Joseph Phillips (rugby league)

Joseph "Joe" Anthony Phillips (30 December 1924 – 16 May 1969) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Junior All Blacks (New Zealand Schoolboys), and representative level rugby league (RL) for Other Nationalities and Rugby League XIII, and at club level for Bradford Northern (Heritage №) and Keighley, as a fullback, i.e. number 1.[1]

For other persons named Joseph/Joe Phillips, see Joseph/Joe Phillips

Joe Phillips
Personal information
Full nameJoseph Anthony Phillips
Born(1924-12-30)30 December 1924
New Zealand
Died16 May 1969(1969-05-16) (aged 44)
London, England
Playing information
PositionFullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1950–56 Bradford Northern 232 47 661 0 1463
1957–59 Keighley 80 20 225 0 516
Total 312 67 886 0 1979
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
≈1954 Rugby League XIII ≥1
1953 Other Nationalities 4 12 24
Source: [1]

Playing career

Bradford Northern

Phillips played fullback, and scored three conversions in Bradford Northern's 6-13 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1951–52 season at Leeds Road, Huddersfield on Saturday 10 May 1952.[2] He made 232 appearances for the club, scoring 47-tries and 661-goals.[3]

Keighley

Phillips joined Keighley in 1957. He spent three seasons at the club, playing 80 games and scoring 20 tries and 225 goals.[4]

International honours

Phillips represented Other Nationalities (RL) while at Bradford Northern, and represented Rugby League XIII (RL) while at Bradford Northern.[5]

Post-playing career

In 1964, Phillips, along with former team-mate Trevor Foster, helped to lead a campaign which resulted in the reformation of Bradford Northern after the club folded a year earlier due to increasing financial difficulties. He later served as the club's chairman,[6] and was also a director at Keighley.[4]

Death and legacy

Phillips died on 16 May 1969 (the day before the 1968–69 Challenge Cup Final) in a hotel in London, aged 44, leaving a wife; Margaret C. (née Dixon) (marriage registered during first ¼ 1954 in Bradford district), and two children; Charles D. Phillips (birth registered during fourth ¼ 1959 (age 60–61) in Bradford district), and Joseph Christian Phillips (birth registered during fourth ¼ 1969 (age 50–51) in Bradford district).[6] Later that year, Bradford named a trophy in his honour, the Joe Phillips Memorial Trophy, which is contested for between Phillips' former clubs, Bradford and Keighley.[7][8]

References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "1951-1952 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  3. Craven, Dave (22 February 2007). "'Sir Keith' favourite for full back slot". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  4. "Into The Sixties". Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  5. "Floodlit feast at Odsal". TotalRL. 31 December 2012. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  6. "Joe Phillips". The Guardian. London. 17 May 1969. p. 15. ProQuest 185364408.
  7. Ledger, John (21 December 2005). "Roe's return renews belief". Yorkshire Post. Johnston Press. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  8. "Joe Phillips Memorial Trophy Fixture Confirmed". Keighley Cougars. 19 October 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
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