Bill Tyquin
Encyclopedia
Bill Tyquin OA
(1919–1999) was an Australia
n rugby league
footballer. He was a lock forward for the Australian national team. He played in 6 Tests between 1948 and 1949 as captain on 3 occasions.
and played with Souths Brisbane and the Brothers club before WWII. Stationed in Sydney with the AIF
during the war he played the 1941 season with the St George Dragons and played in St George's inaugural Grand Final win in 1941. In that game he was sent off by the referee after a clash with Easts
rival Jack Arnold.
After the war he returned to Souths Brisbane playing five seasons from 1945–50 and from where he enjoyed representative success.
He first represented for Queensland
in 1945 and then regularly over the next 5 years making 8 appearances against New South Wales
as well as captaining Queensland in 1948 against a touring New Zealand side.
He made his Test debut against New Zealand in the first Test of the 1948 series in Sydney and played in both Tests. He was subsequently named as vice-captain to Col Maxwell
for the 1949 Kangaroo Tour
of England and France an appointment overshadowed by the controversial non-selection of Len Smith
. On that 1949 tour Tyquin played in 4 Tests and 10 minor tour matches. He enjoyed the honour of captaining Australia in two Tests against France and then in the third dead-rubber
Test against Great Britain in Bradford.
in 1941. He was a Sergeant in the 2/5 Armoured Regiment. He was discharged in 1946.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(1919–1999) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 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. He was a lock forward for the Australian national team. He played in 6 Tests between 1948 and 1949 as captain on 3 occasions.
Club career
Bill Tyquin was born and schooled in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and played with Souths Brisbane and the Brothers club before WWII. Stationed in Sydney with the AIF
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
during the war he played the 1941 season with the St George Dragons and played in St George's inaugural Grand Final win in 1941. In that game he was sent off by the referee after a clash with Easts
Sydney 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...
rival Jack Arnold.
After the war he returned to Souths Brisbane playing five seasons from 1945–50 and from where he enjoyed representative success.
Playing style
Whiticker's reference acclaims Bill as the premier lock forward of the Australian game in the five year period immediately after WWII. He asserts that Tyquin was a great cover defender who had one of the biggest punt kicks in the game at that time.Representative career
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
in 1945 and then regularly over the next 5 years making 8 appearances against 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...
as well as captaining Queensland in 1948 against a touring New Zealand side.
He made his Test debut against New Zealand in the first Test of the 1948 series in Sydney and played in both Tests. He was subsequently named as vice-captain to Col Maxwell
Col Maxwell
Colin Maxwell was an Australian international rugby league footballer whose career ran from the 1930s to the 1950s. He was a centre for the Australian national team. He played in 1 Test in 1948 in which he captained the side.-Club career:...
for the 1949 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...
of England and France an appointment overshadowed by the controversial non-selection of Len Smith
Len Smith
Len Smith was an Australian representative rugby union and rugby league footballer of the 1930s and 40s. He captained the Kangaroos in two Tests 1948 and was controversially omitted from the 1948-49 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain....
. On that 1949 tour Tyquin played in 4 Tests and 10 minor tour matches. He enjoyed the honour of captaining Australia in two Tests against France and then in the third dead-rubber
Dead-rubber
Dead rubber is a term used in sporting parlance to describe a match in a series where the series result has already been decided by earlier matches...
Test against Great Britain in Bradford.
War service
Bill Tyquin enlisted in the Australian ArmyAustralian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
in 1941. He was a Sergeant in the 2/5 Armoured Regiment. He was discharged in 1946.
Post playing
After football Tyquin worked in the wholesale liquor industry. He devoted many years to administration of the Souths Brisbane Leagues club and was its President during the 1970s.Representative statistics
| Team | Matches | Years |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 1 | 1941 |
| Queensland | 9 | 1945-49 |
| Australia | 6 | 1948-9 |
Sources
- Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
- Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
- Queensland representatives at qrl.com.au