The 1969 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand was a mid-season tour of New Zealand by the Australia national rugby league team. The Australians played six matches on tour, including two tests against the New Zealand national rugby league team. The tour began on 28 May and finished on 10 June.
Leadership Harry Bath coached the Kangaroos side throughout the tour. South Sydney's John Sattler captained the side. In the two matches in which Sattler did not play, the team was captained by Les Johns (against Wellington) and John McDonald against Auckland. The touring team was co-managed by Eddie Burns (Canterbury, NSW) and Jack Lynch (Ipswich, Qld).
Touring squad The Rugby League News published details of the touring team including the players' ages and weights. A team photo was published during the tour. Match details - listing surnames of both teams and the point scorers - were included in E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook, as was a summary of the players' point-scoring. Denman, Fitzsimmons, Manteit, Robson and Weiss were selected from Queensland clubs. Cootes, Costello and Lye were selected from clubs in New South Wales Country areas. The balance of the squad were playing for Sydney based clubs during the 1969 season.
Player Age Weightst.lb (kg) Club TestsonTour Games Tries Goals FG Points Michael Cleary 29 14.0 (89) South Sydney 0 2 4 0 0 12 Ron Coote 24 14.3 (90) South Sydney 2 5 4 0 0 12 John Cootes 27 13.10 (87) Newcastle Western Suburbs 2 4 3 2 0 13 Ron Costello 26 14.1 (89) C.B.C. Wollongong 1 4 2 0 0 6 Jeff Denman 26 12.0 (76) Brisbane Eastern Suburbs 0 3 0 0 0 0 Brian Fitzsimmons 26 12.8 (80) Glastone Brothers 0 3 0 0 0 0 Bob Honan 25 12.7 (79) South Sydney 2 6 1 0 0 3 Les Johns 27 12.0 (76) Canterbury 2 4 0 19 2 42 Graeme Langlands 27 13.0 (83) St George 2 5 0 3 0 6 Graham Lye 21 11.12 (75) Illawarra Western Suburbs 0 3 0 0 0 0 Dennis Manteit 26 15.4 (97) Brisbane Brothers 0 3 5 0 0 15 Bob McCarthy 24 15.3 (97) South Sydney 2 4 1 0 0 3 John McDonald 24 13.0 (83) Manly-Warringah 2 5 2 0 0 6 Denis Pittard 22 11.6 (73) South Sydney 2 4 1 0 0 3 Ian Robson 21 15.0 (95) Brisbane Western Suburbs 0 2 0 0 0 0 John Sattler (c) 26 14.8 (93) South Sydney 2 4 1 0 0 3 Elwyn Walters 24 13.11 (88) South Sydney 2 4 0 0 0 0 Dennis Ward 24 10.10 (68) Manly-Warringah 2 5 1 0 2 7 Col Weiss 25 12.7 (79) Bundaberg 1 5 1 0 0 3 John Wittenberg 30 15.3 (97) St George 2 5 1 0 0 3
Tour The Australians played six matches on the tour, winning the first four before losing the final two.
First test
FB1 Don LadnerRW2 Dennis KeyCE3 John WilsonCE4 Sam RollestonLW5 Mocky BreretonFE6 Trevor PatrickHB7 Graeme CooksleyPR8 Oscar DanielsonHK9 Colin O'Neil (c)PR10 Bill NoonanSR11 John HibbsSR12 Tony KriletichLF13 Rodney WalkerCoach: Lory BlanchardFB1 Les JohnsRW2 John CootesCE3 Graeme LanglandsCE4 John McDonaldLW5 Bob HonanFE6 Denis PittardHB7 Dennis WardPR8 John WittenbergHK9 Elwyn WaltersPR10 John Sattler (c)SR11 Ron CostelloSR12 Bob McCarthyLF13 Ron CooteCoach: Harry Bath
Second test
FB1 Don LadnerRW2 Phillip OrchardCE3 Mocky BreretonCE4 Brian ClarkLW5 Roy ChristianFE6 Gary WoollardHB7 Graeme CooksleyPR8 Oscar DanielsonHK9 Colin O'Neil (c)PR10 Doug GaileySR11 Bill DeaconSR12 Bill NoonanLF13 Tony KriletichCoach: Lory BlanchardFB1 Les JohnsRW2 Bob HonanCE3 Graeme LanglandsCE4 John McDonaldLW5 John Cootes FE6 Denis PittardHB7 Dennis WardPR8 John Sattler (c)HK9 Elwyn WaltersPR10 John Wittenberg SR11 Bob McCarthySR12 Col WeissLF13 Ron CooteCoach: Harry Bath
References