1969 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand

1969 rugby league tour

1969 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand

Manager| Eddie Burns
Jack Lynch
Coach(es)| Harry Bath
Tour captain(s)| John Sattler
Top point scorer(s)| Les Johns 42
Top try scorer(s)| Dennis Manteit 5
Top test point scorer(s)| Les Johns 14
Don Ladner 22
Top test try scorer(s)| Ron Coote 3
Summary| | P|  W|  D|  L

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|
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Total| | 06|  04|  00|  02

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Test match| | 02|  01|  00|  01

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|
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Opponent| | P|  W|  D|  L

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|
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New Zealand| | 2|  1|  0|  1

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Tour chronology
Previous tour| 1965 by  to
1967 by  to
1967-68 to
1968 by  to
Next tour| 1970 by  to
1971 by  to

The 1969 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand was a mid-season tour of New Zealand by the Australia national rugby league team. The Australians played six matches on tour, including two tests against the New Zealand national rugby league team. The tour began on 28 May and finished on 10 June.[1]

## Leadership

[edit]

Harry Bath coached the Kangaroos side throughout the tour. South Sydney's John Sattler captained the side. In the two matches in which Sattler did not play, the team was captained by Les Johns (against Wellington) and John McDonald against Auckland.
The touring team was co-managed by Eddie Burns (Canterbury, NSW) and Jack Lynch (Ipswich, Qld).[2]

## Touring squad

[edit]

The Rugby League News published details of the touring team including the players' ages and weights.[3] A team photo was published during the tour.
Match details - listing surnames of both teams and the point scorers - were included in E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook, as was a summary of the players' point-scoring.[4]
Denman, Fitzsimmons, Manteit, Robson and Weiss were selected from Queensland clubs. Cootes, Costello and Lye were selected from clubs in New South Wales Country areas. The balance of the squad were playing for Sydney based clubs during the 1969 season.[5]

Player  | Position | Age  | Weight
st.lb (kg) | Club  | Tests

Tour | Games  | Tries  | Goals  | FG | Points

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Michael Cleary | Wing | 29 | 14.0 (89) |  South Sydney | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12
Ron Coote | Lock | 24 | 14.3 (90) |  South Sydney | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12
John Cootes | Wing | 27 | 13.10 (87) |  Newcastle Western Suburbs | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 13
Ron Costello | Second-row | 26 | 14.1 (89) |  C.B.C. Wollongong | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6
Jeff Denman | Wing | 26 | 12.0 (76) |  Brisbane Eastern Suburbs | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Brian Fitzsimmons | Hooker | 26 | 12.8 (80) |  Glastone Brothers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Bob Honan | Wing | 25 | 12.7 (79) |  South Sydney | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3
Les Johns | Fullback | 27 | 12.0 (76) |  Canterbury | 2 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 42
Graeme Langlands | Centre | 27 | 13.0 (83) |  St George | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6
Graham Lye | Five-eighth | 21 | 11.12 (75) |  Illawarra Western Suburbs | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Dennis Manteit | Prop | 26 | 15.4 (97) |  Brisbane Brothers | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15
Bob McCarthy | Second-row | 24 | 15.3 (97) |  South Sydney | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3
John McDonald | Centre | 24 | 13.0 (83) |  Manly-Warringah | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6
Denis Pittard | Five-eighth | 22 | 11.6 (73) |  South Sydney | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3
Ian Robson | Second-row | 21 | 15.0 (95) |  Brisbane Western Suburbs | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
John Sattler (c) | Prop | 26 | 14.8 (93) |  South Sydney | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3
Elwyn Walters | Hooker | 24 | 13.11 (88) |  South Sydney | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Dennis Ward | Halfback | 24 | 10.10 (68) |  Manly-Warringah | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7
Col Weiss | Second-row | 25 | 12.7 (79) |  Bundaberg | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3
John Wittenberg | Prop | 30 | 15.3 (97) |  St George | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3

## Tour

[edit]

The Australians played six matches on the tour, winning the first four before losing the final two.[6]

* * *

Wednesday 28 May

North Island Colts | 13 – 17  |  Australia

|
|

| Report [7]
Database[8]

Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua
Attendance: 953

* * *

### First test

[edit]

Sunday 1 June

New Zealand  | 10 – 20  |  Australia

|
|

Tries:
Goals:
Don Ladner (5/5)  | Team[7]
Report[9]
Database[10]
| Tries:
Ron Coote (2)
John Cootes
Denis Pittard
Goals:
Les Johns (4/4)

Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 13,459
Referee: John Percival

