Lionel Cooper
Encyclopedia
Lionel Cooper was an Australian professional rugby league
footballer of the 1940s and 1950s. A state
and international representative winger, he played in Sydney for the Eastern Suburbs
club and in England for Huddersfield.
in a services team in Darwin
by Ray Stehr
in 1941. Stehr invited Cooper to trial with the Roosters following the War
.
A powerful winger, Cooper played in just 6 matches before gaining selection for New South Wales. Later that year Cooper was a member of Eastern Suburbs
' 8th premiership-winning team. In 1946 Cooper represented for Sydney
, New South Wales and Australia, he played in all three tests against the Great Britain Lions
that year at home. Cooper also took out the 'NSW Player of the Year Award' in 1946.
The Gregory's reference describes him as a bullocking, bruising winger who was a great finisher of back-line movements.His hard-running style incorporated a hip-bumping technique to brush off defenders.
club Huddersfield
where he had 9 successful seasons - scoring 432 tries
, including 71 in the 1951-52 season, in one match that year, against Keighley
, he scored a record 10 tries. Also joining Cooper were his friend Johnny Hunter
, a spectacular full-back, and a little later Pat Devery
, an Australian Test Player who played centre (in partnership with Cooper who was on the left wing.)
Lionel Cooper continued to play Test rugby league whilst at Huddersfield, playing for 14 matches 'Other Nationalities
' in the International Championship between 1949 and 1953. He played for the British Empire XIII
versus New Zealand
on Wednesday 23/1/1952 at Stamford Bridge
. He was in the Huddersfield team that beat St. Helens 15 - 10 in the 1953 Challenge Cup
Final at Wembley
, kicking at least one goal after the regular goal kicker was injured.
Cooper's Testimonial match
at Huddersfield
took place in 1955.
played with the Canterbury Bankstown
club in Sydney, and Noel played for St George.
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 1940s and 1950s. A state
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
and international representative winger, he played in Sydney for the Eastern Suburbs
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...
club and in England for Huddersfield.
Australian career
Cooper joined the Eastern Suburbs club after being spotted playing Australian Rules FootballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
in a services team in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
by Ray Stehr
Ray Stehr
Raymond Ernest Stehr was an Australian rugby league footballer, a state and national representative player whose club career was played at Sydney's Eastern Suburbs club. He has been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.-Early life:Stehr was born in the country New...
in 1941. Stehr invited Cooper to trial with the Roosters following the War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
A powerful winger, Cooper played in just 6 matches before gaining selection for New South Wales. Later that year Cooper was a member of Eastern Suburbs
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...
' 8th premiership-winning team. In 1946 Cooper represented for Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales and Australia, he played in all three tests against the Great Britain Lions
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
that year at home. Cooper also took out the 'NSW Player of the Year Award' in 1946.
The Gregory's reference describes him as a bullocking, bruising winger who was a great finisher of back-line movements.His hard-running style incorporated a hip-bumping technique to brush off defenders.
British career
In 1947 he joined EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
where he had 9 successful seasons - scoring 432 tries
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
, including 71 in the 1951-52 season, in one match that year, against Keighley
Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
, he scored a record 10 tries. Also joining Cooper were his friend Johnny Hunter
Johnny Hunter
Johnny Hunter is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 50s. He played in Sydney's NSWRFL Premiership for the Eastern Suburbs club...
, a spectacular full-back, and a little later Pat Devery
Pat Devery
Pat Devery is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach of the 1940s and 50s. An Australian international representative half, he played in Australia for the Balmain club, winning the 1944, '46 and '47 grand finals with them...
, an Australian Test Player who played centre (in partnership with Cooper who was on the left wing.)
Lionel Cooper continued to play Test rugby league whilst at Huddersfield, playing for 14 matches 'Other Nationalities
Other Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
' in the International Championship between 1949 and 1953. He played for the British Empire XIII
British Empire XIII rugby league team
The British Empire XIII rugby league team was a rugby league football team in Europe that represented the Empire of Britain at the time.-External sources:* Programme from game versus New Zealand 1952* British Pathe news footage...
versus New Zealand
New 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...
on Wednesday 23/1/1952 at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
. He was in the Huddersfield team that beat St. Helens 15 - 10 in the 1953 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Final at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, kicking at least one goal after the regular goal kicker was injured.
Cooper's Testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
at Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
took place in 1955.
Family
His brothers Col, Reg and Cec CooperCec Cooper
Cec Cooper is a retired professional rugby league footballer and coach of the 1950s. A New South Wales representative centre, he captained and later coached the Canterbury-Bankstown club of the New South Wales Rugby Football League. He is the brother of Australian international Lionel Cooper and...
played with the Canterbury Bankstown
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
club in Sydney, and Noel played for St George.