Best of the west make up a famous league dream team
The West Coast Rugby League’s Dream Team comprising the best players who represented the Kiwis from the West Coast.
FULLBACK
Don Ladner Reefton-raised rugby union convert, who played in eight tests in 1969 and 1970 and was renowned for his prodigious punt and pinpoint goal-kicking. A big man in the Mines Rescue service and uncle of Tall Black and Breakers basketballer Phill Jones.
WINGS
Jack Forrest Nippy Forrest had a great strike rate of five tries in 12 tests between 1947 and 1952. Now 91, he’s the only survivor of the seven Coast Kiwis on the ’47 tour. Mocky Brereton The Kumara Express made the Kiwis from the Coast in 1969 before shifting to Christchurch. Played 24 tests through to 1975 and first New Zealander to score 100 first-class tries. A NZRL Legends of League inductee.
CENTRES
Reese Griffiths A powerfullybuilt outside back who earned 10 Kiwis caps from 1957-62 and was a key figure in the West Coast’s 1960 win over Auckland. His image is immortalised in a striking mural on the side of a Runanga dairy. Graham Kennedy Ginger Kennedy was a major part of the Kiwis’ early 60s success when they won the Courtney Goodwill Trophy for the best team in the world. After 21 caps from ‘61-66, he ended his career in Wagga Wagga. NZ Player of the Year in 1963.
HALVES
George Menzies The skilful standoff from Runanga was a Kiwis fixture for a decade, playing 27 tests between 1951 and 1961 and featured in three World Cups. One of only two Coasters in the New Zealand Team of the Century and also adorns the Runanga dairy mural. A Legend of League member. Gordon Smith The Waro-Rakau man was a true all-rounder who could play scrumhalf and standoff and boot goals. Spent six seasons in the UK with Hull Kingston Rovers. Kiwis team-mate Mark Broadhurst claimed he would ‘‘tackle anyone’’.
PROPS
Jack Newton Chang Newton was an old-fashioned front row forward from the unlimited tackle era when props pushed in scrums. Took no prisoners in 12 tests from 1946 to 150. Once scored a try in England which was hailed as the best in test rugby league history at that time. Bill McLennan A Blackball miner, Ginger McLennan played 84 games for NZ, including 25 tests between 1951 and 1957. Also a champion axeman and darts player, the Otago-raised forward was the uncle of All Blacks captain Buck Shelford. Another Legend of League.
HOOKER
Jock Butterfield The Taylorville tyro, a Kiwi from 1954 to 63, won his first caps while with Canterbury club Sydenham, but he returned home to work in the mines. Racked up 36 caps – a record until Gary Freeman broke it in the 90s. The second Coaster in the NZ Team of the Century and a Legend of League.
SECOND ROW
Charlie McBride The last man picked for the 1947 tour to England and France but soon rated the best second rower in the world. Superbly fit and skilled, this Legend of League scored and set up tries and was so highly regarded the national selectors spared him a long sea voyage and flew him to England in 1951 for the last of his 17 tests. He’d declared himself unavailable because his wife was having a baby. Tony Coll A Kiwi for a decade from 1972 to 1982, Butch Coll was the NZ player of the year in 1976 and captained the Kiwis at the World Cup a year later. Fit, fast and skilful, Coll wasn’t a big man but never shirked a tackle. The Legend of League is now a Grey District councillor.
LOOSE FORWARD
Ken (Peter) Mountford One of the stars of the win over England in 1946, Mountford made the Kiwis the following year and played six tests on the 1947-48 tour to Europe, sometimes deputising at scrumhalf. Features in a famous photograph, shaking brother Ces’ hand when the Kiwis played Wigan on tour. Died in the 1967 Strongman Mine disaster.
RESERVES
Les McNichol The 1.91m tall wing toured England and France with the Kiwis in 1955-56, playing one test. Frank Mulcare A Ngahere farmer, who became a police prosecutor in Northland, second rower Mulcare had 16 tests between 1951 and 1956 and became a Legend of League in 2007.
BEST OF THE REST
Ces Mountford Arguably the most influential West Coast rugby personality despite never playing for the Kiwis. The Blackball Bullet was whisked off to Wigan in 1946 and went on to win championship honours and Challenge Cup glory with the English rugby league giants. Coached rival club Warrington for nine years before returning to New Zealand in 1961 as national coaching director. Became Kiwis coach from 1979 to 1982, paving the way for the modern era by introducing stars such as player of the century Mark Graham. A Legend of League in 2000. Quentin Pongia West Coastraised grandson of 1930s Kiwis prop Jim Calder, but got his first rugby league break in Canterbury, making the Kiwis for the first time in 1992 before embarking on a 10-year professional career at the Canberra Raiders, Warriors and Wigan. The workaholic prop played 35 tests, won a NRL grand final with the Raiders in 1994. Later served as Canberra’s strength and conditioning trainer and assistant-coach.