Billy Cann

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Billy Cann
fullname = William A. Cann


dateofbirth = 1882
placeofbirth =
countryofbirth =
dateofdeath = death year and age|1958|1882
countryofdeath =
height =
weight =
retired = yes
position = Rlp|LK
club1 = South Sydney
year1start = 1908
year1end = 1916
appearances1 = 71
tries1 = 33
goals1 = 0
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 107
teamA = New South Wales
yearAstart = 1908
yearAend = 1912
appearancesA = 6
triesA =
goalsA =
fieldgoalsA =
pointsA = 42
teamB = Australia
yearBstart = 1908
yearBend = 1914
appearancesB = 8
triesB = 1
goalsB = 1
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 5
teamC = Australiasia
yearCstart = 1910
yearCend =
appearancesC = 1
triesC = 0
goalsC = 0
fieldgoalsC = 0
pointsC = 0
source = [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Billy_Cann.html Rugby League Project] and [http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Billy-Cann_1598.aspx Yesterday's Hero]

Wiliam A. "Billy" Cann (1882–1958) was an Australian rugby league player for Souths, New South Wales and Australia. He primarily played at lock and is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century. [ [http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players Century's Top 100 Players] ] Cann was also a long-term administrator at Souths.

Biography

Playing career

Cann, a contemporary of Dally Messenger and Albert Rosenfeld, began his playing career as a Rugby union three-quarter at Souths. Frustrated at being ignored by Rugby union selectors, he joined the rebel New South Wales rugby league team which played the New Zealand All Golds in 1907.

Cann was unable to play in Souths' first premiership win in 1908 as he was on tour, but he was a member of the premiership winning teams of 1909 and 1914.

Representative career

Cann toured England with the Kangaroos in 1908–1909 and 1911–1912 as well as two tours to New Zealand with the New South Wales team.

Off-field

Cann was a member of Souths' committee from 1908 as well as a delegate to the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL). During the 1950's, Cann was a vice-president of the NSWRL.

In 1921–1922, Cann was co-manager of the Kangaroo tour along with Souths' secretary, George Ball.

Accolades

Cann is credited with shaping the role of the lock in the new code. John Quinlan (1911–1912 tour co-manager) said of Cann: "It was he who introduced the typical Australian style of fast forward play in which the backs and forwards combine so effectively and spectacularly. It is no reflection on his successors to say the original model remains the greatest gem." [cite book | author=Malcolm Andrews |title=ABC of Rugby League |year=1992
publisher="ABC Enterprises" |location=Sydney, New South Wales |isbn=0733301762 |pages=page 65]

In February 2008, Cann was named in the list of Australia's "100 Greatest Players" (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. [cite web|publisher="NRL &

References

ources

* cite book | last=Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen |title=The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players |year=2007
publisher="Gary Allen Pty Ltd" |location=Wetherill Park, New South Wales |isbn=9781877082931 |pages=page 74
* cite book | author=Malcolm Andrews |title=ABC of Rugby League |year=1992
publisher="ABC Enterprises" |location=Sydney, New South Wales |isbn=0733301762 |pages=page 65

External links

* [http://www.nrlstats.com/archive/players.cfm?PlayerID=1248 Billy Cann at "NRL Stats"]