The Best We've Ever Seen: Dally Messenger
The original superstar of Rugby League, Dally Messenger is revered as one of the best players to ever lace on a boot.
One of the first players to sign to the newly formed Rugby Football League in August of 1907, Messenger made an immediate impact, dazzling crowds with his electric style of play. Placards bearing "Messenger Will Play" saw a guaranteed increase in gate receipts as fans gathered in numbers to see 'The Master' in action.
| Name: | Herbert Henry Messenger |
| Nickname: | Dally M |
| DOB: | 12/04/1883 |
| Club Debut: | Round 6, 1908 vs North Sydney |
| Roosters Player No. | 18 |
| First-Grade Games: | 48 |
| First-Grade Points: | 381 |
| Representative Career: | 26 games for NSW Firsts 1 game for QLD Firsts 8 games for Metropolis 5 games for Kangaroos 7 Tests for Australia 1 International for Australia 30 Tour Matches for Australia 4 Tests for New Zealand 28 Tour Matches for New Zealand 2 games for Australasia 1 game for Australian XIII |
| Premierships: | 3 (1911, 1912, 1913) |
| Individual Accolades: | Australian Captain Most Points in an Interstate Match (32) Dally M Medal (1980-present) No.4 Ranked Rugby League Week's Top 100 Players (1992) Member of The Centurions (2007) Australian Rugby League Team of the Century (2008) New South Wales Team of the Century (2008) Rugby League Immortal (2018) |
The fleet-footed centre, also able to play on the wing and at five-eighth, brought a large contingent of rugby union players with him to join the newly-formed code, and can be attributed to contributing to the growth of the game in its formative years.
While Eastern Suburbs reached the Grand Final in the competition's inaugural season, Messenger was one of a number of players on representative duty with the touring Australian side, but he would undoubtedly make his mark in the ensuing years.
Messenger was the catalyst for the Tricolours' first three Premierships, won in 1911, 1912 and 1913. Such was his contribution, the Club presented him with the Agricultural Shield at the conclusion of the 1913 triumph.
Herbert 'Dally' Messenger | Immortal
Known as a genius on the football field and "the equal of any two backs who ever played Rugby League", Messenger popularised the 'legal knock-on', where he would throw the ball over his opponents' heads and regather, a technique which was later outlawed due to his prowess.
Tom McMahon, the game's first notable referee explained that "There was nothing in the game that he could not do well - catching, fielding, sidestepping, swerving, tackling and kicking goals from beyond the halfway mark."
Messenger would also make his mark on the representative stage, playing for both Australia and New Zealand and also playing for both NSW and QLD - a true indication that he could, in fact, do it all.
Appropriately, one of the best to lace on a boot was honoured in 1980 bearing the name of the Player of the Year - the Dally M Medal - and was made one of Rugby League's 'Immortals' in 2018.
As the Club celebrated its 100 Year Anniversary, Messenger was named in 'The Centurions' - the Roosters All-Time Team from 1908-2007 - and was named in both the Australian Rugby League Team of the Century and the New South Wales Rugby League Team of the Century in 2008.
Since 1908, there have been numerous Premiership winners, Captains and Internationals, but there has only been one Master.
Sydney Roosters respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
