Bill Benson (rugby league)

William Henry Benson (1893-1968) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s and 1920s.

Bill Benson

Bill Benson. 1927
Personal information
Full name	William Henry Benson
Born	4 January 1893 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died	25 May 1968 (aged 75) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Position	Halfback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1916–24 Glebe 110 23 1 0 71 1927 St George 16 0 0 0 0 Total 126 23 1 0 71 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1921–24 New South Wales 11 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]

Career

Bill "Binghi" Benson was a pioneer halfback in the early years of the NSWRFL. He played halfback for the Glebe Dirty Reds for ten seasons between 1916-1924. Benson played in the 1922 NSWRL grand final for Glebe against North Sydney which ended in a 35-3 loss at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Benson then switched to St. George for his final season with his Glebe team-mate Frank Burge, and the two of them took St George to the 1927 Final after the club got the wooden spoon the year before. He represented New South Wales on five occasions between 1921-1924, but was never selected to play for Australia.[2]

Death

A resident of Forest Lodge, New South Wales for his entire life, Benson died after watching a world cup match between Australia and England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 25 May 1968. He was aged 75. His funeral was held two days later and he was cremated at Woronora Crematorium, Sutherland, New South Wales [3]

References

1. "Bill Benson - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". Rugbyleagueproject.org.
2. Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, 1995 (ISBN 1875169571)
3. Sydney Morning Herald: Death Notice 27/5/1968