Tom Bourke
Encyclopedia
Tom Bourke was an Australian rugby league
footballer of the 1930s and 40s. A New South Wales representative centre, he played his entire club career with Balmain, who he captained and won several premierships with.
, scoring two tries in his team's victory over Souths.
In 1944 he played in Balmain's win over Newtown in that year's grand final.
He succeeded Arthur Patton as Balmain captain in 1945, leading them to the grand final which they narrowly lost to Eastern Suburbs.
He led Balmain to successive premierships in 1946 (kicking two goals) and 1947 (playing at lock).
He captained Balmain to the 1948 grand final, hoping to make it three premierships in a row to equal Souths' record of eleven premierships. He scored his team's lone try and goal, but Balmain were beaten by Wests.
In 1949 he left Sydney and took on a position of captain-coach in Griffith.
Bourke was named in the Balmain Tigers team of the century in 2003 and was thus one of the inaugural inductees of the Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame in 2005.
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 1930s and 40s. A New South Wales representative centre, he played his entire club career with Balmain, who he captained and won several premierships with.
Playing career
Bourke progressed through Balmain's junior ranks before debuting in first grade in 1939. That year he played in his first grand finalGrand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
, scoring two tries in his team's victory over Souths.
In 1944 he played in Balmain's win over Newtown in that year's grand final.
He succeeded Arthur Patton as Balmain captain in 1945, leading them to the grand final which they narrowly lost to Eastern Suburbs.
He led Balmain to successive premierships in 1946 (kicking two goals) and 1947 (playing at lock).
He captained Balmain to the 1948 grand final, hoping to make it three premierships in a row to equal Souths' record of eleven premierships. He scored his team's lone try and goal, but Balmain were beaten by Wests.
In 1949 he left Sydney and took on a position of captain-coach in Griffith.
Post-playing
After his retirement from the playing field, Bourke continued his association with the Balmain club through coaching and as a selector. He died in 2001, aged 83.Bourke was named in the Balmain Tigers team of the century in 2003 and was thus one of the inaugural inductees of the Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame in 2005.