George Treweek

George Treweek – The Best Forward In The World.

Towards the end of 1929, the Australian Rugby League team left Australia to play a test series against a very challenging opponent in England. At the end of the series, George Treweek received the highest praise.

The Manchester Athletic News, a very well respected sporting newspaper, crowned Treweek as the best forward in the world. In 1930, South Sydney toured Queensland. Treweek was introduced as the world’s best forward. Sports writer Frank Murdock was asked to name his best ever rugby league team, in 1948. Treweek was in the second row.

Early Life & Career

Albert George Treweek was born in Grahamstown on the 31st March 1905. The local barbers had two framed photos. One was of Dally Messenger and the other of Harold Horder. George used to stare at those photos and wonder what it would be like to play top grade rugby league.

His father was a butcher, as was George in later life.  He played football as fullback for Adelong when they played Mascot in 1922. George made a great impression. Subsequently, he was invited to play in Sydney. He thought he would try his luck in the big smoke. George played for Mascot in 1923 to 1925 and was a success after moving to the forwards. He played for South Sydney from 1926 to 1943, stripping in many premiership winning teams and representative games.

The Butcher 

George forged out a career as a butcher as well as training and playing football. On game days he would open the shop till lunchtime. clean up and rush out to the ground before kickoff. He could provide a tasty joint for any South Sydney customer.

One day George had his store open and an opposing forward just happened to be passing by. George invited him in just as he was lifting a massive hindquarter of shorthorn over his head onto a hook. He said the piece of meat was 400 pounds (181 kgs – Bigger than Sam Burgess!). The reaction of the forward is not recorded. The story, I expect, was embellished!

Arms & Legs

He had the nickname ‘arms and legs’. Opposing forwards would liken facing a charging Treweek to trying to tackle an animated lamp post. On more than one occasion, there would be a number of opposing players left flat on their backs behind him.

On one occasion, he broke the line with only the University halfback on his way to the try line. One may speculate what the half was thinking. He picked up the half by the scruff of his jersey and tossed him aside. Tony Hudson in a ‘Souths’ magazine in 1963 said, “ He didn’t mean to play rough-he just couldn’t help it. When he took possession of the ball, he just made a beeline hard and fast for the goaline. Whatever got in his way, “copped the lot”’.

Pile Driving Tackles

In defence it was a similar story. Often an opposing forward would try to ‘roughen him up’ in tackles or scrums, as they did in those days. George would not retaliate. He would wait until the forward had the ball, hitting him with a ferocious pile driving tackle that cut him in two. During the 1920s, Souths played with only five forwards.

In the famous game of 1927 against Saints, Souths had two players sent off. George was one of the three Souths forwards who handled the six Saints forwards with aplomb to help win the game.

Life After Football

Treweek retired from football in 1943. He continued with the butchery business. After he married and had two children, he moved to the St. George district at Kogarah. He still supported Souths, naturally. He died in 1991.

His surname is spelt ‘Treweek’. Newspaper reports incorrectly spelt it Treweeke. George didn’t have the heart to correct them. It was spelt that way for many years.

Unquestionably, George Treweek certainly deserves a place in ‘Remembering a Rabbitoh’.

George Treweek

By Mark Emery for Bunnies TV.