Edward Root
Encyclopedia
Eddie Root was an Australian rugby league
footballer of the 1920s and 30s. A State
and Australian national representative, his club career was played in Sydney with the South Sydney Rabbitohs
, the Newtown Bluebags
and the St. George Dragons
. Enlisted in World War I
at the age of just 16 years, he had the distinction of being the last representative footballer to go to the Great War.
He made his representative debut for New South Wales
in 1927 and was regularly selected for the Blues over the next six seasons. He was selected to tour Great Britain with the 1929-30 Kangaroo tour
playing in fifteen tour matches but no Tests.
When the NSWRL changed the South Sydney/Newtown boundary distinction in 1930 Root spent the following season with Newtown due
to the strict residential criteria of the time. He then returned to the Rabbitohs and played in the back-to-back premiership-winning Souths sides of 1931 and 1932. In 1935 he was signed by St. George and played in the record-breaking 91-6 win over competition newcomers Canterbury-Bankstown before later becoming the club's captain-coach.
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 of the 1920s and 30s. A State
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 Australian national representative, his club career was played in Sydney with the 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...
, the Newtown Bluebags
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...
and 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,...
. Enlisted in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
at the age of just 16 years, he had the distinction of being the last representative footballer to go to the Great War.
Playing career
A South Sydney junior, Root started playing first grade for the Rabbitohs in 1923, becoming a mainstay in the side in 1926. That year he first tasted premiership success with the Rabbitohs, who also won the following two years' competitions. He was sent off in the 1926 decider against University.He made his representative debut 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...
in 1927 and was regularly selected for the Blues over the next six seasons. He was selected to tour Great Britain with the 1929-30 Kangaroo tour
KangaROOS
KangaROOS are an American brand of sneaker originally produced from 1979 through the 1980s, with a later revival that continues in present. They were notable for having a small zippered pocket on the side of the shoe, large enough for a small amount of loose change, keys, or more recently,...
playing in fifteen tour matches but no Tests.
When the NSWRL changed the South Sydney/Newtown boundary distinction in 1930 Root spent the following season with Newtown due
to the strict residential criteria of the time. He then returned to the Rabbitohs and played in the back-to-back premiership-winning Souths sides of 1931 and 1932. In 1935 he was signed by St. George and played in the record-breaking 91-6 win over competition newcomers Canterbury-Bankstown before later becoming the club's captain-coach.