Former Greats - Jack 'Bluey' Watkins /

Jack 'Bluey' Watkins

Considered by many to be have been a shock omission from the list of the 100 greatest players of the first century of Australian rugby league, Jack ‘Bluey’ Watkins is undoubtedly one of the Roosters’ greatest ever forwards. Watkins is the only player from any club to have won a premiership and played for Australia before World War I and again after World War I.

After starring as a 20-year-old in the 1913 Easts premiership team and playing for Australia at just 21 in 1914, the Bondi boy would later miss nearly three years of rugby league when he signed up for service in World War I (rising to the rank of Corporal in the AIF), but not before playing in three successive City Cup winning teams, including captaining the 1916 team. On his return to the game Watkins was back in the Australian team within two months and was later to be one of the Australian stars on the 1921/22 Kangaroo tour. The Sporting Chronicle described Watkins as “the best loose forward we have ever seen”.

Defensively he was a colossus and rated one of the greatest defenders of the pre-World War II era. Watkins was the forward leader when Easts won the 1923 title, despite carrying a number of injuries. Watkins was as comfortable playing as a second row forward and a prop forward as he was in his favoured position of lock forward and played in all three positions for his club and country. After a season in Tumut in 1925, Watkins took on the captain/coach role at Easts in 1926, where they finished third, in his final season.