William George Buckley (8 August 1906 – 17 April 1973) was an Australian

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

footballer and administrator.Bill Buckley biography at Sport Australia Hall of Fame
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Playing career

A front rower, Buckley played 75 lower grade matches for Newtown. He broke his leg in the

1928 NSWRFL season The 1928 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-first season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. During the season, which lasted from April until September, nine teams from across ...

and his first grade career was over.

Administrative career

After playing, Buckley joined the

New South Wales Rugby Football League The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was ...

General Committee as delegate of Newtown in 1940. When NSWRFL president

Jersey Flegg Harry "Jersey" Flegg (6 April 1878 in Bolton, Lancashire23 August 1960 in North Sydney, New South Wales) was an English-Australian rugby league identity. Both a player and administrator, he was a leading figure in the birth of the sport in Aus ...

died in 1960, Buckley replaced him and also became Chairman of the

Australian Rugby League The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARL), formerly the Australian Rugby Football League known as the Australian Rugby League is an Australian rugby league football competition operator. It was founded in 1986 as the Australian Rugby Footbal ...

, a position he remained in from 1960 until his death in 1973. He was replaced as NSWRFL president by Kevin Humphreys.

Accolades

Bill Buckley was made a Life Member of Newtown and the Australian Rugby League and was also a member of the SCG Trust. In 1968 Bill Buckley was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to sport, in recognition of service to rugby league and the community.

Death

Buckley died at Concord Repatriation Hospital on 17 April 1973 after battling a long illness. He was survived by his wife Doris and his son, Terry. A large service was held for Bill Buckley at

St James' Church, Sydney St James' Church, commonly known as St James', King Street, is an Australian heritage-listed Anglican parish church located at 173 King Street, in the Sydney central business district in New South Wales. Consecrated in February 1824 and named ...

on 19 April 1973, followed by a cremation at

Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, Eastern Suburbs Crematorium and Botany General Cemetery (aka Botany Cemetery), is a cemetery and crematorium on Bunnerong Road in Matraville, New South Wales, in the eastern suburbs district of Sydney, Australia. ...

. The Premier of New South Wales, Sir

Robert Askin Sir Robert William Askin, GCMG (4 April 1907 – 9 September 1981), was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but ...

stated in the Sydney Morning Herald: "Bill Buckley will be missed in the many circles that he moved, especially in Rugby League where he laboured so hard".Sydney Morning Herald: "Leagues Most Respected Man" 18 April 1973 (page 21)

Accolades

The Public High School Competition "The Buckley Shield" and the Metropolitan Cup's top individual award "The Buckley Medal" recognizes Bill Buckley's contribution to Rugby League. Bill Buckley is also an inductee of the Sports Australia Hall of Fame, as an administrator.

Sources

Bill Buckley at nrlstats.com
1906 births 1973 deaths Australian rugby league players Australian Officers of the Order of the British Empire Newtown Jets players Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees Australian rugby league administrators Rugby league hookers Rugby league players from Sydney Burials at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1900s-stub