Alfred Lewis "Smacker" Blair (23 January 1896 – 28 September 1944) was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach whose playing career ran from 1917 to 1930 with South Sydney. A skilled five-eighth, he made a single appearance for the Australian national team in 1924.
Blair played his club football career with South Sydney, whom he captained to premiership victories in 1925 (undefeated),[4]1926, 1927 and 1929. He was the 1927 NSWRFL season's top point scorer and was captain-coach of the South Sydney club that year.[5] He took a year off from Sydney football in 1928 when he traveled to Queensland to captain-coach Longreach.[6] He returned to Souths for his final playing year in 1929, winning a premiership and leading the side on the first tour of New Zealand by a Sydney club team.
After finishing his Sydney career with Souths, he captain-coached the Waratah-Mayfield club in Newcastle in 1931. He finished his career at Cooma before returning to Sydney.[7]
Blair played 167 first grade games for the South Sydney club between 1917 and 1930 scoring 37 tries and 120 goals for a total of 351 points. The noted journalist Claude Corbett said of him, "He was beyond doubt the finest rugby league captain Sydney club football has ever known. He had an uncanny intuition of positional play."[8]
Representative career
Blair played seven games for the New South Wales rugby league team in 1919 and 1927. He also played one test match for Australia against the touring Great Britain team in 1924. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 128.[9]
Blair had just completed the season coaching his old club when he died suddenly at his Coogee home on 28 September 1944. Up until his death, he was a popular steward at the NSW Leagues Club, and became ill at work a few days before he died.[10] He was survived by his son, Alf. A large funeral was held for Smacker at St. Brigid's Church, Coogee where many past and present members of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football club were present. He was buried at Botany Cemetery on 30 September 1944.[11]
Andrews, Malcolm. The ABC of Rugby League. Australia: ABC Books, 2006.
Whiticker, Alan & Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney
Whiticker, Alan & Collis, Ian (2006) The History of Rugby League Clubs, New Holland, Sydney
February 16, 2023
blair, alfred, lewis, smacker, blair, january, 1896, september, 1944, australian, rugby, league, footballer, coach, whose, playing, career, from, 1917, 1930, with, south, sydney, skilled, five, eighth, made, single, appearance, australian, national, team, 1924. Alfred Lewis Smacker Blair 23 January 1896 28 September 1944 was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach whose playing career ran from 1917 to 1930 with South Sydney A skilled five eighth he made a single appearance for the Australian national team in 1924 Alf BlairPersonal informationFull nameAlfred Lewis BlairBorn 1896 01 23 23 January 1896Died28 September 1944 1944 09 28 aged 48 Coogee New South WalesPlaying informationPositionFive eighthClubYears Team Pld T G FG P1917 30 South Sydney 167 37 120 0 351RepresentativeYears Team Pld T G FG P1919 27 New South Wales 15 6 6 0 301924 Australia 1 0 0 0 0Coaching informationClubYears Team Gms W D L W 1927 South Sydney 16 14 0 2 881931 Waratah Mayfield1943 Western Suburbs 14 3 0 11 211944 South Sydney 14 7 1 6 50Total 44 24 1 19 55Source 1 2 3 Contents 1 Club career 2 Representative career 3 Post playing 4 References 5 SourcesClub career EditBlair played his club football career with South Sydney whom he captained to premiership victories in 1925 undefeated 4 1926 1927 and 1929 He was the 1927 NSWRFL season s top point scorer and was captain coach of the South Sydney club that year 5 He took a year off from Sydney football in 1928 when he traveled to Queensland to captain coach Longreach 6 He returned to Souths for his final playing year in 1929 winning a premiership and leading the side on the first tour of New Zealand by a Sydney club team After finishing his Sydney career with Souths he captain coached the Waratah Mayfield club in Newcastle in 1931 He finished his career at Cooma before returning to Sydney 7 Blair played 167 first grade games for the South Sydney club between 1917 and 1930 scoring 37 tries and 120 goals for a total of 351 points The noted journalist Claude Corbett said of him He was beyond doubt the finest rugby league captain Sydney club football has ever known He had an uncanny intuition of positional play 8 Representative career EditBlair played seven games for the New South Wales rugby league team in 1919 and 1927 He also played one test match for Australia against the touring Great Britain team in 1924 He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No 128 9 Post playing EditBlair coached Western Suburbs for the 1943 NSWRFL season after which he was succeeded by Henry Bolewski He then coached South Sydney for the 1944 NSWRFL season Sporting positionsPreceded byJim Tait1941 1943 Coach South Sydney1944 Succeeded byEric Lewis1945Preceded byAlbert McGuinness1942 Coach Western Suburbs1943 Succeeded byHenry Bolewski1944Preceded byHoward Hallett1925 1926 Coach South Sydney1927 Succeeded byCharlie Lynch1928 1934Blair had just completed the season coaching his old club when he died suddenly at his Coogee home on 28 September 1944 Up until his death he was a popular steward at the NSW Leagues Club and became ill at work a few days before he died 10 He was survived by his son Alf A large funeral was held for Smacker at St Brigid s Church Coogee where many past and present members of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football club were present He was buried at Botany Cemetery on 30 September 1944 11 References Edit Rugby League Project Rugby League Project Coaches Whiticker The History of Rugby League Clubs Alan Whiticker Ian Collis Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players Alan Whiticker Glen Hudson The Longreach Leader GREAT FOOTBALLER Alf Smacker Blair Dead 7 10 1944 page 20 Townsville Bulletin DEATH OF ALF BLAIR 2 10 1944 page 2 Longreach Leader Notable career in sport 7 10 1944 ARL Annual Report 2005 page 52 Daily Advertiser Wagga Wagga Smacker Blair Dies in Sydney 30 09 1944 page 8 Sydney Morning Herald 30 09 1944 Death Funeral Notice ArticleSources EditAndrews Malcolm The ABC of Rugby League Australia ABC Books 2006 Whiticker Alan amp Hudson Glen 2006 The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players Gavin Allen Publishing Sydney Whiticker Alan amp Collis Ian 2006 The History of Rugby League Clubs New Holland Sydney Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alf Blair amp oldid 1085140264, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
