Bob Bugden
Encyclopedia
Bob Bugden is an Australian former rugby league
player. He was a halfback with the St. George Dragons
in the first half of their 11-year consecutive premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was also a representative in the Australian national team in 1959 and 1960, making two test appearances.
. He moved to Sydney aged 15 as a cadet with the Commonwealth Bank and was posted to Wollongong where he played under-18 rugby league
for Nowra-Shellharbour. Back in Sydney a year later he played with the Sutherland Woronora junior league side and a St George fourth grade rugby union
side. He was a champion beach sprinter with the Cronulla Surf Club, winning three national beach flags
titles.
in 1954 and two weeks later appeared and scored a try in the final against Newtown
which St George lost 27-3. His first full year in first grade was in 1955, learning the ropes against the powerful South Sydney Rabbitohs
champion outfit to whom his side again bowed out in the premiership final with Bugden again scoring a try.
He was the Dragons' first choice half-back for the first six of their consecutive premiership victories from 1959–61 and played 135 club games (133 1st grade), scoring 56 tries for the club.
After St George signed George Evans in 1961 as a potential halfback, Bugden sought an open transfer and was allowed to leave at the end of the season. He followed his Dragons' coach and captain Ken Kearney
to Parramatta
where he played a further four seasons, often as vice-captain
from the Parramatta club in 1964. In Bugden's representative career he was vying against the incumbent national half-back, Queenslander
Barry Muir
, who was generally preferred by selectors. At the latter end of Bugden's career Arthur Summons
was the test half.
Budgen was picked for the 1959 Kangaroo tour
and played in five tour matches but no tests. He was selected in the 1960 World Cup
squad and although he did not play in any tournament matches, made two tour match appearances for Australia after the World Cup. Bugden made his Test debut in the 1960 domestic series against France for the 2nd Test in Brisbane. He scored three tries on debut in Australia's 56-10 routing of France and backed up for the 3rd Test where he again crossed for a try.
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...
player. He was a halfback with 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 first half of their 11-year consecutive premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was also a representative in the Australian national team in 1959 and 1960, making two test appearances.
Early years
Bugden grew up in northern New South Wales and attended Murwillimbah High School where he played rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. He moved to Sydney aged 15 as a cadet with the Commonwealth Bank and was posted to Wollongong where he played under-18 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...
for Nowra-Shellharbour. Back in Sydney a year later he played with the Sutherland Woronora junior league side and a St George fourth grade rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
side. He was a champion beach sprinter with the Cronulla Surf Club, winning three national beach flags
Flags (sport)
Beach Flags is a sporting event used by Surf lifesavers to practice beach sprinting and reflexes.The game is played by sticking a series of flags into the sand in a row. The competitors lie facing away approximately 20 metres away. Upon a starting signal, the competitors race to the flags and try...
titles.
St George career
He played with the St George Dragons' Presidents Cup side in 1954 aged 18 and late that season appeared in reserve grade. He made his first grade debut still aged 18 in the Dragon's premiership semi-final victory over North SydneyNorth Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
in 1954 and two weeks later appeared and scored a try in the final against Newtown
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
which St George lost 27-3. His first full year in first grade was in 1955, learning the ropes against the powerful South Sydney Rabbitohs
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...
champion outfit to whom his side again bowed out in the premiership final with Bugden again scoring a try.
He was the Dragons' first choice half-back for the first six of their consecutive premiership victories from 1959–61 and played 135 club games (133 1st grade), scoring 56 tries for the club.
After St George signed George Evans in 1961 as a potential halfback, Bugden sought an open transfer and was allowed to leave at the end of the season. He followed his Dragons' coach and captain Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
to Parramatta
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
where he played a further four seasons, often as vice-captain
Representative career
Budgen made his state representative debut in 1960 and again represented for New South WalesNew 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...
from the Parramatta club in 1964. In Bugden's representative career he was vying against the incumbent national half-back, Queenslander
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...
Barry Muir
Barry Muir
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...
, who was generally preferred by selectors. At the latter end of Bugden's career 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...
was the test half.
Budgen was picked for the 1959 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 played in five tour matches but no tests. He was selected in the 1960 World Cup
1960 Rugby League World Cup
The 1960 Rugby League World Cup was the third staging of the tournament and the first Rugby league World Cup to be held in Great Britain. The same format as used in 1957 was used, with a group stage leading to a final table....
squad and although he did not play in any tournament matches, made two tour match appearances for Australia after the World Cup. Bugden made his Test debut in the 1960 domestic series against France for the 2nd Test in Brisbane. He scored three tries on debut in Australia's 56-10 routing of France and backed up for the 3rd Test where he again crossed for a try.
Post playing
Post football, Budgen worked in the club and hotel industry before finding business success in real estate sales.Sources
- Writer, Larry (1995) Never Before, Never Again, Pan MacMillan, Sydney
- Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Australian Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney