Herb Gilbert

Herbert R. 'Herb' Gilbert (18 September 1888 – 5 January 1972) was an Australian rugby league and rugby union player – a dual-code international. He represented the Wallabies in 3 Tests in 1910 and the Kangaroos in 7 Tests from 1911 to 1920, his last two as Captain. The captain-coach of the St. George Dragons club in their inaugural season, he is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century His sons, Herb Gilbert, Jr and Jack Gilbert were also notable rugby league footballers.

Rugby union career

He was born in Gulgong, New South Wales and moved to Sydney, playing rugby union in the South Sydney district.

Gilbert was selected for New South Wales in 1910 against Queensland and then the New Zealand Māori. That same year he made his Wallaby Test debut playing in all three Tests against the All Blacks in 1910 in which the Wallabies were undefeated.

Tall and powerful for his era, Gilbert stood at 6 ft (182 cm) he weighed 13 st 7 lb (86 kg), and reputedly played his best football in the big games. He played Rugby Union for Metropolitan, New South Wales and Australia. He made his debut for New South Wales in 1910, aged 22, he played against Queensland and the New Zealand Native's Team. Gilbert learnt his football in the South Sydney District and went into the NSW and Australian teams in 1910 after ‘Dally’ Messenger defected to league. The pro-Rugby Union press boasted Gilbert was a greater asset to the Union than Dally Messenger had ever been.

Herb Gilbert, Jr.

Herbert Michael Gilbert (1917-1983) was a three-time premiership winning and State representative Australian rugby league footballer of the 1930s and 1940s. A hooker who played with the St. George and Balmain clubs, he won premierships and made state representative appearances, both before and after active service in World War II.

Club career

Son of Kangaroo great Herb Gilbert, Herb Gilbert, Jr started playing first grade in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership with the St. George club in 1938. Gilbert played alongside his brother Jack in the St. George Dragons 1941 Grand Final winning team. The following season, Gilbert played in the 1942 Grand Final loss to Canterbury. The outbreak of war then interrupted his football career.

After discharge Gilbert returned to football, moving to the Balmain club for the 1946 season. That year Balmain reached the Grand Final against his former club St. George. Gilbert played in a close game, won by Balmain 13 - 12. Tensions of the encounter overflowed after full-time and the match concluded on an ugly note when Saints forward, Jim Hale went toe-to-toe with Gilbert. Hale was then attacked by a spectator and an all-in brawl followed. Gilbert won another premiership with Balmain Tigers in season 1947 when his team defeated Canterbury-Bankstown in the Grand Final. He retired after the 1948 NSWRFL season.