1. Arthur Stephen "Ash" Hennessy was an Australian pioneer rugby league identity.
21 Facts About Arthur Hennessy
1. 2.
Arthur Hennessy was a seminal figure in the creation of the South Sydney Rabbitohs for whom he played and later coached.
3.
Arthur Hennessy played for New South Wales in the first rugby match run by the newly created 'New South Wales Rugby Football League' which had just split away from the established New South Wales Rugby Football Union.
4.
Arthur Hennessy later coached at club, state and national representative levels.
5.
Arthur Hennessy then played for Bayview in 1896 and became a South Sydney junior.
6.
Arthur Hennessy represented New South Wales in 1901,1902 and 1904, and he was a rugby union coach at The King's School, Sydney in 1905.
7.
Arthur Hennessy's enthusiastic foraging and tackling soon changed Kiwi minds.
8.
The club was formed on 17 January 1908 and Arthur Hennessy was the inaugural captain-coach.
9.
Arthur Hennessy subsequently read the rule book which arrived in Australia and declared: "This is a game for racehorses".
10.
Arthur Hennessy has sent a circular to all rugby union clubs in the district, convening the meeting.
11.
In 1908, Arthur Hennessy was Souths' first hooker and, with Billy Cann, one of the club's first two delegates to the New South Wales Rugby Football League.
12.
Arthur Hennessy coached Souths in their 1908 NSWRFL season's final.
13.
Arthur Hennessy was selected to play in the first ever trans-Tasman test, which was the debut match of the Australia national rugby league team.
14.
Arthur Hennessy is listed in the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No 1.
15.
In 1909 Arthur Hennessy made three appearances for the Eastern Suburbs club, including that year's semi-final against Balmain in which he was named as captain.
16.
Arthur Hennessy's theory was this: If you pass the ball often enough and move forward with supports, the defence must eventually crack and you will score tries.
17.
Arthur Hennessy taught boxing, and for a time was manager of the Australian lightweight champion Sid Godfrey.
18.
Arthur Hennessy was awarded Life Membership of the New South Wales Rugby League in 1914.
19.
Arthur Hennessy was South Sydney's coach for the 1918 NSWRFL season.
20.
Arthur Hennessy was South Sydney's coach for the 1946 NSWRFL season.
21.
Arthur Hennessy lived there in a cottage opposite the theatre until his death in 1959,5 days short of his 83rd birthday.