Albert Rosenfeld
Encyclopedia
Albert Aaron Rosenfeld was a pioneer Australian rugby league
footballer, a national representative whose club career was played in Sydney and in England. During his 16-year English career he set a number of try-scoring records including the standing world first-grade record of 80 tries in a season in 1911–12.
club in the Australian inaugural season 1908 and in 1909. He played on Easter Monday 1908 in the Easts team that beat Newtown 32–16 on the first day of rugby league premiership football in Australia.
A /, Rosenfeld represented his country in four test match
es . He made his test début in Australia's first ever international series against New Zealand in 1908 where he appeared in all three matches. He was selected for Australia's inaugural Kangaroo Tour of 1908–09, making one Test appearance and playing in 13 minor representative matches.
after falling in love with Ethel Barrand a local mill manager's daughter whom he later married. He was moved to the wing
position by his new club and became a try
scoring sensation. In the English season of 1911–12 he set a new try scoring record for one season with 77 tries only to better it the following season by scoring 80. To date neither mark has been bettered. The nearest anyone has came was 72 by, coincidentally another former Australian and Eastern Suburbs player, Brian Bevan
, in the 1952–53 season.
In England he played for Huddersfield
, Wakefield Trinity
, Warrington
and Bradford Northern
.
in 1916 and saw service in the Mesopotamian campaign
. He was discharged in 1919.
Aged 85 years, Rosenfeld was the last of the inaugural Kangaroo Tour
ists to pass away.
. In 2005, Rosenfeld was accepted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
with his official induction to take place at the 2009 Maccabiah games. He is one of only two rugby league players to be so honoured.
In February 2008, Rosenfeld was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
and ARL
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer, a national representative whose club career was played in Sydney and in England. During his 16-year English career he set a number of try-scoring records including the standing world first-grade record of 80 tries in a season in 1911–12.
Australian career
Born in Sydney, the son of a Jewish tailor, Rosenfeld was a foundation player for the Eastern SuburbsSydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
club in the Australian inaugural season 1908 and in 1909. He played on Easter Monday 1908 in the Easts team that beat Newtown 32–16 on the first day of rugby league premiership football in Australia.
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
es . He made his test début in Australia's first ever international series against New Zealand in 1908 where he appeared in all three matches. He was selected for Australia's inaugural Kangaroo Tour of 1908–09, making one Test appearance and playing in 13 minor representative matches.
English career
Whilst on tour Rosenfeld signed with English club HuddersfieldHuddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
after falling in love with Ethel Barrand a local mill manager's daughter whom he later married. He was moved to the wing
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
position by his new club and became a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
scoring sensation. In the English season of 1911–12 he set a new try scoring record for one season with 77 tries only to better it the following season by scoring 80. To date neither mark has been bettered. The nearest anyone has came was 72 by, coincidentally another former Australian and Eastern Suburbs player, Brian Bevan
Brian Bevan
Brian Eyrl Bevan was a legendary rugby league winger who scored a world record 796 tries for Warrington RLFC...
, in the 1952–53 season.
In England he played for Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
, Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
, Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
and Bradford Northern
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
.
War service
Rosenfeld's phenomenal try-scoring record is all the more extraordinary considering his career was interrupted by three years of active service. He enlisted in the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1916 and saw service in the Mesopotamian campaign
Mesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
. He was discharged in 1919.
Later life
He played rugby league until he was thirty-nine and then, still married to Ethel he lived out his life in Huddersfield working variously as a van driver and in a local dye house.Aged 85 years, Rosenfeld was the last of the inaugural Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
ists to pass away.
Accolades
During his career (1908–24), Rosenfeld scored 391 tries. His try scoring feats earned him in 1988 a place in the British Rugby League Hall of FameBritish Rugby League Hall of Fame
The British Rugby League Hall of Fame was established by the Rugby Football League in 1988 to commemorate the greatest ever players in British rugby league...
. In 2005, Rosenfeld was accepted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
with his official induction to take place at the 2009 Maccabiah games. He is one of only two rugby league players to be so honoured.
In February 2008, Rosenfeld was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
and ARL
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
See also
- Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
- Harold WagstaffHarold WagstaffHarold Wagstaff was an English rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. He played as a and was nicknamed the Prince of Centres...
- RosenfeldRosenfeldRosenfeld is a German name meaning "field of roses" and may refer to:* Rosenfeld, Germany, a town in Baden-WürttembergRosenfeld is the surname of:* Albert Rosenfeld, Australian rugby league footballer...
- List of select Jewish rugby league players