| Tour: | 1948 |
| Team: | New Zealand |
| Yearstart: | 1948 |
| Yearfinish: | 1948 |
| Destination: | Australia |
| Manager: | Vic Simpson Bill Swift |
| Captain: | Patrick Smith |
| Top Point Scorer: | Warwick Clarke 42 |
| Top Try Scorer: | Dave Redmond 3 |
| Top Test Point Scorer: | Warwick Clarke 16 |
| Top Test Try Scorer: | Dave Redmond 2 |
| Matchplayed: | 8 |
| Matchwon: | 6 |
| Matchdraw: | 0 |
| Matchlost: | 2 |
| Testplayed: | 2 |
| Testwon: | 1 |
| Testdraw: | 0 |
| Testlost: | 1 |
| Played1: | 2 |
| Won1: | 1 |
| Draw1: | 0 |
| Lost1: | 1 |
| Previous: | 1938 by to 1946 by 1947-48 to |
| Next: | 1949 by to 1950 by 1952 by |
The 1948 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia was the fourteenth tour by New Zealand's national rugby league team, and the eleventh tour to visit Australia. The eight-match tour included two Test Matches, which were the first played by New Zealand in Australia since 1909.
Captained by Pat Smith, the Kiwis returned home having won six and lost two of their games. The team won the first test match of the tour but lost the second.
| Player | Age | Weight | Province | Tests on Tour | Games | Tries | Goals | FG | Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | 21 | 11 st. 8 lb. (73 kg) | align=left | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 3 | ||||
| align=left | 26 | 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) | align=left | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 0 | ||||
| align=left | 25 | 12 st. 2 lb. (77 kg) | align=left | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 6 | ||||
| align=left | 22 | 10 st. 8 lb. (67 kg) | align=left | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 0 | ||||
| align=left | Warwick Clarke | 28 | 11 st. 4 lb. (72 kg) | align=left | 2 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 0 | align=right | 42 | |||
| align=left | 25 | 11 st. 5 lb. (72 kg) | align=left | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 3 | ||||
| align=left | Joe Duke | 30 | 13 st. 6 lb. (85 kg) | align=left | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 3 | |||
| align=left | 24 | 12 st. 9 lb. (80 kg) | align=left | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 3 | ||||
| align=left | Abby Graham | 28 | 11 st. 2 lb. (71 kg) | align=left | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 6 | |||
| align=left | 23 | 14 st. 4 lb. (91 kg) | align=left | South Auckland | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 6 | |||
| align=left | 26 | 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) | align=left | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 0 | ||||
| align=left | Sandy Hurndell | 21 | 14 st. 10 lb. (93 kg) | align=left | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 3 | |||
| align=left | Joffe Johnson | 30 | 15 st. 0 lb. (95 kg) | align=left | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 0 | |||
| align=left | Allen Laird | 24 | 12 st. 8 lb. (80 kg) | align=left | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 6 | |||
| align=left | 23 | 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) | align=left | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 6 | ||||
| align=left | 23 | 12 st. 7 lb. (79 kg) | align=left | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 0 | ||||
| align=left | 27 | 14 st. 12 lb. (94 kg) | align=left | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 3 | ||||
| align=left | Dave Redmond | 24 | 12 st. 4 lb. (78 kg) | align=left | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 9 | |||
| align=left | Maurie Rich | 23 | 12 st. 8 lb. (80 kg) | align=left | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | align=right | 16 | |||
| align=left | 22 | 11 st. 10 lb. (74 kg) | align=left | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 0 | ||||
| align=left | Patrick Smith | 32 | 14 st. 10 lb. (93 kg) | align=left | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 0 | |||
| align=left | 27 | 12 st. 4 lb. (78 kg) | align=left | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | align=right | 3 |
Ken Mountford, who was initially selected in the touring party, withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Allen Laird.[1]
The touring squad were the first rugby league team to fly to Australia.[2]
The Rugby League News published pen portraits of the tourists: backs, forwards and the co-managers.
| New South Wales: FB: Noel Pidding (21) (St George), WG: Norm Jacobson (28) (Newtown), CE: Len Smith (28) (Newtown), CE: Eddie Tracey (24) (Canterbury), WG: Johnny Graves (20) (South Sydney), FE: Wally O'Connell (25) (Easts), HB: Keith Froome (26) (Newtown), LK: Les Cowie (22) (South Sydney), SR: Fred De Belin (26) (Balmain), SR: Jack Rayner (26) (South Sydney), PR: Frank Farrell (30) (Newtown), HK: Kevin Schubert (20) (Wollongong), PR: Jack Holland (24) (St George). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Jack Forrest, CE: Allan Wiles, CE: Maurie Robertson, WG: Bill McKenzie, FE: Abby Graham, HB: Rex Cunningham, LK: Allen Laird, SR: John Newton, SR: Charlie McBride, PR: Sandy Hurndell, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: Joffe Johnson. |
