Len Smith

The incumbent Australian captain-coach for the 1948 Test series against NZ, dual international Len Smith was inexcusably dropped from the Kangaroo Tour that year. Authors Gary Lester and Ian Heads have both hinted at a hidden agenda by Australian selectors (while Smith was Catholic and the selection panel was dominated by Masons, selector ‘Latchem’ Robinson was also lobbying for the coach role on the tour and Smith had the inside running to that position). An Easts junior in RU, Smith was a member of the 1939 Wallabies squad that went to England but did not play in a match because of the outbreak of war. After serving as an Army captain during the war and seeing action in Palestine, Egypt, Syria and New Guinea, Smith returned to Australia and changed codes to play with Newtown in 1943. He starred in the centres in the club's grand final win over Norths that year but it was not until after the end of WWII that he represented NSW. Smith was named captain-coach of both the NSW and Australian Test teams in 1948 and although Australia lost the First Test against the Kiwis, Smith changed the team’s tactics and Australia won the return Test in Brisbane. Although he was named NSW Player of the Year in 1948 Smith retired from the game when the Kangaroo squad was announced and his name was not read included (this was done at a function after a NSW v Queensland match in which Smith was in attendance). In 1950 he was invited to coach Riverina in the tour match against Great Britain but despite writing authoritatively in the Sporting Life magazine and working diligently with the NSW Trotting Authority in the 1960s and 1970s, Smith shunned all connection with the code. He passed away on ANZac Day, 2000, aged 83.