New Zealand

Australia

|

|  |

|

FB  | 1 |  Don Ladner
RW  | 2 |  Dennis Key
CE  | 3 |  John Wilson
CE  | 4 |  Sam Rolleston
LW  | 5 |  Mocky Brereton
FE  | 6 |  Trevor Patrick
HB  | 7 |  Graeme Cooksley
PR  | 8 |  Oscar Danielson
HK  | 9 |  Colin O'Neil (c)
PR  | 10 |  Bill Noonan
SR  | 11 |  John Hibbs
SR  | 12 |  Tony Kriletich
LF  | 13 |  Rodney Walker
Coach:
Lory Blanchard |
|  |

|

FB  | 1 |  Les Johns
RW  | 2 |  John Cootes
CE  | 3 |  Graeme Langlands
CE  | 4 |  John McDonald
LW  | 5 |  Bob Honan
FE  | 6 |  Denis Pittard
HB  | 7 |  Dennis Ward
PR  | 8 |  John Wittenberg
HK  | 9 |  Elwyn Walters
PR  | 10 |  John Sattler (c)
SR  | 11 |  Ron Costello
SR  | 12 |  Bob McCarthy
LF  | 13 |  Ron Coote
Coach:
Harry Bath

* * *

Monday 2 June

South Island | 15 – 24  |  Australia

|
|

| Report[11]
Database[12]

Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch
Attendance: 3,376

* * *

Wednesday 4 June

Wellington | 7 – 48  |  Australia

|
|

| Team[13]
Report[14]
Database[15]

Basin Reserve, Wellington
Attendance: 1,415

* * *

### Second test

[edit]

Saturday 7 June

New Zealand  | 18 – 14  |  Australia

|
|

Tries:
Bill Noonan
Phil Orchard
Goals:
Don Ladner (5/5)
Field goals:
Don Ladner (1)  | Team[16]
Report[17]
Database[18]
| Tries:
Ron Coote
Robert McCarthy
Goals:
Les Johns (4/4)

Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 9,848
Referee: John Percival

New Zealand

Australia

|

|  |

|

FB  | 1 |  Don Ladner
RW  | 2 |  Phillip Orchard
CE  | 3 |  Mocky Brereton
CE  | 4 |  Brian Clark
LW  | 5 |  Roy Christian
FE  | 6 |  Gary Woollard
HB  | 7 |  Graeme Cooksley
PR  | 8 |  Oscar Danielson
HK  | 9 |  Colin O'Neil (c)
PR  | 10 |  Doug Gailey
SR  | 11 |  Bill Deacon
SR  | 12 |  Bill Noonan
LF  | 13 |  Tony Kriletich
Coach:
Lory Blanchard
|  |

|

FB  | 1 |  Les Johns
RW  | 2 |  Bob Honan
CE  | 3 |  Graeme Langlands
CE  | 4 |  John McDonald
LW  | 5 |  John Cootes
FE  | 6 |  Denis Pittard
HB  | 7 |  Dennis Ward
PR  | 8 |  John Sattler (c)
HK  | 9 |  Elwyn Walters
PR  | 10 |  John Wittenberg
SR  | 11 |  Bob McCarthy
SR  | 12 |  Col Weiss
LF  | 13 |  Ron Coote
Coach:
Harry Bath

* * *

Tuesday 10 June

Auckland | 15 – 14  |  Australia

|
|

| Teams[19]
Report[20]
Database[21]

Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 6,520

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Kangaroos Tour 1969 - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
2. ^ New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1920). "Team Manager for N.Z." The Rugby League News. 50 (14 (3 May 1969)). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-767453332. Retrieved 28 Jan 2021 – via Trove.
3. ^ New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1920). "Players for N.Z. Tour". The Rugby League News. 50 (18 (24 May 1969)). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-759105460. Retrieved 28 Jan 2021 – via Trove.
4. ^ E.E.Christensen (1970). "Australian Tour of N.Z.". E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook. 24. Sydney: E.E.Christensen.
5. ^ "N.S.W. 12, Queensland 5, Country 3 No Surprises In Rl Tour Team". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 19 May 1969. p. 14. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
6. ^ SteveRicketts (2019-06-19). "FLASHBACK: June 1969". Steve Ricketts. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
7. ^ a b "Weiss may play". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 29 May 1969. p. 30. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
8. ^ 1969 North Island Colts vs Australia – Rugby League Project
9. ^ "One-Sided R.L. Test New Zealand No Match For Australia". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 2 Jun 1969. p. 12. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
10. ^ 1969 New Zealand vs Australia – Rugby League Project
11. ^ "Kangaroos strike referee trouble again". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 3 Jun 1969. p. 20. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
12. ^ 1969 South Island vs Australia – Rugby League Project
13. ^ "Injuries plague league tourists". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 4 Jun 1969. p. 32. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
14. ^ "League tourists win at a canter". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 5 Jun 1969. p. 40. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
15. ^ 1969 Wellington vs Australia – Rugby League Project
16. ^ "Curfew set by coach". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 7 Jun 1969. p. 30. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
17. ^ "N.Z. On Top In Test". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 9 Jun 1969. p. 12. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
18. ^ 1969 New Zealand vs Australia – Rugby League Project
19. ^ "Battered league tourists face hard game". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 10 Jun 1969. p. 22. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
20. ^ "Sensational End To Tough League Tour - Referee knocked out; Wittenberg in hospital". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 11 Jun 1969. p. 32. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
21. ^ 1969 Auckland vs Australia – Rugby League Project

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