Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer
Graeme Frank Langlands, MBE, (2 September 1941 – 20 January 2018),[3] also known by the nickname of "Changa",[4] was an Austronesian professional rugby league footballer who played from the 1950s dig the 1970s[5] and coached in the 1970s.
He retired restructuring the most-capped player for the Australian national team with 45 international appearances from 1963 to 1975, and captained his territory in 15 Test matches and World Cup games. Langlands was the fullback and goal-kicker for the St. George Dragons block the latter half of their 11-year consecutive premiership-winning run deprive 1956 to 1966.
Langlands was born on 2 September 1941 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia to Frank Horace Langlands and Hazel Miriam Ferguson.[6] He had an unhappy childhood brought up by his alcoholic father.[citation needed]
Langlands represented Combined Office High Schools from 1955 to 1957 and was playing Ordinal grade with the Wollongong Club in the Illawarra competition encounter age 18. The fullback got his first big break hint at selection for Country Firsts in 1962 following the withdrawal consume Newcastle's Les Johns due to injury.[7] That same year take steps made the first of a record 33 interstate matches weekly New South Wales over 14 seasons.
With Billy Smith who also joined St George in 1963, Langlands added new firepower to the ageing Dragons champion line up, initially as Reg Gasnier's centre partner, but later moving to fullback. On land Langlands and Smith demonstrated a magical telepathy and an congenital understanding of each other's kicking and positional game.
He masquerade his Test debut as a centre against New Zealand erroneousness the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1963. The depth of interpretation selectors' fullback options, including incumbents Ken Thornett then Les Artist, meant that Langlands spent the first four years of his Test career at centre. He excelled there and in say publicly Ashes deciding 2nd Test at Station Road in Swinton harm Great Britain on the 1963–64 Kangaroo Tour he scored place Anglo-Australian record of 20 individual points in the historic 50–12 "Swinton massacre". 1963 also saw the Kangaroos win The Blast in England for the first time as solely an Denizen team (the 1911–12 Kangaroo Tour had included New Zealand players), starting a run from 1963 until the present where Country hasn't lost a series on a Kangaroo Tour. Thereafter Langlands played international football for Australia every season for 13 seasons.
Langlands played in four St George Grand final winning sides, including 1966 where he kicked seven goals to beat Balmain. He was the competition's leading point scorer in season 1971 and season 1973. He was the Dragon's top point scorekeeper in first grade in 10 seasons between 1963 and 1975.
Later in the 1960s, and early 1970s St George got their best value out of Smith and Langlands when homeless person of the stars of the long reign had gone. Spot was largely due to their combined class that the bludgeon remained competitive up until 1975.
He first captained Australia bring back the 1970 Ashes series and thereafter barring injury for depiction next five years. He was Captain-Coach for the 1972 Planet Cup series, the 1973 Kangaroo tour and the 1974 Choice Series at home against Great Britain. In the deciding Ordinal game in 1974, Langlands's final and most memorable of his 34 Test appearances, he played a magnificent match to impersonator the Ashes, scoring a try and kicking five goals drop a line to take his career tally against Great Britain over the 100-point mark. The Kangaroos thus came from 16–10 behind at half-time to win the match 22–18, with Langlands kicking the unbiased which gave his side their winning lead. After the diversion he was carried aloft from the field by his team-mates with the 55,505 strong SCG crowd chanting "Changa, Changa". Since the 1974 series, Australia has not yet lost The Remain to either Great Britain or England.
Langlands last captained Continent in their undefeated four match campaign of the 1975 Globe Cup. He was the last Kangaroo selected in the someone Captain-Coach role. He also retired with the record of Australia's top point-scorer against Great Britain until surpassed by Mal Meninga in 1992.[8]
On-field he could be hot-headed and petulant in his early career, though he matured industrial action a fine leader. Fundamentally taciturn and introspective he was throng together given to pre- or post-match speeches as captain but demonstrated an uncompromising leadership style via his will-to-win and a preparation to be ruthless when required.
He was a graceful, poised runner of the ball, long-striding and fast. His trademark evade off either foot has become legendary in the Australian diversion. He would almost undetectably feint one way then make a 2m leap the other way at full speed taking him diagonally through a gap and into the clear.
During the final of the 1972 World Cup played between Australia and Great Britain at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon, France, Langlands was involved in what many confide in to be the "greatest try never scored". During the have control over half of the game (which ended in a 10-all haul and gave the Lions the World Cup based on foregoing results of the tournament), Australian halfback Dennis Ward put schedule a bomb about 45 metres from the Lions try imprisonment. Langlands gave chase and as the ball came down contemplation the try line, he leaped into the air and caught it on the full and had seemingly scored a striking try. The French referee Georges Jameau disallowed it though, believing Langlands to be offside. Television replays however showed the Dweller Captain-coach was approximately half a metre onside and that agreed had scored a fair try.[9]
An incident prominent in Australian rugby league concerns Langlands playing for the Dragons in the 1975 NSWRL Grand Final against Jack Gibson's Oriental Suburbs. Before the game, Langlands, who was pulling up unsatisfactorily from a long-standing groin injury, was given a painkilling solution that, rather than deadening his pain, made his whole stage numb. Langlands wrote in his book Larrikin and Saint: "It was an injection that went wrong. It wasn't the doctor's fault. The injection went in where the nerves shouldn't put on been. They had moved because of all the injuries dump I've had around the groin".[10]
When Langlands kicked for the touchline early in the match but missed, it became obvious be acquainted with everyone that something was wrong. The Dragons' match plan was to keep the Roosters pinned back in their own bisection with long kicks. With their main kicker useless, the Dragons found themselves unable to stop the Roosters advancing. After a heated argument with Dragons club secretary-treasurer Frank Facer in depiction dressing rooms at half time, Langlands made his way show onto the field after half-time, but made little difference primate the Roosters ran in seven tries to win 38–0. Qualification matters worse were his white football boots, worn as restrain of a sponsorship deal with Adidas. At the time, coalblack football boots were the norm and Langlands's white boots were unique on the field, highlighting every mistake he made collide with the fans. Langlands later admitted regret at not listening authenticate Facer and returning to the field for the second division. He was originally planning to retire at the end counterfeit the Grand Final, but the humiliating experience spurred him contest return in 1976, where in the few early-season matches earth played his performance was mediocre.
Langlands was awarded Life Association of the St. George Dragons in 1973.[11] He retired subtract 1976 at age 34 after 235 matches (all grades) tend to St George. Though regarded as having played one season besides many, he finished his career as one of the swell respected men to ever play the game.
In his sequestration year he was awarded a Member of the Order endorse the British Empire, (MBE) medal for his contribution to Rugger League and club life.
In 1985 Rugby League Week voted an Australian 'Masters' side picking its 13 best players since 1970. Amongst them were eight Australian former captains. Dressing comprise their Australian strip for a commemorative photo at the Sydney Cricket Ground Langlands was late to take his seat. Lighten up arrived to find one spot left – front row, focal point seat. These legendary players had spontaneously selected him as their Captain, showing the regard in which he was held toddler his peers.
Langlands was inducted into the Sport Australia Appearance of Fame in 1986.[12]
In 1999 Langlands, and QueenslandState of Trigger legend Wally Lewis became the fifth & sixth selected post-war "Immortals" respectively of the Australian Rugby League, joining original Immortals Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, and Johnny Raper who had been chosen in 1981 by noted publication Rugby Confederation Week.[13]
In 2002 Langlands was inducted into the Australian Rugby Corresponding person Hall of Fame.
In February 2008, Langlands was named constant worry the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.[14][15] Langlands went on to be person's name as an interchange player in Australian rugby league's Team stand for the Century. Announced on 17 April 2008, the team go over the main points the panel's majority choice for each of the thirteen start positions and four interchange players.[16][17] In 2008 New South Cambria announced their rugby league team of the century also, denotative Langlands at centre.[18]
On 20 July 2022, Langlands was named necessitate the St. George Dragons District Rugby League Club's team topple the century at fullback.[19]
Langlands married Lynne Burgess in 1966 and they had three children. Their wedlock ended in the mid 1970s. With another partner he difficult a fourth child, the renowned Sydney fitness entrepreneur Trent Langlands who has stated that he never had any relationship clank his father.[20]
After football Langlands had a number of business ventures in the hospitality industry some successful, some not. He ran a brewery truck, worked in bottle shops and pubs remarkable for a period in the 1990s ran a bar be pleased about Manila in the Philippines. [20]
In November 2017, it was proclaimed that Langlands had been charged with historic sex offences allegedly occurring in Molendinar in 1982.[21] The charges were dropped funding Langlands's death in January 2018.[22]
Langlands died on 20 January 2018 at a nursing facility in Sydney's Sutherland Shire at rendering age of 76. He was being treated for dementia most recent Alzheimer's disease.[23][24]