Henry Theodore Pierce (1913-1975) was a professional

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 who played for the Australia national team and the New South Wales team. He played his club football in the

NSWRFL Premiership The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia and contributor to today's National Rugby League. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League (initially named the New Sout ...

for Sydney clubs

St. George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

and

Eastern Suburbs Eastern Suburbs may refer to: Places *Eastern Suburbs (Mumbai), India *Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), Australia **Eastern Suburbs railway line, Sydney, Australia Sports clubs ;Association football *Eastern Suburbs AFC, Auckland, New Zealand * Eastern ...

Playing career

Pierce played for the

St. George Dragons The St. George Dragons is an Australian rugby league football club from St George District in Sydney, New South Wales that played in the top level New South Wales competition and Australian Rugby League competitions from the 1921 until th ...

for two seasons in 1932 and 1933 and for

for eleven seasons between 1934 and 1944. He won three straight premierships between 1935 and 1937 with the Tricolours. He won his fourth premiership with the Easts in the 1940 Grand Final. He scored a total of 60 tries during his long and successful club career. The speedy backrower also played in five test matches for Australia in 1937/38. He is listed on the ''Australian Players Register'' as Kangaroo No. 216. Pierce also played for City Firsts and

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

on six occasions between 1937 and 1943. While playing football, Pierce also served in the

New South Wales Police Force The New South Wales Police Force (NSW Police Force; previously the New South Wales Police Service and New South Wales Police) is the primary law enforcement agency of the state of New South Wales, Australia. Divided into Police Area Commands (P ...

and in 2008, rugby league's centennial year in Australia, he was named as a reserve in a NSW Police team of the century.

Death

He died at

Bondi, New South Wales Bondi () is a suburb of eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, seven kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council. It is often colloquially referred to as "Bond ...

on 12 December 1975, 41 days short of his 63rd birthday.Sydney Morning Herald: ''Death Notice'' 15/12/1975

References

* The Encyclopedia Of Rugby League Players; Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson 1913 births Australian police officers Australian rugby league players Sydney Roosters players St. George Dragons players Australia national rugby league team players New South Wales rugby league team players City New South Wales rugby league team players 1975 deaths Rugby league second-rows Rugby league players from Sydney {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1910s-stub