Arthur Beetson

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Arthur Beetson


image_size=
fullname = Arthur Beetson
nickname = Big Artie
living = true
dateofbirth = birth date and age|df=yes|1945|1|22
placeofbirth = Roma
countryofbirth = Australia
position = rlp|PR
height = convert|6|ft|2|in|cm|0|abbr=oncite journal | author = | title = World Series | journal = Rugby League Week | issue =1975–1976 |pages = pg 85 | publisher = Rugby League Week Pty Ltd | location = Rushcutters Bay, NSW | accessdate = ]
weight = convert|16|st|8|lb|kg|abbr=oncite journal | author = | title = World Series | journal = Rugby League Week | issue =1975–1976 |pages = pg 85 | publisher = Rugby League Week Pty Ltd | location = Rushcutters Bay, NSW | accessdate = ]
club1 = Redcliffe
year1start = 1964
year1end = 1965
appearances1 =
tries1 =
goals1 =
fieldgoals1 =
points1 =
club2 = Balmain Tigers
year2start = 1966
year2end = 1970
appearances2 = 74
tries2 = 6
goals2 = 0
fieldgoals2 = 1
points2 = 20
club3 = Eastern Suburbs
year3start = 1971
year3end = 1978
appearances3 = 131
tries3 = 17
goals3 = 0
fieldgoals3 = 0
points3 = 51
club4 = Parramatta Eels
year4start = 1979
year4end = 1980
appearances4 = 16
tries4 = 1
goals4 = 0
fieldgoals4 = 0
points4 = 3
club5 = Redcliffe
year5start = 1981
year5end =
appearances5 =
tries5 =
goals5 =
fieldgoals5 =
points5 =
representative = true
teamA = New South Wales
yearAstart = 1966
yearAend = 1977
appearancesA = 18
triesA = 3
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 9
teamB = Queensland
yearBstart = 1980
yearBend = 1981
appearancesB = 3
triesB = 0
goalsB = 0
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 0
teamC = Australia
yearCstart = 1966
yearCend = 1977
appearancesC = 14
triesC = 0
goalsC = 0
fieldgoalsC = 0
pointsC = 0
retired = yes
coach = true
coachyear1start = 1977
coachyear1end = 1978
coachteam1 = Eastern Suburbs
coachgames1 = 45
coachwins1 = 29
coachdraws1 = 1
coachlosses1 = 17
coachyear2start = 1981
coachyear2end =
coachteam2 = Redcliffe
coachgames2 =
coachwins2 =
coachdraws2 =
coachlosses2 =
coachyear3start = 1985
coachyear3end = 1988
coachteam3 = Eastern Suburbs
coachgames3 = 97
coachwins3 = 42
coachdraws3 = 9
coachlosses3 = 48
coachyear4start = 1992
coachyear4end = 1993
coachteam4 = Cronulla-Sutherland
coachgames4 = 44
coachwins4 = 17
coachdraws4 = 0
coachlosses4 = 27
coachyear5start = 1994
coachyear5end =
coachteam5 = Eastern Suburbs
coachgames5 = 22
coachwins5 = 6
coachdraws5 = 1
coachlosses5 = 15
coachyearAstart = 1981
coachyearAend = 1984
coachteamA = Queensland
coachgamesA = 10
coachwinsA = 7
coachdrawsA = 0
coachlossesA = 3
coachyearBstart = 1983
coachyearBend =
coachteamB = Australia
coachgamesB =
coachwinsB =
coachdrawsB =
coachlossesB =
coachyearCstart = 1989
coachyearCend = 1990
coachteamC = Queensland
coachgamesC = 6
coachwinsC = 4
coachdrawsC = 0
coachlossesC = 2
updated = 9 August 2008
source = [http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=909 NRL Stats]

Arthur Henry Beetson, OAM (born 22 January, 1945 in Roma, Queensland) is an Australian former rugby league player and coach. He represented Queensland and Australia from 1964 to 1981. His position was at prop. Beetson became the first Indigenous Australian to captain his country in any sport and is frequently cited as the best post-war forward in Australian rugby league history.

Beetson's career began with Redcliffe in the Brisbane Rugby League competition between 1964 and 1965. After winning the club's player of the year award in 1965 as well as the Brisbane Rugby League premiership with them, he moved to Sydney to play in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership with the Balmain Tigers. He played with Balmain from 1966 to 1970 and later joined the Eastern Suburbs club from 1971 to 1978, where he captained the side to the 1974 and '75 premierships. This Easts team would go down as one of the greatest club sides in rugby league history. During this period Beetson also played with distinction for Australia and in 1974 he was named as "Rugby League Week"'s player of the year.

He possessed great strength and toughness, a surprising turn of speed for a big man and was unequalled as a ball player. His skill as a footballer was matched only by his skill as an eater, earning nicknames such as 'Meat Pie Artie'. He is known and immortalised by his performance of eating 11 hot dogs before a gala dinner for the Australian team in 1973.

His big frame, pure speed and brilliant ball skills won countless games for all his teams. His off-loading and attacking workrate broke the mould for front rowers and changed the way they played the game.

After two years with Parramatta in 1979 and 1980, he returned to Queensland for one final year with his old Redcliffe team in 1981.

Beetson achieved further immortality as captain of Queensland in the inaugural State of Origin game, won 20-10 by Queensland on 8 July 1980. In 1987 he received the Medal of the Order of Australia "in recognition of service to the sport of Rugby League".

Arthur Beetson's coaching career is also extensive, spanning the 1970s, 80s and 90s. He coached the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, the Cronulla Sharks and the Queensland side for whom he is currently a selector.

Accolades

.

In February 2008, Beetson was named in a 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 & ARL"|title=Centenary of Rugby League - The Players |url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true |accessdate=2008-02-23|date=2008-02-23] [cite news|author=Peter Cassidy |publisher="Macquarie National News"|title=Controversy reigns as NRL releases top 100 players |url=http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players |accessdate=2008-02-23|date=2008-02-23] Beetson went on to be named in the front-row in Australian rugby league's Team of the Century. Announced on 17 April 2008, the team is the panel's majority choice for each of the thirteen starting positions and four interchange players. [cite news|author=Todd Balym|publisher="Fox Sports Australia"|title=Johns, Meninga among Immortals |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23557351-23214,00.html |accessdate=2008-04-17|date=2008-04-17] [cite web|publisher="NRL & ARL"|title=Team of the Century Announced |url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/news--reviews/media-releases/team-of-the-century-announced.aspx |accessdate=2008-04-17|date=2008-04-17] Beetson chose to boycott the presentation ceremony, stating that he did not agree with the direction rugby league is taking. [cite news|author=Glenn Jackson|publisher="Fairfax Digital"|title=Immortal Beetson boycotts centenary ball |url=http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/immortal-beetson-boycotts-centenary-ball/2008/04/16/1208025283410.html |accessdate=2008-04-17|date=2008-04-17]

References

Further reading

* Arthur Beetson with Ian Heads, "Big Artie The Autobiography" ABC Books 2004. ISBN 0-7333-1299-3
*StateofOrigin player|280
*FOGS player|4
* [http://www.eraofthebiff.com/p32a.html Arthur Beetson at eraofthebiff.com]
* [http://nz.leagueunlimited.com/news.php?newsid=16380 "Queensland Team of the Century named" - article at nz.leagueunlimited.com]
* [http://www.sahof.org.au/hallOfFame/memberProfile/index.php?memberID=10&memberType=athlete Arthur Beetson at Sport Australia Hall of Fame]