Barry Beath
Encyclopedia
Barry Beath was an Australian professional rugby league
footballer, a second-row forward for the St. George Dragons
in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
competition. He represented for New South Wales
and in the Australia national rugby league team.
Beath was first selected in 1965 for New South Wales and Australia from Country Representative honours while playing for Eugowra. In 1966 he joined St George
in the final year of their 11 year premiership run. Beath had his own 11 year run with the Dragons from 1966 to 1977, with the distinction of winning a premiership in his first and last years with the club. He came on as reserve in the 1977 Grand Final win.
He represented Australia again in 1971 having played in the Dragons Grand Final loss that year to South Sydney
where he scored a try.
Barry made the news in 1999 at a post-match Cronulla
Leagues Club function when he stepped in to defend a young St George supporter whose jersey was defaced by Cronulla President Peter Gow wielding scissors in an ill advised practical joke which ultimately resulted in Gow's resignation as club President. Gow is the father of Australian supermodel
and actress Elle Macpherson
. He lost several fingers when he moved his lawn mower by picking it up when it was still running.
The term "Barry Beath" is a localised rhyming slang colloquialism meaning "teeth" that might be used by a small number of Sydneysiders who grew up in the 60s or 70s and were familiar with Rugby League.
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 second-row forward for the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
competition. He represented for New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
and in the Australia national rugby league team.
Beath was first selected in 1965 for New South Wales and Australia from Country Representative honours while playing for Eugowra. In 1966 he joined St George
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
in the final year of their 11 year premiership run. Beath had his own 11 year run with the Dragons from 1966 to 1977, with the distinction of winning a premiership in his first and last years with the club. He came on as reserve in the 1977 Grand Final win.
He represented Australia again in 1971 having played in the Dragons Grand Final loss that year to South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
where he scored a try.
Barry made the news in 1999 at a post-match Cronulla
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
Leagues Club function when he stepped in to defend a young St George supporter whose jersey was defaced by Cronulla President Peter Gow wielding scissors in an ill advised practical joke which ultimately resulted in Gow's resignation as club President. Gow is the father of Australian supermodel
Supermodel
The term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
and actress Elle Macpherson
Elle Macpherson
Elle Macpherson is an Australian model, actress, and businesswoman nicknamed "The Body". She is perhaps best known for her record five cover appearances for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue beginning in the 1980s...
. He lost several fingers when he moved his lawn mower by picking it up when it was still running.
The term "Barry Beath" is a localised rhyming slang colloquialism meaning "teeth" that might be used by a small number of Sydneysiders who grew up in the 60s or 70s and were familiar with Rugby League.