Alf ‘Smacker’ Blair

Alf ‘Smacker’ Blair In A Very Exclusive Club

In 2014 John Sutton joined a very exclusive club. Membership of this club is in fact gained in by having been a South Sydney Rugby League team premiership winning captain.

Even though South Sydney has won 21 premierships there are surprisingly not many members of this club. The reason for this is that some players such as John Sattler and Jack Rayner captained multiple premierships. Alf ‘Smacker’ Blair is one of those.

Billy Bruce’s Opinion

Billy Bruce, Treasurer of the club for many years wrote about Smacker in 1944. “Blair, in my opinion, was unquestionably the finest captain I have ever seen in action. Two premierships in particular are recalled in which it was the tactics of Blair were evident in clinching the win. Evidence of prowess in getting results from men can be found in the number who represented at State or Australian level under the guidance and association of Blair.”

Commencing His Career

Alf Blair commenced his football with George St. P.S. Upon graduating he went to the Souths Juniors and the Waterloo Albion’s Club. In 1915, Alf was selected in the President’s Cup team. Moving up the grades, Alf entered the 1st grade team in 1917. Blair was a member of the Souths team that won the premiership in 1918.

Premiership Winning Captain

Alf then played for Souths until 1930. 1928 was the only exception when he played for Longreach. He was the captain in South Sydney’s premiership winnings years of 1925, 1926, 1927 and 1929. As mentioned above, champion players thrived under his guidance. South Sydney became almost unbeatable.

Representative Career

Blair was first chosen for N.S.W. in 1919. An amusing story comes from 1920. Australia was playing a test in Queensland. Due to injuries they were short. Blair was called to play. Getting to Queensland on short notice in 1920 was not an easy task. Alas, he did not make it in time! However, he did get to represent his country in 1924.

Added to this, he played state Rugby League on many occasions. In 1927 he was captain, playing before 56,487 paying customers.

1929 – Missing Out

Strangely, in 1929 he missed out on the overseas tour. Funnily enough so did Benny Wearing, another wonderful player. No matter, he led Souths to another premiership that year.

Life after Souths

Smacker Blair left Souths in 1930. Firstly he went to Wagga, then onto Mayfield-Waratah and finally ended up in Cooma. Tragically he died at the young age of 48 in 1944. A special celebration was organised for him in that year.

Final Word

For the final word, I would like to return to Billy Bruce in 1944. “In conclusion I feel compelled to say that as far as my own knowledge of the Club is concerned, one of the greatest assets the Club ever had as a player and a Club man was the same Alfred Lewis ‘Smacker’ Blair. R.I.P.

Alf ‘Smacker’ Blair

By Mark Emery for Bunnies TV.