Rex Mossop 1956 to 1963

Tuesday, 11 October 2005 05:00

The Moose was a loyal Manly boy through and through; he was a product of the Manly Rugby Club and played 5 tests for the Wallabies before turning professional in 1951, playing for Leigh in the UK. He won a premiership medal with the club when they won the Challenge Cup in 1952.

Returning the Australia in 1956 he joined his local club the Sea Eagles. Rex was a huge man and played with an aggressive streak and this saw him make the successful conversion to the Australian rugby league style of play. He became the cornerstone
The Moose was a loyal Manly boy through and through; he was a product of the Manly Rugby Club and played 5 tests for the Wallabies before turning professional in 1951, playing for Leigh in the UK. He won a premiership medal with the club when they won the Challenge Cup in 1952.

Returning the Australia in 1956 he joined his local club the Sea Eagles. Rex was a huge man and played with an aggressive streak and this saw him make the successful conversion to the Australian rugby league style of play. He became the cornerstone of the Manly pack in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

With Mossop leading the way the Sea Eagles played in the 1957 and 1959 Grand Finals but came up against the mighty St George team which dominated the era winning 11 Premierships in a row.

In the 1959 Grand Final he was sent off after an ugly kicking incident involving St George player Harry Bath.

Despite this incident he was named vice captain of the 1959/60 Kangaroo team to Great Britain. Mossop played in 9 Rugby League tests for Australia during his career making him one of the few forwards to become a dual international.

After 136 games for Manly, Mossop retired at the end of 1963 to make his way into a successful media career. He was etched in the Rugby League history when he spent 20 years as the host of Controversy Corner, a programme on Channel 7 which was devoted to the Sydney premiership. Rex along with fellow panellists, Ferris Ashton, Alan Clarkson and Col Pierce discussed pertinent football issues in an often very colourful manner.

Rex commentated on the game in a similar manner to the way he played it and often won few friends with his hard hitting comments and thoughts. He was the Ray Warren of the 1970s and 1980s calling the game on the TV match of the day along with his sideline eye Barry Ross who Rex laid the boot into more often than he did Harry Bath.

During his media career which spanned almost 3 decades Mossops loyalty to the Manly Sea Eagles was always proudly on display and Manly more often than not received match of the day coverage because of Rex.

After having such a high profile media career in retirement, Rexs on field success as a footballer has been largely forgotten by the Rugby League public in general.

However in 1995 when Manlys greatest team was announced to commemorate its 50th season, Mossop made the side as a prop forward. Ken Arthurson who selected the side recalled that Rex never took a backward step on the field and could always be relied upon when the going got tough.

Mossop is now a life member of the Sea Eagles and in 1999 was made a life member of the NSWRL to recognise his unique contribution to the game.

Rex Mossop a passionate Sea Eagle

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