William Brown nicknamed "Bill" 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 who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played for Western Suburbs and Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition.

Playing career

A Balmain junior, Brown made his first grade debut for the club in Round 9 1938 against

St George Saint George (Greek language, Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin language, Latin: Georgius, Arabic language, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christians, Christian who is venerated as a sa ...

Earl Park, Arncliffe Earl Park is the name of a former sports field in the Sydney suburb of Arncliffe. From 1925 to 1939 it was the site of New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership club, St. George's home ground and headquarters. The ground was provided by ...

. The following year in 1939, Brown only made 1 appearance and missed out on playing in the club's premiership victory over South Sydney. In 1941, Brown made 4 appearances as Balmain won the minor premiership but fell short of another grand final. Brown then joined Western Suburbs in 1942. Brown's first few seasons at Wests were difficult with the club finishing last in 1942 and towards the bottom in the coming years. In 1947, Wests announced Frank Burge as their new head coach. Burge took the club to the finals in 1947 and Brown played in the semi-final defeat against his old club Balmain. The following season, Brown was part of the Western Suburbs side which won the minor premiership and reached the 1948 NSWRL grand final against Balmain. Brown played at hooker in the match as Balmain went into halftime holding a 5-3 lead. In the second half, a long range try scored by Wests player Kevin Hansen gave Western Suburbs an 8-5 lead which they held onto until the end of the match winning their third premiership in front of 29,122 fans at the

Sydney Sports Ground The Sydney Sports Ground No. 1 was a Stadium and Dirt track racing venue in Sydney, New South Wales. The ground was located where the car park of the Sydney Football Stadium (SFS) currently sits. The ground had two main grandstands and was surro ...

. Brown retired the following season in 1949.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, William Australian rugby league players Balmain Tigers players Castleford Tigers players Place of birth missing Place of death missing Rugby league hookers Rugby league players from Sydney Rugby league second-rows Western Suburbs Magpies players Year of birth missing Year of death missing