2 hrs
Leeds Rugby League Heritage Podcast | Ep 7 Dinny Campbell
A podcast from Rugby League club Leeds Rhinos which sees members of the club's Heritage Committee bring stories from the Rhinos past into the present, including key players and figures, as well as major events in the club's history.
This episode Heritage Committee Chair Phil Caplan speaks to Lyndall Nairn, the great niece of legendary Leeds player Dinny Campbell, heritage number 266.
Known to everyone as ‘Dinny’, the first Australian to sign for the club became one of its greatest ambassadors back home. Leeds sourced their agent in NSW to find ‘a good back’ and the recommendation was Penrith-born former three-time Wallaby international Campbell, who originally signed from Easts for three years, for £350 and a £2 match fee, but stayed three times as long.
Schooled alongside Dally Messenger and twice capped for NSW and a Premiership winner, his strong running and assiduous defending at centre quickly saw him become a crowd favourite at Leeds, as the Loiners, playing some of the most attractive rugby seen in the colours, vied with Huddersfield’s era-defining ‘team of all talents’.
In 1913-14 he posted 22 tries, joint top for the club and headed the standings again the following season. In 1917-18 established a new club record of 29 in a season, his final total of 136 a high watermark that stood for 20 years until compatriot Eric Harris came on the scene.
Picking up runners-up medals in the 1915 Championship final and Yorkshire Cup decider four years later, he returned home to have one final season with Easts, then becoming the go-to man for the Leeds board when seeking Antipodean signings. In total, he made 258 appearances for Leeds, scoring 136 tries and 3 goals for a total of 414 points.
Listen too
SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/6gI4UstW9Ly3uEj72ZHxFQ
APPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leeds-rugby-league-heritage-podcast/id1801804286
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