Barry Muir
Encyclopedia
Barry Muir is an Australian former rugby league
footballer and coach. An Australian and Queensland representative halfback, he played in twenty-two Tests between 1959 and 1964, as captain on two occasions. He did all of his playing and coaching at club level in Queensland.
in 1958 in the Brisbane domestic competition. He stayed with the club for eleven seasons.
He was captain-coach of West Brisbane from 1966 to 1968, played 1970 as captain-coach with Ayr in North Queensland and finished his playing career as captain-coach in 1971 back at Tweed Heads where his career had begun fifteen seasons earlier.
in 1959 and was selected in the Australia national rugby league team for the same series. He made his Test debut on 13 June 1959 at the Sydney Cricket Ground
along with Reg Gasnier
, Johnny Raper
and Noel Kelly and played in all three Tests against the Kiwis. Later that year was selected for the 1959-60 Kangaroo tour
where he appeared in all six Tests and fourteen minor Tour matches.
He was vice-captain of the Australian squad for the 1960 World Cup
and played in all three Australian appearances. He first captained Australia in the opening match of that World Cup against France when Keith Barnes
was out injured.
After captaining Queensland in 1961 in the interstate series he was selected in a 1961 tour of New Zealand and captained Australia in the Second Test of that series in Auckland to a 20-8 victory. For the next two years he formed a regular test halves partnership with Five-eighth Arthur Summons
in a domestic Ashes
series against Great Britain and Tests against visiting New Zealand and South African sides.
In 1963 he made his second Kangaroo tour
and replicated his feat of four years prior in appearing in all six Tests and fourteen minor Tour matches. He was sent-off in the Third Test dead-rubber after Australia had dominated in the first two games.
concept.
Muir coached the Queensland side from 1974 to 1978 (two years prior to the adoption of Origin selection criteria) and during this time Muir coined the term "cockroaches", the derogatory descriptor of the New South Wales rugby league team
still used by the Queenslanders.
In February 2008, Muir 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 and coach. An Australian and Queensland representative halfback, he played in twenty-two Tests between 1959 and 1964, as captain on two occasions. He did all of his playing and coaching at club level in Queensland.
Club career
Muir played his junior rugby league at Coolangatta State School and represented Queensland Schoolboys in 1951. He was graded with the Tweeds Heads Seagulls and made his first grade debut in 1956. He played a season in 1957 with Valleys in Toowoomba before joining Western SuburbsWests Panthers
The Western Suburbs Panthers, often simply referred to as Wests, are a rugby league club from Brisbane, Australia. The Club is the oldest in the QRL and despite absences from the top grade in recent years and several name changes the club continued to operate...
in 1958 in the Brisbane domestic competition. He stayed with the club for eleven seasons.
He was captain-coach of West Brisbane from 1966 to 1968, played 1970 as captain-coach with Ayr in North Queensland and finished his playing career as captain-coach in 1971 back at Tweed Heads where his career had begun fifteen seasons earlier.
Representative career
He debuted for Queensland against a visiting New Zealand teamNew Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
in 1959 and was selected in the Australia national rugby league team for the same series. He made his Test debut on 13 June 1959 at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
along with Reg Gasnier
Reg Gasnier
Reg Gasnier AM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach, regarded as one of the 20th century's finest players. He played in the centres for the St. George Dragons from 1959 to 1967...
, Johnny Raper
Johnny Raper
John Raper, MBE is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a lock forward for the Australia national team. He had a record 33 test caps between 1959 and 1968 and played in 6 World Cup games between 1960 to 1968...
and Noel Kelly and played in all three Tests against the Kiwis. Later that year was selected for the 1959-60 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...
where he appeared in all six Tests and fourteen minor Tour matches.
He was vice-captain of the Australian squad for the 1960 World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
and played in all three Australian appearances. He first captained Australia in the opening match of that World Cup against France when Keith Barnes
Keith Barnes
William Keith Barnes OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a fullback for the Australian national team and for the Balmain Tigers. He played in 14 Tests between 1959 and 1966, as national captain on 12 occasions. He was known as "Golden Boots" due to his...
was out injured.
After captaining Queensland in 1961 in the interstate series he was selected in a 1961 tour of New Zealand and captained Australia in the Second Test of that series in Auckland to a 20-8 victory. For the next two years he formed a regular test halves partnership with Five-eighth Arthur Summons
Arthur Summons
Arthur Summons is a former Australian representative rugby union and rugby league player, a dual-code rugby international fly-half or five-eighth...
in a domestic Ashes
Rugby League Ashes
The Ashes is the name given to the trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-three series of rugby league football test series between Great Britain and Australia...
series against Great Britain and Tests against visiting New Zealand and South African sides.
In 1963 he made his second 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...
and replicated his feat of four years prior in appearing in all six Tests and fourteen minor Tour matches. He was sent-off in the Third Test dead-rubber after Australia had dominated in the first two games.
Legacy
Muir was a long time outspoken critic of the system that allowed the best Queensland club players to move the Sydney competition and then to represent New South Wales. This widely-held sentiment eventually led to the birth of the Rugby League State of OriginRugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
concept.
Muir coached the Queensland side from 1974 to 1978 (two years prior to the adoption of Origin selection criteria) and during this time Muir coined the term "cockroaches", the derogatory descriptor of the New South Wales rugby league team
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...
still used by the Queenslanders.
In February 2008, Muir 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.
Representative matches played
| Team | Matches | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | 24 | 1959–1966 |
| Australia (Tests) | 22 | 1959–1964 |
| Australia (World Cup) | 3 | 1960 |
Sources
- Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
(2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney - Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney