths Devils announced their greatest team ever, naming Reardon at centre.[9]

References
  1. Pramberg, Bernie (2009). "Leo Donovan special guest at BRL celebrations". Courier Mail, The. Australia: Queensland Newspapers.
  2. Jack Reardon at rugbyleagueproject.org
  3. "Marist Brothers JRL History". sportingpulse.com. SportingPulse Pty Ltd. 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  4. ARL Annual Report 2005
  5. "Norths Devils History". northsdevils.com. Norths Leagues & Services Club. 2005. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  6. Gallaway, Jack (2003). Origin: Rugby League's greatest contest 1980-2002. Australia: University of Queensland Press. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7022-3383-8.
  7. "Queensland Representatives". qrl.com.au. Queensland Rugby League. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  8. "SPORTS MEDIA HALL OF FAME OPENS AT SUNCORP STADIUM". suncorpstadium.com.au. 28 July 2006. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  9. Pramberg, Bernie (17 August 2008). "Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis in Norths Devis 'greatest' team". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
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