Alex Watson (left) and Duncan Hall
The Rockhampton representative team proved no match for Combined Brisbane despite the presence of International halves Bobby Banks and Cyril Connell. Coached by Test great Duncan Hall the touring Brisbane side scored 11 tries with wingers, Barry Pryor and Mick Mulgrew each scoring three while Test centre, Alex Watson and big forward, Tom Tyquin grabbed two each. The other try scorer was Fred Proberts.
It was Rockhampton’s biggest loss since World War II with Watson in particular looking a class above rivals as he cut the defence to ribbons to give his wingers all the room in the world in which to move. Watson was a superstar of the game and the idol of the crowds in Brisbane club football.
Another feature of the Rockhampton game was the immaculate handling of the wet slippery ball by rookie Brisbane halfback Darcy Ryan who gave his backs splendid service. Brian Davies brilliantly led the Brisbane forwards with Proberts and Ray Paulsen also prominent.
Brisbane five eighth, Ken McCaffery completely outplayed fellow International Banks. McCaffery and Banks were both from New South Wales, Banks from Newcastle and McCaffery from Sydney. Poker machines were not legalised in New South Wales until September of 1956 so Sydney clubs didn’t necessarily have the bargaining power to sign players from Queensland. In fact many Queensland country centres could offer far more money than Sydney or Brisbane clubs.
The Courier-Mail’s Rockhampton correspondent wrote that Banks’ display made it hard to believe he had represented Australia two seasons previously. (Banks would go on to tour Britain and France with the Kangaroos at the end of the 1956 season and play all six Tests. He was still being called on for Test duty in 1962 – when he was based at Cunnamulla).
Rockhampton centre Ray Thomas was a former New South Wales representative and second rower Phillip ‘Bluey’ Sear toured NSW with the Queensland squad in 1955.
Back in Brisbane Toowoomba beat Ipswich 38-28 at the Exhibition Grounds with Toowoomba centre Tom Payne scoring two tries for the Duncan Thompson coached outfit. The spearhead of the Toowoomba attack was lock Ian ‘Ripper’ Doyle who made several tries with his speed away from the scrums and rucks. He was also prominent in cover defence.
The Clydesdales did extremely well to score eight tries to four considering referee Col Wright awarded Ipswich 17 penalties to four.
The Courier-Mail’s Jack Reardon wrote that the hardest working man on the field was Ipswich lock Bill Pearce, who was given excellent support by Gary Parcell ands Denis Jackwitz.
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