| NSW Country PR: Ron Mann (Western Suburbs), HK: Ted Dawson (Waratah Mayfield), PR: Alf Gibbs (South Newcastle), SR: Bill Burgess (Waratah Mayfield), SR: Don Stait (Portland), LK: Billy Edwards (Harden), HB: Jim Scoular (Lakes United), FE: Johnny Hawke (Canberra), WG: Bobby Dimond (Dapto), CE: Bill Halvorsen (Cessnock), CE: Ned Andrews (South Newcastle), WG: Ron Rowles (C.B.C.), FB: Fred Chew (Parkes). New Zealand FB: Maurie Rich, WG: Dave Redmond, CE: Abby Graham, CE: Maurie Robertson, WG: Doug Anderson, FE: Vic Belsham, HB: Des Barchard, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Charlie McBride, SR: Albert Hambleton, PR: Joe Duke, HK: Bob Aynsley, PR: Patrick Smith. |
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| Australia FB: Noel Pidding (age 21) (St George), WG: Pat McMahon (21) (Toowoomba), CE: Len Smith (28) (Newtown), CE: Len Pegg (25) (Souths), WG: Johnny Graves (20) (South Sydney), FE: Wally O'Connell (25) (Easts), HB: Keith Froome (26) (Newtown), LK: Ignatius Tyquin (27) (Souths), SR: Fred De Belin (26) (Balmain), SR: Jack Rayner (26) (South Sydney), PR: Frank Farrell (30) (Newtown), HK: Kevin Schubert (20) (Wollongong), PR: Eddie Brosnan (27) (Brothers). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Jack Forrest, CE: Maurie Robertson, CE: Allan Wiles, WG: Dave Redmond, FE: Abby Graham, HB: Des Barchard, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Sandy Hurndell, SR: Charlie McBride, PR: Albert Hambleton, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: John Newton. |
| Queensland FB: Dan O'Connor (age 30) (Norths), WG: Pat McMahon (21) (Toowoomba), CE: Harry Linde (24) (Tivoli), CE: Len Pegg (25) (Souths), WG: Jack Horrigan (Valleys), FE: Harry Griffiths (22) (Booval Swifts), HB: Billy Thompson (24) (Toowoomba), LK: Ignatius Tyquin (27) (Souths), SR: Duncan Hall (22) (Valleys), SR: Ron McLennan (23) (Easts), PR: Kelly Brennan (28) (West End), HK: Henry Benton (28) (Centrals), PR: Eddie Brosnan (27) (Brothers). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Jack Forrest, CE: Allan Wiles, CE: Maurie Robertson, WG: Dave Redmond, FE: Abby Graham, HB: Des Barchard, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Sandy Hurndell, SR: Charlie McBride, PR: John Newton, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: Albert Hambleton. |
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| Rockhampton FB: R. Graff (Leichhardts), WG: Ken Brighton (North Rockhampton), CE: William Cuddy (Brothers), CE: Des Crow (age 18) (Brothers), WG: Leo Jeffcoat (Brothers), FE: P. Carroll (Leichhardts), HB: Cyril. Connell Jr (age 20) (Brothers), LK: Norm Dingwall (Leichhardts), SR: C. Dingwall (Leichhardts), SR: C. Hunt (Brothers), PR: Jack Kelly (Leichhardts), HK: H. Ferricks (Fitzroys), PR: W. Brighton (Brothers), Coach: J. Crow. New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Bill McKenzie, CE: Maurie Rich, CE: Abby Graham, WG: Doug Anderson, FE: Vic Belsham, HB: Rex Cunningham, LK: Allen Laird, SR: Travers Hardwick, SR: Charlie McBride, PR: Joffe Johnson, HK: Bob Aynsley, PR: Joe Duke. |
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| Australia FB: Clive Churchill (age 21) (South Sydney), WG: Pat McMahon (20) (Toowoomba), CE: Len Smith (31) (Newtown), CE: Len Pegg (26) (Souths) captain-coach, WG: Johnny Graves (20) (South Sydney), FE: Wally O'Connell (25) (Easts), HB: Keith Froome (26) (Newtown), LK: Ignatius Tyquin (29) (Souths), SR: Fred De Belin (27) (Balmain), SR: Duncan Hall (22) (Valleys), PR: Jack Holland (25) (St George), HK: Kevin Schubert (20) (Wollongong), PR: Nevyl Hand (North Sydney). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Jack Forrest, CE: Abby Graham, CE: Maurie Robertson, WG: Dave Redmond, FE: Rex Cunningham, HB: Des Barchard, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Charlie McBride, SR: Sandy Hurndell, PR: Albert Hambleton, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: John Newton. |
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| Newcastle FB: Les Gilbert (Northern Suburbs), WG: Terry Sullivan (Western Suburbs), CE: Ron Golden (Lakes United), CE: Ned Andrews (South Newcastle), WG: Ron Crossley (Northern Suburbs), FE: Horry Banks (Western Suburbs), HB: Len Walton (South Newcastle), LK: Jack Hutchinson (Northern Suburbs), SR: Ivor Rees (Kurri Kurri), SR: William Wylie (Waratah Mayfield), PR: Alf Gibbs (South Newcastle), HK: Ted Dawson (Waratah Mayfield), PR: Gus Briggs (Central Newcastle). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Dave Redmond, CE: Vic Belsham, CE: Doug Anderson, WG: Maurie Rich, FE: Des Barchard, HB: Rex Cunningham, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Charlie McBride, SR: Sandy Hurndell, PR: Joffe Johnson, HK: Bob Aynsley, PR: Joe Duke. |
| Acronym | Item | Years | Database App | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Online Access | ||||||
| RLN | Rugby League News | 1920-1973 | align=left | Match Program in Sydney, Team Lists, Team Photos, Articles | ||
| RLP | Rugby League Project | 1907–present | Website | align=left | Test Match teams & scorers. | |
| Sun | The Sun (Sydney) | 1910-1954 | align=left | Match Reports, Articles. | ||
| DT | The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) | 1931-1954 | align=left | Match Reports, Articles. | ||
| CM | The Courier-Mail | 1933-1954 | align=left | Match Reports, Articles. | ||
| - | Various Regional Newspapers | 1891-1954 | align=left | Match Reports, Given Names of Players | ||
| Offline Resources | ||||||
| EECYB | E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Year Book | 1946-1978 | align=left | Teams, Point Scorers, Report. 1949 Yearbook covers the 1948 tour. | ||