Albert Broomham

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Albert Frederick Broomham
Born
Wednesday, 15th July, 1885
Died
Thursday, 23rd December, 1948 (Aged 63 years and 160 days)
Place Of Birth
St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Brother
Ernest Broomham

Biography

Albert Broomham was one of the younger players to make the brave decision to switch codes in 1908 despite having the world at his feet in the amateur Rugby Union.

Born in 1885 in North Sydney, Broomham first made grade after relocating north to Byron Bay. He played for a side named Creamery while still a teenager. After the 1905 season he lined up for Mullumbimby and was also elected as the clubs vice-president. At the end of the 1906 season his brother Ernest joined the club, however Albert relocated to North Sydney after getting an offer to play for their Union side.

The 1907 season saw Broomham making a name for himself as a speedy winger who had a brutal fend. However at the start of 1908 he made the bold decision to switch codes and join the fledgling Rugby League movement at the young age of 22. With so many more experienced players switching codes, Broomham could well have stayed in Rugby Union and could well have become a representative player within a few years.

He played for Norths in their first ever premiership game on April 20, 1908 against eventual premiers South Sydney. He played 9 games for the side as well as being named in the Metropolis and NSW sides that faced the Queensland state side and the touring New Zealand All-Golds.

In 1909, despite Norths having a poor season, Broomham was a standout and earned a recall for Metropolis and NSW, while also making his test debut against New Zealand. He was then selected for the Kangaroos in all of the 4 controversial ‘Kangaroos v Wallabies’ games.

Broomham’s stunning form continued in 1910 as he played again for Australia, this time against the visiting Great Britain side, where he was named as the Australian player of the series. After another great year in 1911 he was selected on the second Kangaroo tour.

Upon returning home in 1912, Broomham’s brilliant performances saw him named in the NSW squad that toured New Zealand. He played in 3 tour games and a Test, scoring an impressive 7 tries.

He played in 18 tour games and in the first test of the tour, which saw the Ashes won by the visitors. When New Zealand returned to Australia in 1913, they played 4 games against NSW. Broomham played in each of those games, scoring a try in each one.

At the end of the 1914 season, Broomham retired from the game to help his father Charles and brothers Robert, William and Ernest with their tannery business.

He regularly sat on the North Sydney club’s committee, including as Vice President in the early 1930’s. In 1931 he had a young man from Mullumbimby working at the tannery by the name of Doug Deitz who played sporadically for Norths between 1932 and 1945, appearing in 79 first grade games.

Well after he retired, Broomham was still regularly spoken about as one of the game’s best wingers. The Rugby League News in 1926, Broomham’s play was suggested to be one that young players should try to replicate, his style described as “not coming into the centre of the field to beat opponents. Running down the back line, or within a few feet of it, he invariable fended off four or five tacklers, and scored tries when it seemed certain he would be forced into touch. This player used the centre kick, great pace, sure handling, and magnificent side-stepping, were a treat to witness. He could take a pass well in his finger-tips, and was always well in his stride when a pass came his way.”

In 1937 the Broomham name returned to the North Sydney club when his two nephews were playing in the North Sydney lower grades, however neither made it into the top grade.

Albert Broomham passed away in 1948.

- ANDREW FERGUSON

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 67 33 -   - 99 26 36 5 38.81% List
Interstate Matches 6 9 -   - 27 6 0 0 100.00% List
NRL Finals 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tour Matches Metropolis 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 26 9 -   - 27 18 7 1 69.23% List
Test Series 7 2 -   - 6 4 2 1 57.14% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 19 19 -   - 57 13 6 0 68.42% List
The Ashes 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches Kangaroos 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Australasia 2 1 -   - 3 1 0 1 50.00% List
City Cup 3 3 -   - 9 2 1 0 66.67% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1909-11 7 2 -   - 6 5 2 0 71.43% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1909 3 3 -   - 9 2 1 0 66.67% List
Australasia 1910 2 1 -   - 3 1 0 1 50.00% List
Overall1909-1910 5 4 0   0 12 3 1 1 60.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Metropolis 1908-09, 1912 3 6 -   - 18 3 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1908-13 27 29 -   - 87 20 7 0 74.07% List
Kangaroos 1909-10 5 5 -   - 15 3 2 0 60.00% List
Overall1908-1913 35 40 0   0 120 26 9 0 74.29% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney NSWRFL 1908 9 4 -   - 12 5 4 0 55.56% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1909 9 2 -   - 6 2 5 2 22.22% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1910 11 8 -   - 24 2 9 0 18.18% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1911 7 1 -   - 3 3 3 1 42.86% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1912 11 5 -   - 15 6 5 0 54.55% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1913 13 8 -   - 24 4 7 2 30.77% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1914 7 5 -   - 15 4 3 0 57.14% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney 1908-14 67 33 -   - 99 26 36 5 38.81% List

Your Say

  • Col the Bear
    27/01/2011

    Albert Frederick Broomham was born in 1885 at St Leonards and died on 23 Dec 1948 at Chatswood. He was one of 10 children.

  • Richard Bell
    31/01/2018

    Memorabilia of Albert Broomham, including three caps, medals (including the 1909/10 most consistent player against England), 1911/12 tour diary and other memorabilia has recently been donated by his descendants to the National Sports Museum in Melbourne.

  • Want to have your say about this player? Add a comment.

Contributions: Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, Bill Bates, Jamie Murdoch