Howard Hallett

Champion fullback had a long and influential career in the infant code. Graded with Souths' during the game’s first season, he was still playing first grade 16 years later. Hallett had his grounding in Australian Rules but turned to League and developed into a ‘grand’ punter of the ball and a great tackler. Earning the name 'The Rock of Gibraltar' because of his safe hands, he played for NSW in 1911 and was chosen for the 1911-12 'Australasian' Kangaroos. Hallett made his Test debut against England as a centre but played in the two remaining Tests on tour at fullback. Although he toured NZ with NSW in 1912-13, Hallett's only other Test series was against England in 1914. His final appearance in the green and gold was in the infamous 'Rorke's Drift' Test in Sydney. At Souths he was a part of three premiership-winning teams (1909, 1914 and 1918) and his popularity was repaid when Rabbitohs fans presented him with a silver belt as the ‘champion player of the 1914 competition’. On his retirement Hallett coached Souths during the club's unbeaten 1925 season and won back-to-back premierships the following year. He died in 1970, age 80.