Born: April 12, 1883 – Sydney, NSW Died: November 24, 1959 – Gunnedah, NSW Test record: 4 Tests (1907-08) – 2 tries, 5 goals (16 points) Tours: 1907-08 tour of Britain
Herbert Henry ‘Dally’ Messenger’s decision to switch to the ‘professional’ code in 1907 is regarded as one of the most important factors in getting rugby league off the ground in Australia. The New Zealand ‘All Golds’ tour – which made an initial pitstop in Sydney before setting sail for a lengthy stay in Britain – was also hugely influential, and Messenger was integral to that trip’s success as a guest player.
The backline wizard had emerged as a superstar of the Sydney rugby union scene with Eastern Suburbs and debuted for NSW in 1906, before playing two Tests for Australia against New Zealand in 1907. Messenger gained a cult following for his unorthodox attacking brilliance.
Approached by Victor Trumper and J.J. Giltinan to join the breakaway rugby league code, Messenger signed on August 11, 1907. Six days later he played for NSW in the historic first match against the All Golds in Sydney and both subsequent encounters, before being invited to join the team for its ambitious tour of Britain.
Messenger set the tone for the tour by scoring two goals and six goals in the All Golds’ 33-6 win over Ceylon XV in Colombo en route to the UK, playing on the wing. While he made intermittent appearances at wing and fullback, he was primarily a centre and the undoubted drawcard of the New Zealand team.
The 24-year-old led the All Golds’ pointscoring charts and made 32 appearances. He also lined up in four of the five Tests on tour: the one-off clash with Wales and three of four encounters with Northern Union, scoring tries in wins over the latter in the third Test at Stamford Bridge and the fourth match at Cheltenham, while his renowned goalkicking ability also came to the fore.
After the All Golds’ arrival back in Australia, Messenger represented Australia against his former New Zealand teammates in the three-match Test series in May-June 1908.
He turned out for Eastern Suburbs in the inaugural NSWRL premiership in 1908 before embarking on another tour of Britain with the Kangaroos, where he continued to build his legend and top-scored with 155 points.
Messenger last played for Australia against Northern Union on home soil in 1910, but he would represent NSW against visiting New Zealand teams in 1911, 1912 and 1913 – tours where no Test matches were scheduled.
The footballing genius captain-coached Easts to a hat-trick of titles from 1911-13, after which he retired.
Among the myriad accolades that have been bestowed on Messenger, the Dally M Medal (currently the NRL’s official player of the year award) was struck in his honour in 1979, a grandstand was named after him at the Sydney Cricket Ground, he was named in the Australian and NSW Teams of the Century in 2008, and he was inducted as one of the first three pre-WWII Immortals in 2018.
With Con Sullivan, Bill Kelly and Tonie Carroll, Messenger remains one of only four players to represent New Zealand and Australia in rugby league.
