Charlie Hedley

{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{distinguish|Charles Hedley}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Charlie Hedley |fullname = Charles Hedley |image = |imagesize = |caption = |birth_date = 1881<ref name=WHP231>Whiticker, Hudson p. 231</ref> |birth_place = Newcastle, New South Wales |death_date = 13 August 1942 (age 61)<ref name=WHP231/> |death_place = Leichhardt, New South Wales |height = |weight = |position = |club1 = Glebe |year1start = 1908 |year1end = |appearances1 = 5 |tries1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 0 |club2 = Annandale |year2start = 1910 |year2end = 11 |appearances2 = 23 |tries2 = 0 |goals2 = 19 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 38 |teamA = New South Wales |yearAstart = 1907 |yearAend = 08 |appearancesA = 6 |triesA = 0 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 0 |teamB = Australia |yearBstart = 1908 |yearBend = 09 |appearancesB = 3 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |source = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/charlie-hedley/summary.html|title= Charlie Hedley – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project|publisher=Rugby League Project|access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref> |new = yes |updated = 25 June 2019 }}

'''Charlie Hedley''' (1881–1942) was a pioneer Australian rugby league footballer. He was one of his country's first national representative players appearing in the inaugural professional series against New Zealand in 1907 and making the 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Charlie Hedley – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/charlie-hedley/summary.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928012153/https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/charlie-hedley/summary.html|archive-date=2021-09-28|access-date=2021-10-05|publisher=Rugby League Project}}</ref>

==Playing career== Hedley had been a Glebe rugby union player before he joined the Glebe rugby league club in its inaugural 1908 season. He had been one of the pioneers who was barred from the amateur code when selected in the inaugural New South Wales professional rugby side who met Albert Baskiville's rebel All Golds when the arrived in Sydney in 1907 for a series played in rugby union rules.

He was selected to play at {{rlp|fb}} in the first ever trans-Tasman test, which was debut match of the Australia national rugby league team.

Following his first season with Glebe in 1908 – the inaugural season for rugby league in Australia, he was selected as part of the Australia national rugby league team to go on the 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain. He played in seventeen matches of the tour including the third Test against England. left|thumb|200px|Hedley (seated, 2nd from left) Pioneer Kangaroos 1908–09 Upon his return he played two season with the Annandale club in Sydney.

He was awarded Life Membership of the New South Wales Rugby League in 1914.<ref>Referee, Sydney. ''List of Life members of the NSW Rugby League'' 13 May 1914 (page 12)</ref>

==Death== Hedley died suddenly at his Leichhardt home on 13 August 1942 with his wife and two children at his side. He was buried at Rookwood Cemetery on Saturday 15 August 1942.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17810262|title=Family Notices|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney |date=14 Aug 1942 |accessdate=9 Jun 2025 |page=10 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231790234|title=Funeral of Rugby League Pioneer|newspaper=The Sun (Sydney) |location=Sydney |date=15 Aug 1942 |accessdate=9 Jun 2025 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article281316850|title=Footballer's Death|newspaper=Maitland District Mercury |location=Maitland |date=15 Aug 1942 |accessdate=9 Jun 2025 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

===Bibliography=== * Whiticker, Alan & Hudson, Glen (2006) ''The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players'', Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hedley, Charlie}} Category:1881 births Category:1942 deaths Category:Annandale rugby league players Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Australia national rugby league team players Category:Glebe rugby league players Category:New South Wales rugby league team players Category:Rugby league fullbacks Category:Rugby league players from Newcastle, New South Wales Category:Date of birth missing Category:New South Wales rugby union team players Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen