FORMER Queensland rugby union halfback, Kevin Brasch returned to Australia after a successful playing stint in English rugby league with Huddersfield and Whitehaven.
Brasch travelled to England to take up a teaching post in Huddersfield, and at first played union in the Yorkshire city famous as the birthplace of the 13 man code.
But it was always his intention to try his hand at league, the game he learnt as a pupil at Brisbane’s Newmarket Primary School.
Brasch played club rugby for GPS, from where he earned state honours, but generally played second fiddle to Wallaby star, Des Connor, who would become a life long friend.
Huddersfield and Whitehaven made big money plays to keep Brasch in England, but he was keen to return home, and indicated to ‘The Courier-Mail’ he would play for Valleys.
In other league news of the time, Brisbane Norths signed giant prop, Lloyd Weir from Kilkivan. Weir would go on to play for Queensland and Australia.
On the coaching scene former Test star, Des McGovern replaced Athol Smith at the helm of the Toowoomba Clydesdales, while Rex Fox took over at Wynnum-Manly following the retirement of Keith Brown.
The Mitchell club in western Queensland signed former Test forward, Don Furner as captain-coach for the ’59 season, on a contract worth 40 pounds a week, a considerable sum in those days.
His son, David, who also played Test football, is an assistant coach at the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville.