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THE New South Wales Rugby Union is marking the centenary of dual international Dally Messenger's monumental code switch to rugby league by officially reinstating him to their game's record books.
Messenger, the outstanding player of his time in Australian rugby, was a key element in the founding of rugby league in the country when he switched codes with other disaffected players in 1907 at the age of 23.
An inventive centre three-quarter who was also a prodigious goalkicker, he played 12 matches for NSW over two years before his high-profile defection to the 13-a-side game.
Rugby officials of the day reacted by striking Messenger's name from their books.
NSWRU chief executive Fraser Neill said the decision to welcome Messenger back to the fold after a century was an easy one.
"I don't think anyone would doubt that Dally Messenger is one of the all-time greats of Australian sport," Neill said in a statement Sunday.
"Rugby should be proud of the part he played not just in our game but in the overall fabric of sport in this country.
"He was a class act both on the field and off it, given that even after many years out of the game he never once admonished it.
"The only pity is that he's not around to witness for himself the game embracing him once again."
Messenger's reinstatement to rugby's records is timed to coincide with the impending release of a book of his life, The Master - The Life and Times of Dally Messenger.
Literary agent Bruce Kennedy, who was responsible for bringing the situation to light, said he was surprised when he discovered Messenger was still struck off the records a century after he had played.
"Dally was so big in 1907 that the crowd used to follow him rather than a particular code, and he even became the target of approaches from Aussie Rules," Kennedy said.
"Past greats - people like Trevor Allan, Ken Kearney, Ken Thornett and Russell Fairfax - were all welcomed back to rugby (after switching to rugby league) and I thought after 100 years it would be nice for Dally to also be reinstated along with all his records and achievements."
Messenger's reinstatement was ratified by the NSWRU Board last week.
FoxSports
Messenger, the outstanding player of his time in Australian rugby, was a key element in the founding of rugby league in the country when he switched codes with other disaffected players in 1907 at the age of 23.
An inventive centre three-quarter who was also a prodigious goalkicker, he played 12 matches for NSW over two years before his high-profile defection to the 13-a-side game.
Rugby officials of the day reacted by striking Messenger's name from their books.
NSWRU chief executive Fraser Neill said the decision to welcome Messenger back to the fold after a century was an easy one.
"I don't think anyone would doubt that Dally Messenger is one of the all-time greats of Australian sport," Neill said in a statement Sunday.
"Rugby should be proud of the part he played not just in our game but in the overall fabric of sport in this country.
"He was a class act both on the field and off it, given that even after many years out of the game he never once admonished it.
"The only pity is that he's not around to witness for himself the game embracing him once again."
Messenger's reinstatement to rugby's records is timed to coincide with the impending release of a book of his life, The Master - The Life and Times of Dally Messenger.
Literary agent Bruce Kennedy, who was responsible for bringing the situation to light, said he was surprised when he discovered Messenger was still struck off the records a century after he had played.
"Dally was so big in 1907 that the crowd used to follow him rather than a particular code, and he even became the target of approaches from Aussie Rules," Kennedy said.
"Past greats - people like Trevor Allan, Ken Kearney, Ken Thornett and Russell Fairfax - were all welcomed back to rugby (after switching to rugby league) and I thought after 100 years it would be nice for Dally to also be reinstated along with all his records and achievements."
Messenger's reinstatement was ratified by the NSWRU Board last week.
FoxSports
