James Hampden “Jim” Craig

HERITAGE No: 272

BIRTH: 29 June 1895

Sydney, NSW

DEATH: 13 December 1959 Ashfield NSW

DEATH: 13 December 1959

Ashfield NSW

OCCUPATION: Salesman, 1943

RESIDENCE: Holden St Ashfield , NSW, 1943

GAME HISTORY

Balmain RL First Grade 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921
Balmain RL City Cup 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1921
Balmain RL v Combined First Grade RL 1917
Balmain RL v Toowoomba RL 1920
Balmain RL v Brisbane Wests RL 1920
Metropolis RL v Country RL First 1920
NSW RL Firsts v New Zealand RL 1921
NSW RL Firsts v NSW RL Seconds 1921
NSW RL Firsts v Combined NZ/Qld RL 1921
NSW RL Firsts v Australasia II RL 1922
NSW RL Firsts v South Auckland RL 1922
NSW RL Firsts v King County RL 1922
NSW RL Firsts v Queensland RL Firsts 1929
Australia RL Ashes Series v England RL 1921, 1924, 1928
Australia RL Kangaroo Tour v England RL 1921-22
Australia RL Kangaroo Tour v Wales RL 1921-22
Sydney University RL 1922
Universities RL XIII v Metropolis RL 1922
Ipswich RL 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928,
Ipswich RL v NSW Firsts RL 1923, 1925, 1927
Ipswich RL v England RL 1924, 1928
Ipswich RL v New Zealand RL 1925
Ipswich RL Bulimba Cup 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928,
Queensland RL Firsts v Metropolis 1923
Queensland RL Firsts v NSW RL Firsts 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928
Queensland RL Firsts v England RL 1924, 1928
Queensland RL First v NSW RL Seconds 1925
Queensland RL First v New Zealand RL 1925
Queensland RL Firsts v Auckland RL 1925
Queensland RL Firsts v West Coast (NZ) 1925
Queensland RL Firsts v Canterbury (NZ) 1925
Queensland RL Firsts v South Canterbury (NZ) 1925
Queensland RL Firsts v Otago (NZ) 1925
Maryborough RL v England RL 1924
Wests RL First Grade 1929, 1930
City RL Firsts v Country RL Firsts 1929
Wests RL v Illawarra RL 1929
Wests RL v Newcastle RL 1930
Wests RL Coach 1929, 1930, 1932, 1939
Ashfield Rovers RL Coach 1931
North Sydney RL Coach 1936
Canterbury Bankstown RL 1938

Jim

Jim Craig was described as one of the most versatile and influential players in the history of the game. His versatility was demonstrated at the representative level. He played for Australia, NSW and Queensland and filled all roles in the back line other than wing. At the club level he played on the wing and also as lock forward. In one match for Wests he even took on the hooking role and proved quite competent.

Jim arrived at Wests in 1929 as a player-coach at the age of 34. He was a very good player, but as a coach he excelled, leading Wests on the start of a golden era from the late 1920’s and into the 1930’s. His defensive strategies and tactics which reinforced disciplined play, made Wests hard to defeat.