Alex Burdon

Alex Burdon

Burdon in 1932
Full name	Alexander Burdon
Date of birth	(1879-03-31)31 March 1879
Place of birth	Glebe, New South Wales
Date of death
Place of death	Branxton, New South Wales
Rugby league career
Position	Forward
Professional clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1908-10	Glebe Dirty Reds	20	(9)
National teams
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1908-09	Australia	2	(0)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	prop
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
1902-04 1905-07	Glebe RUFC Sydney RUFC
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1903 1903-07	Metropolis (Sydney) New South Wales
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1903-07	Australia	4	(3)

Alexander "Alex" Burdon (31 March 1879 – 13 December 1943) was a pioneer Australian rugby league and rugby union footballer - a dual-code rugby international.

He was one of the founding fathers of rugby league in Australia, representing the Kangaroos in the first 2 Tests in 1908 & 1909. He was the fourth captain of the Australian team enjoying that honour in the decider Test of the inaugural tour.

Rugby union career

Born in Glebe, New South Wales he played first grade for the district from 1902 and the following year represented Sydney then New South Wales. He made his Australian representative test debut as prop, against the All Blacks in the 22-3 victory in Sydney, on 15 August 1903

In 1904 he represented against England then toured New Zealand in 1905.

Folklore would suggest that Burdon's injury on the 1907 NSW Rugby tour of Queensland and the resultant unfairness of him having to pay his medical expenses while suffering a loss of wages, was a catalyst leading to the 1907 split away from rugby union. Similar sentiments in the North of England for working-class players who could not afford time off due to injury had indeed prompted the changes that formed the new "Northern Union" two years earlier. However the movement to start a rugby league competition in Sydney was already well under way before Burdon's injury.

Rugby league career

Burdon joined the newly formed Glebe Rugby League Club in 1908 and was named the club's foundation captain.

He was one of the five selectors for the Pioneer Kangaroo tour of England. He played in 25 tour matches including the first and second Anglo-Australian Test matches. Eight former Wallabies had debuted for the Kangaroos in the Matches against New Zealand earlier that year, Burdon's league Test debut in the first Test against England with Pat Walsh made them the 9th and 10th Australian dual code internationals. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 29.

In The First Kangaroos, a 1988 British–Australian made for TV sports film, Bluey Burdon's role was played by Philip Quast.

Playing record

• Club: Glebe Rugby League Club1908-10 20 games, 3 tries
• Representative: Australia (1908–09) 2 Tests.

Burdon (back row, 2nd from left) Pioneer Kangaroos 1908-09

Australian Test side v England 6 Jun 1932, Burdon (official) standing far left

Sources

• Whiticker, Alan (2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney

References

Preceded by Denis Lutge

Australian national rugby league captain 1909

Succeeded by Dally Messenger