Pat Devery

One of the all-time great five-eighths was spotted by Balmain coach 'Latchem' Robinson playing football in the Domain during the war. Pat Devery already had ‘form’ – some years earlier the Tweed Heads product scored seven tries on debut for Fortitude Valley in the Brisbane competition. World War II intervened and after serving in the navy he signed with the Tigers in 1944. Two years later he represented NSW and Australia in the three Test series against Great Britain. Devery played in Balmain's grand final wins in 1946-47, was the season's top scorer with 144pts in the latter year and also captained NSW before going to England to play for Huddersfield. There, he took the club to championship final success in 1949 and a Challenge Cup victory in 1953. Devery, who was as versatile as he was gifted, scoring over 1000pts during his English career. He returned to Australia to coach Manly in 1955-56 and also coached Lithgow in 1957. Devery later took up a teaching position in Boston before moving to a US Naval base in Puerto Rico with his family where he was the Assistant Principal of the base’s primary school.