Tom Bourke Explained

Tom Bourke
Fullname:Thomas Matthew Bourke
Birth Date:4 April 1918
Birth Place:Woy Woy, New South Wales, Australia
Death Place:Five Dock, New South Wales, Australia
Club1:Balmain
Year1start:1939
Year1end:48
Appearances1:147
Tries1:47
Goals1:76
Fieldgoals1:0
Points1:293
Club2:Griffith
Year2start:1949
Year2end:??
Teama:New South Wales
Yearastart:1945
Appearancesa:1
Triesa:0
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:0
Teamb:NSW City
Yearbstart:1943
Yearbend:45
Appearancesb:3
Triesb:0
Goalsb:5
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:10
Source:[1] [2]

Tom Bourke (4 April 1918 – 29 December 2001) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. A New South Wales representative centre, he played his club football in Sydney for Balmain who he captained, and with whom he won several premierships. During his career, he was described as, "one of the heaviest tacklers playing rugby league."[3]

Playing career

Bourke progressed through Balmain's junior ranks before debuting in first grade in the 1939 NSWRFL season. Later that year, he played in his first grand final, scoring two tries in his team's victory over South Sydney.

At the end of the 1944 NSWRFL season, Patton captained Balmain from the wing in the grand final against Newtown, winning 12–8. Succeeding Arthur Patton as Balmain captain for the 1945 NSWRFL season, Patton again lead them to the grand final which was narrowly lost to Eastern Suburbs. He led Balmain to successive premierships in 1946 (kicking two goals) and 1947 (playing at lock). He captained Balmain to the 1948 NSWRFL season's grand final, hoping to make it three premierships in a row to equal Souths' record of eleven premierships.[4] He scored his team's lone try and goal, but Balmain were beaten by Wests.

In 1949, Bourke left Sydney and took on a position of captain-coach in Griffith, New South Wales.

Post-playing

After his retirement from the playing field, Bourke continued his association with the Balmain club through coaching and as a selector. He died in 2001, aged 83.[5]

In 2003, Bourke was named in the Balmain Tigers team of the century.[6] and was thus one of the inaugural inductees of the Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame in 2005.[7]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Tom_Bourke/summary.html Rugby League Project
  2. Web site: Yesterdays Hero . 20 November 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120903183701/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Tom-Bourke_1142.aspx# . 3 September 2012 . dead .
  3. News: The Sydney Morning Herald. Tom Bourke Proves His Fitness. 4. 7 January 2012. 27 August 1948.
  4. News: League grand final on soft field. The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. 7. 18 September 1948. 20 November 2009.
  5. Web site: Tom Bourke . yesterdayshero.com.au . SmartPack International Pty Ltd . 2008 . 20 November 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120903183701/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Tom-Bourke_1142.aspx# . 3 September 2012. dead . dmy-all.
  6. News: AAP. Balmain team of the century. Sydney. CBS Interactive Inc.. 1 May 2003. 20 November 2009.
  7. Web site: Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame Inductees . tigers.org.au . Balmain Leagues Club . 20 November 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111001015241/http://www.tigers.org.au/rugbyleague/hall-of-fame/inductees/ . 1 October 2011 .