Lionel Cooper

Lionel Cooper was an Australian rugby league player for the Eastern Suburbs club (1945-46). Cooper joined the Eastern Suburbs club after being Spotted playing in a services team in Darwin by Ray Stehr in 1941. Stehr invited Cooper to trial with the Roosters following the War. A powerful winger, Cooper played in just 6 matches before gaining selection for New South Wales. Later that year Cooper was a member of Eastern Suburbs' 8th premiership-winning team. In 1946 Cooper represented for Sydney, New South Wales and Australia, he played in all three tests against the Great Britain Lions that year at home. Cooper also took out the 'NSW Player of the Year Award' in 1946.

In 1947 he joined English club Huddersfield where he had 9 successful seasons - scoring 432 tries, including 71 in the 1951-52 season, in one match that year, against Keighley, he scored a record 10 tries. Also joining Cooper were his friend Johnny Hunter, a spectacular full-back, and a little later Pat Devery, an Australian Test Player who played centre (in partnership with Cooper who was on the left wing.)

Lionel Cooper continued to play Test rugby league whilst at Huddersfield, playing for 14 matches 'Other Nationalities' in the International Championship between 1949 and 1953.

Lionel Cooper was in the Huddersfield team that beat St. Helens 15 - 10 in the 1953 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, kicking at least one goal after the regular goal kicker was injured.

His brothers - Col and Cec Cooper played with the Canterbury Bankstown club, and Noel played for St George.

ources

* Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen "The Encyclopedia Of Rugby League Players"
* Andrews, Malcom (2006) "The ABC of Rugby League" Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney