Henry Bolewski Explained

Henry Bolewski
Birth Date:4 August 1890
Birth Place:Ballina, New South Wales, Australia
Death Place:Cartwright, New South Wales
Club1:Glebe
Year1start:1912
Appearances1:3
Tries1:0
Goals1:5
Fieldgoals1:0
Points1:10
Club2:? (Queensland)
Year2start:191?
Year2end:1?
Club3:Glebe
Year3start:1915
Year3end:17
Appearances3:30
Tries3:7
Goals3:20
Fieldgoals3:0
Points3:61
Club4:Newtown
Year4start:1920
Appearances4:9
Tries4:2
Goals4:1
Fieldgoals4:0
Points4:8
Club5:Glebe
Year5start:1921
Appearances5:8
Tries5:1
Goals5:1
Fieldgoals5:0
Points5:5
Teama:Queensland
Yearastart:1913
Yearaend:15
Appearancesa:5
Teamb:Australia
Yearbstart:1914
Appearancesb:1
Triesb:0
Goalsb:1
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:2
Coachteam1:Wests (Sydney)
Coachyear1start:1944
Coachgames1:14
Coachwins1:4
Coachdraws1:2
Coachlosses1:8

Henry 'Harry' Bolewski (; 1890−1976) was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach of the early 20th century. A Queensland state and Australia national representative goal-kicking back-line player, he played his club football in Brisbane and Sydney. Bolewski later coached in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership for Sydney's Western Suburbs club. He was also the younger brother of prominent rugby league footballers, Alex Bolewski and Mick Bolewski.

Playing career

From a Polish family and born at Rous Mill near Ballina,[1] Bolewski went to Sydney where he played for Glebe DRLFC, making his first grade debut in the 1912 NSWRFL season.[2] He also played in the Queensland town of Bundaberg,[3] and first gained selection for the Queensland rugby league team in 1913, during which he played in two matches against New South Wales.[4] After moving to Brisbane, Bolewski was selected alongside both of his brothers to play for Queensland against the 1914 Great Britain Lions tourists.[5] He was then the only Queenslander selected to play for Australia in the first Ashes Test against the touring Britons in Sydney,[6] becoming Kangaroo No. 87.[7] He played on the wing and kicked the home side's sole goal in their loss to the British. The following season he rejoined his brother Alex at Glebe,[8] scoring his team's only try in their loss to Eastern Suburbs in the City Cup final. Both players later spent time with the Newtown club. The 1921 NSWRFL season, Bolewski's last, was spent with Glebe.[2]

Coaching career

For the 1944 NSWRFL season Bolewski became coach the Western Suburbs club,[8] replacing Alf Blair, who moved to South Sydney. Wests improved slightly on the previous season, finishing 5th (out of 8), but failing to make the finals, and Bolewski was replaced by club great, Frank McMillan.

Harry Bolewski died on 26 August 1976, aged 86, late of Cartwright, New South Wales.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lex Marinos. Lex Marinos. From a Federation Game to a League of Nations. tombrock.com.au. Tom Brock Lecture. 10 August 2014.
  2. Web site: Henry Bolewski . nrlstats.com . Sports Data . 10 August 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140810053915/http://www.nrlstats.com/archive/players.cfm?PlayerID=1896 . 10 August 2014 . dmy-all .
  3. Web site: Roll Call. cqnrlbid.com.au. Central Queensland NRL Bid. 10 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150108123712/http://www.cqnrlbid.com.au/about-the-bid/roll-call/. 8 January 2015. dead.
  4. Web site: Queensland Representative Players. qrl.com.au. Queensland Rugby League. 10 August 2014.
  5. News: THE RUGBY LEAGUE: Queensland v. Rest of Queensland. 10 August 2014. The Brisbane Courier. trove.nla.gov.au. 8 June 1914.
  6. News: FOOTBALL: "Australian" League Team. 10 August 2014. The Brisbane Courier. trove.nla.gov.au. 24 June 1914.
  7. Web site: Australian Rugby League. Australian Rugby League. Australian Players Register . Australian Rugby League - Annual Report 2005 . secure.ausport.gov.au . 16 June 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090705170103/https://secure.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/98638/Australian_Rugby_League_2005.pdf . 5 July 2009 . dmy-all .
  8. Web site: Whiticker. Alan. Henry Bolewski. rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. 10 August 2014.