Sporting Medals

Lot 3661    Session 13 (2.30pm Thursday 24 November) Leslie J Carlisle C    Sporting Medals

Estimate $200
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,000

N.S.W. Rugby Football League 1914, enamelled and gilt badge, by Amor, numbered on reverse, 'L40', pin back; N.S.W. Rugby Football League Life Member badge, in gilt (KC), reverse, inscribed on bottom scroll, 'Harold Horder'; WWI (1918) b&w postcard featuring eight sailors and a Petty Officer with one of the sailors being Harold Horder. The first with some enamel loss and the last with small spot of foxing, otherwise very fine - good very fine. (3)

Harold Norman Horder was born on 23 February 1894 at Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW. He attended school at Albion Street Superior Public School leaving in 1907 to work at the Government Printing Office. Following in his brother's footsteps, a representative football player, Harold joined South Sydney Kinkora Junior Rugby League team. He represented Souths in the under-21 President's Cup in 1911 and 1912. In this year he also made his first-grade debut with the 'Rabbitohs' scoring a sensational length of the field try.

Harold was a great attacking winger and a good goal kicker. He had great speed off the mark, could side-step off either foot and made dodging and swerving runs that would leave the opposition flabbergasted and bring great excitement to the spectators. He toured New Zealand with the NSW team in 1913 and was a member of the South Sydney premiership winning team in 1914 and 1918. He also served with the naval reserve during WWI. In the years 1913-1924 he represented NSW against England five times, Queensland seven times and New Zealand five times. He went to England with the third Kangaroos side in 1921-22, playing in all tests and with 35 tries and 11 goals he was the leading points-scorer on the tour.

In 1920 Harold moved from South Sydney to join North Sydney and as captain was responsible for the team winning the premiership in 1921 and again in 1922 as vice-captain. In 1924 he returned to South Sydney and in that year played two test matches against the touring England team. In 1925 he moved to Brisbane where he was captain-coach of the Coorparoo Club in 1925-1927 and represented Queensland against New Zealand in 1925. He suffered a knee injury in 1926 which would bring his football playing to an end by 1927. In 1928-30 he continued his involvement in the game as a referee. Harold then worked as a salesman until he retired in 1960 and died at South Brisbane on 21 August 1978.

Harold Horder is considered to be one of the greatest wingers in rugby league. In 1913, 1914 and 1917 he was the NSWRFL top try-scorer, in 1913, 1914, 1918 and 1922 he was the top point-scorer and up until 1973 his career tries of 152 was the record in the NSW Rugby Football League. In 2004 he was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame at the Dally M Awards in Sydney and he was also named by Souths in their Dream Team of players between 1908 and 2004. In 2006 he was named at winger in the North Sydney Bears' Team of the Century and in 2008 was selected as one of the 100 Greatest Players (1908-2007) commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.