Halifax great Palmer, centre star of the 1950s, dies, aged 85
ONE OF Halifax RLFC’s greatest ever centres, Geoff Palmer, has died at the age of 85.
He was the last surviving member of Halifax’s team in the 1956 Challenge Cup Final against St Helens at Wembley.
Although he signed for Halifax from Rosslyn Park in 1955, he had a rugby league background, being born in Maryort and playing first for the Glasson Rangers amateur club.
He was a powerful and classy centre, eventually scoring 99 tries and creating countless others for his wing partner Johnny
Freeman, with whom he formed a devastating partnership.
He represented Cumberland in the County Championship, and was unfortunate to miss selection for the 1958 Great Britain Lions tour after captaining one of the trial teams. He was also Halifax captain that season, one of the youngest to hold the position.
He chose to retire for business reasons in 1961 at the age of just 26, having made 209 appearances.
He became a successful business man, based in Huddersfield, and served on the Halifax
Past Players Association for many years, becoming its Chairman at one point.
Palmer’s funeral will take place on Friday, Janiary 31, at 2.45pm at Huddersfield Crematorium.
SIDDAL KICKED off their Challenge Cup campaign with a 38-0 win over Saddleworth Rangers at Chevinedge, setting up a second round tie against Ashton Bears.
Siddal opened the scoring through stand off Christian Ackroyd. Gareth Blackburn added the conversion for a 6-0 lead. Winger Sam Walsh’s unconverted try extended the lead to 10-0.
Siddal crossed the try line on a further two occasions before the half time whistle through scrum half Will Scrimshaw and centre Lewis Hosty. Blackburn converted Hosty’s try for a 20-0 interval lead.
Siddal scored three more tries in the second half through second rower Dom Booth, prop Jack Georgiou and hooker Sean McCormack, all of which were converted by Blackburn.