Arthur Butler

Arthur Butler was the third child and first son out of seven children to James and Elizabeth, born in Wallsend in 1884. Butler played with the Alexandria club in Rugby Union and often practiced his kicking with Aussie Rules players, which became a key to his accuracy off the boot. He was playing 2nd Grade for Alexandria when he was poached by Souths for the 1908 season.

Butler had great hands, a very slick passing game, arguably the best kicking game of any player during his career, a very good tactician and was described as being ‘a grim tackler’. He was undoubtedly the full package.

After the opening two games of the 1908 season, Butler was named at halfback for NSW against the New Zealand side that had just returned from their maiden tour to Great Britain. NSW won the game 18-10. He lined up for his state in their two victories against the visiting Maori side and then in the first game between NSW and Queensland, where he scored a try in the 43-0 romp. The following week he played for Australia against the Maori, capping a splendid debut season.

Butler was the standout playmaker in 1908 and earned selection in the pioneering Kangaroos side. He played in 20 games on the tour as well as the first two tests against the Northern Union. He was one of a host of omissions for the third test in a bold bid by the Kangaroos to upset the Northerners, but to no avail as the Kangaroos lost 6-5 and so too, the series.

He played for NSW and Australia again in 1909 against New Zealand and the Maori. He then played in the first three games for the Kangaroos against the Wallabies. He missed the fourth match as he was set to play for Souths on the same day against Balmain in the infamous 1909 final, which resulted in a Balmain forfeit.

In 1910, Butler finally got to play in a Premiership final, however the game against Newtown resulted in a 4 all draw, with Newtown being awarded the Premiership as they were the Minor Premiers. The following year he played what turned out to be his final game for his state

In 1913, Butler was selected to represent New South Wales on their tour to New Zealand after Arthur Halloway, along with 5 other players, all made themselves unavailable after being selected. However just days after he was named in the touring squad, Butler informed the NSWRL that he too would not be able to embark on the tour.

At the end of the 1915 season, Butler ended his time at South Sydney and in 1916 he lined up for Glebe. In 1917, Butler was one of the Glebe First Grade players who chose to stage a virtual protest by deciding not to play against Balmain late in the season amid complaints of bias by the NSWRL against Glebe. The League ruled that all players who protested would be suspended for the rest of the 1917 season and for the entirety of the 1918 season. After the 1917 season ended, the League reviewed the decision and decided to allow all of the players with the exception of Immortal Frank Burge, his brother Alby and Arthur Butler to play in the 1918 season. Then just a few weeks before the start of the 1918 season, the three remaining players also had their suspensions lifted. By this stage, Butler had chosen to line up with the neighbouring Annandale side.

Butler retired at the end of the 1918 season at the age of 36, but the devastating impact of the Spanish Influenza pandemic in Sydney, saw the playing stocks at the struggling Annandale club decimated, so he agreed to play on for one more season in 1919, turning out in 8 games for the ‘Dales.

He retired away from Rugby League circles before passing away in 1947, a week before his 65th birthday.

John Quinlan remarked at Butler’s funeral, “Arthur Butler was one of the greatest halfbacks I ever saw.”