VALE BARRY O’CONNOR

From all accounts, dashing Brisbane Brothers’ Rugby League star, Barry O’Connor was desperately unlucky not to play for Australia.

O’Connor was a tall lock forward, who represented Queensland in 1958, against Great Britain and New South Wales, and also won a Brisbane Premiership that same year, alongside older brother, Brian.

Barry’s Queensland jersey took pride of place in his Brisbane home, and he often spoke fondly of those matches against the powerful British and New South Wales outfits, with the 1958 Lions regarded as one of the best teams to tour Australia.

Brothers’ defeated Valleys 22-7 in the 1958 BRL Grand Final at Lang Park, with Barry O’Connor at lock, and Brian in the second row. Barry also had been a part of Brothers’ 17-10 win over Wests, in the 1956 Grand Final at the Gabba, and won a canteen of cutlery, as Man of the Match.

“Better handling and team work, and superb cover defence by 19-year-old lock, Barry O’Connor, proved the deciding factors in Brothers’ win,” wrote former Australian vice-captain, Jack Reardon in ‘The Courier-Mail’. “With a long, loping run, O’Connor cut off any breaks made by Wests’ backs. His tackling around the scrums and rucks, also harassed Wests’ halves.”

The following weekend, O’Connor starred in the Brisbane representative team’s 20-10 win over Sydney premiers, St George at Lang Park, in front of a crowd of 15,000. O’Connor strode through four defenders to score a try, and also set up one for winger, Frank Melit. The Kangaroo touring side to Britain and France was named a few days earlier, with two Queenslanders – Ian ‘Ripper’ Doyle (Toowoomba) and Tom Tyquin (Brisbane Souths) named as specialist locks.

Brisbane Coach of the Century, Bob Bax declared the 1958 Brothers’ pack – known as ‘The Terrible Six’ – as the best he had seen since he joined Brothers in 1947, and despite a long, successful stint as coach of Norths in the 1960s, the Brothers’ pack of ’58 remained his favourite.

O’Connor represented Brisbane in the inter-city, Bulimba Cup competition in 1957, with his outstanding cover defence, and tall, movie star looks, making him a crowd favourite. He also was chosen as a reserve for Queensland’s match against Great Britain’s World Cup side, at the Exhibition Grounds, but did not get on the field.

After a late start to the 1958 season, O’Connor forced his way back into the Brisbane side, and then was chosen for his Queensland run-on debut, in Game 1 of the series against New South Wales, at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Blues won 25-14, but Queensland’s rugged defence often upset the star-studded home side.

Jack Reardon commented that O’Connor, and fellow newcomer, Jim Paterson, were somewhat overawed in the first half, and were caught out of position a few times.

“But both improved immensely in the second half, and played a big part in Queensland’s rally, which almost pulled the game out of the fire,” Reardon wrote.

O’Connor returned to club duty with Brothers, and his next representative match was for Brisbane against Great Britain at the Exhibition Grounds, with the home side displaying great fortitude in a 34-29 loss, playing with 12 men for 59 minutes, after the loss of winger, Kev Hancock to injury. (No replacements were allowed).

Down 13-6 at halftime, Brisbane fought back to make the score 29-all with seven minutes left. O’Connor, who had already scored one try, looked set to score the match winner, but converging defenders knocked the ball from his grasp, as he was about to force it between the posts. Five days later, O’Connor played for Queensland against the tourists, with the Maroons going down 36-19, with Britain’s pace and guile in the backline, providing the difference.

O’Connor was joined by older brother, Brian in the Brisbane representative side for the Bulimba Cup match against Toowoomba at Lang Park, with the winner to meet Ipswich in the final. A record Cup crowd of 23,000 showed up, but the fans’ vocal support was not enough to help Brisbane to victory, with the Clydesdales scoring five tries to three, in a 21-13 result.

“Brisbane players had the thrust to break the line, and in the first 20 minutes, Barry O’Connor got through four times, only to find insufficient support,” wrote Jack Reardon. “Barry also kept a close check on Toowoomba’s Test lock, Ian ‘Ripper’ Doyle. O’Connor’s one-handed lob passes were criticised, but at least these passes were better than the ones which were knocked down, or intercepted. He did the lead-up work for Brisbane’s first try, with a one-handed pass to Mick Mulgrew, and then in a similar fashion, he sent Mulgrew over for the last try.”

O’Connor played his entire senior career with Brothers, while his brother, Brian pursued opportunities in regional centres, partly because his job with Australian Customs took him to places such as Cairns, where he played Foley Shield representative football.

Brian is modest about his career achievements, but, although a different style, was on a par with his brother, and made his Brisbane representative debut in 1955.

Reardon wrote that Brian O’Connor would have come into contention for a place on the 1956-57 Kangaroo tour, except for an ankle injury.

“Only 21, and built along the same lines as (Test forward) Brian Davies, he would have worried the State selectors (except for the injury) and quite feasibly, the Australian selectors,” Reardon wrote.

The boys’ father, Bill O’Connor, was superintendent of Boggo Road Goal at one stage, and the family lived on site, with trusted in-mates working around the family home.

 A knee injury brought Barry’s rugby league career to a premature end in 1959.

“He was a real athlete, and should have played for Australia,” said O’Connor’s Brothers’ teammate, Noel Garvey. “I think he went to Canada for knee surgery, hoping to play again, but it was to no avail.

“I remember Bob Bax often yelling ‘Get him, ‘Little BOC’, because Barry was so fast, and could cover defend so well. Brian was ‘Big BOC’ and Barry was ‘Little BOC’, but that referred to their age, not their size.”

Former Brothers’ goal kicking back, George Doniger came into first grade from the club’s premiership winning under-18 side, just as Barry’s career was finishing.

“But I remember the 1956 Grand Final, and Barry scoring a magic try,” said Doniger, who went on to become a prominent television commentator. “I got to know him over the years, and he often turned up for our under-18 reunions. We even gave him a cap when we had the 60 year reunion.”

Barry’s niece, Fiona, said her uncle was an absolute gentleman, and reminded her of movie and television star, Roger Moore.

“Uncle Barry modelled menswear, when he was a young man,” she said.

Barry O’Connor, a successful businessman, and much-loved family man, died on December 12, 2022, aged 86. His funeral took place on January 12, 2023, after overseas based family members had arrived in Australia. He is survived by his partner, Glenda; children, Simone, Andrea, Kirsten and Adam, and four grandchildren.

“I don’t remember there ever being a harsh word between us, and we played football together, and were in the surf club together,” said older brother, Brian. 

Never far from Barry and Brian’s thoughts, throughout their football and working lives, was their brother, Liam, one of three children killed when a RAAF Wirraway aircraft crashed on Maroochydore Beach, in 1950. Liam was 11.

“When Liam was killed, I think Brian made it his business to always look after Barry,” said Noel Garvey.

Footnote: There is a monument to those killed and injured in the Wirraway crash – and their families – at Maroochydore Beach.

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