Harry Alfred Finch (1907–1949) was a professional
rugby league footballer in Australia's leading competition - the
New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in the 1920s and 1930s. Finch was also an
Australian international who played for both the
Eastern Suburbs and
South Sydney clubs.
Playing career
Born
Sydney, Australia
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and List of cities in Oceania by population, Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metro ...
and educated at Marist Brothers High School at
Darlinghurst, Harry Finch, a , made his first grade debut with Eastern Suburbs in the year
1925
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** The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria.
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as an 18-year-old. He played 16 matches with
Easts’ in the years (1925-6). In his second year at the club Finch, was selected to make his state debut for the
New South Wales rugby league team in the interstate series against
Queensland.
The following season, 1927, Finch transferred to the
South Sydney club where he played 62 matches in the years (1927–30) and (1933–34). Said to be an outstanding winger, Finch was a member of
Souths' premiership winning teams in
1927
Events January
* January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith becomes the first Director-General.
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&
1928
Events January
* January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA.
* January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
. Finch made his Australian debut after being selected for the
1929–30 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
The 1929–30 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain was the fourth Kangaroo tour, and took the Australia national rugby league team all around England and also into Wales. The tour featured the ninth Ashes series (rugby league), Ashes series which compr ...
. He is listed on the ''Australian Players Register'' as Kangaroo No. 157. On the tour, Finch didn't play in a Test but did represent Australia in 10 of the minor matches. Finch is recognized as Eastern Suburbs' 151st player and South Sydney's 143rd player.
Coaching career
After retiring from Sydney football, Finch successfully captain-coached
Cessnock to a premiership.
Death
He died suddenly at his home in
Pagewood, New South Wales on 23 May 1949, aged only 42.
[The Sun (Sydney) 24 Mar 1949 "League Star Dies" https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229778087?searchTerm=harry%20finch&searchLimits=l-state=New+South+Wales, , , l-decade=194, , , l-year=1949]
References
Sources
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Australian rugby league players
Sydney Roosters players
Australia national rugby league team players
New South Wales rugby league team players
City New South Wales rugby league team players
South Sydney Rabbitohs players
1907 births
1949 deaths
Rugby league wingers
Rugby league centres
Rugby league players from Sydney
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