Noel Pidding

Maitland fullback set a host of impressive point-scoring records at club and Test level after re-establishing his reputation as a great winger. After joining St George in 1947 Pidding made his Test debut as fullback against NZ in 1948 but, after a poor game, he was replaced by the great Clive Churchill and missed the 1948-49 Kangaroo Tour. His representative career was rescued when he was moved to the wing and he played in that position in St George's 1949 grand final victory against Souths. In 1950 he was given the goal-kicking duties in the City-Country match and scored an individual record 27pts (1t, 12g). In 1951 Pidding became the first St George player to top 200pts (14t, 79g) in a season and played against Great Britain (1950), France (1951) and NZ (1952) before touring with the 1952-53 Kangaroos. Playing in five Tests on tour, as well as in 17 other matches, he scored 228pts (18t, 87g) - second only to Dave Brown's record with the 1933-34 Kangaroos. His career as an incisive, deceptive winger and exceptional goal-kicker continued in Tests against NZ (1953) and Great Britain (1954) with his last appearance for Australia being the 1954 World Cup. That year Pidding scored the then individual points record for an Australian player in Anglo-Australian Tests with 19pts (1t, 8g) in the First Test at the SCG. He left St George to return to Maitland after the club’s loss to Souths in the 1953 grand final but later played a season and a half with Easts in 1955-56.