Friends, Romaites and welcome to country: Vale Artie Beetson

In an era when Aboriginal rights were almost non-existent, Artie Beetson was a leader. A rugby league great, he was the first Indigenous man to captain his country in any sport. When Charlie Perkins was emulating the American freedom marches, Arthur Henry Beetson was accepted by his peers as a natural leader. He was born and raised in Roma and he died yesterday died aged 66 on the Gold Coast after suffering a heart attack while riding a bike.
(pic: Beetson top left in the Balmain 1966 side)
Because Roma’s camp had been demolished as early as World War I, Indigenous people were common in town, though still fringe dwellers. The Beetsons lived in a small house on the Bungil Creek. Artie was born in January 1945, educated at the local state school and left aged 12 or 13. He played first grade league in Roma for Cities until he was 19.

Cities team mate John Vickery remembers Beetson didn’t like training but he was a natural. “He was so strong; he would have three or four defenders on him and he would still get away.” There were other qualities Vickery recalls that made the man as much as the player. “He was down-to-earth and humorous –he loved his jokes but when he was on the field he stuck to his game.” Another team mate John Ashburn remembered him as a deserved accolade of a game Immortal in 2003. “Artie had terrific ball skills and could unload a pass to anyone.” Ashburn said.

Beetson’s parents were well known around town and he was always proud to say he was from Roma. In 1962, aged 17 he played for Roma against Charleville and was “tickled pink” to be selected. On the team bus he watched as a team mate got plastered and learned the drinking culture. He transferred to Redcliffe in 1964 aged 19 and said the training regime was not like today. “If it rained we played cards and drank a keg,” he said. “It rained a lot in Redcliffe.” Between the showers, Beetson helped them win the Brisbane premiership. Beetson played in the forwards as the Dolphins beat Valleys 15-7 to take the 1965 premiership over the Hornibrook Bridge for the first time. They would not win again until 1994. Before their losing final in 1987, general manager Don McLennon reminisced on the Beetson win. “Arthur played the majority of his football as a centre in his two seasons with us,” he said. “He was a huge manager and it was a masterstroke of Henry (Holloway, the captain-coach) to switch him to the forwards.”


It was a one-sided final with St George thrashing Balmain 23-4. 1967 was a “disaster” according to Beetson with Balmain missing out on the finals and Beetson missing out on a Kangaroo tour. In the off-season Beetson moved to England to play for Hull Kingston Rovers. Beetson’s second game would be one he’d never forget. It was the derby against local rivals Hull played at 11am on Christmas Day. Fellow Australian Jim Hull and Artie slept in after a skinful the night before and when they arrived at the ground, two substitutes were ready to start. The pair dressed hurriedly and for the first time in his career Beetson didn’t strap his ankles.

“I made a break down the sideline and the winger tried to tackle me high,” he said. “I pushed him down and he wrapped his legs around mine just as two other Hull players came over the top.” Beetson went down like a sack of potatoes, crying in agony. He was in pain for months and considered giving the game away. But at Balmain for the new season he worked his way back into the game.

Balmain won the premiership in 1969 but Beetson watched from the sidelines. He was sent off in the finals and suspended for two matches. People kept telling him he got them there and he won a premiership blazer but it was a terrible disappointment. In 1970 Beetson had his nose broken in the first test match against Britain and smashed again in the second. “It rearranged my face putting my nose over my left ear,” he said. Beetson parted company with Balmain when they refused his request for $2500 sign-on fee, normal match payments and $150 a win. When Dennis Tutty won a court case in 1971 against the transfer system, Balmain hastily sold Beetson for $15,000 to avoid him walking out for nothing.

“I thought no one would pay that but then Easts stepped in,” he said. The change of club helped him tame an eating problem and trim his weight. He thrived under Don Furner and Jack Gibson and he was a regular in internationals winning the world championship in 1975 and premierships in 1974 and 1975. When Gibson left Easts in 1977, Beetson became captain coach with moderate success. He switched to Parramatta in 1979 where he got a chance to play for his beloved Queensland.

NSW played Queensland many times in the 1970s but the more powerful Sydney league was too good for Brisbane league and Queensland lost 15 times in a row. In 1980, a new concept called State of Origin allowed Queensland to choose seven players playing in Sydney. Parramatta’s Beetson was the captain. 28,000 turned up to Lang Park to see Queensland upset the favourites to win 20-10. It was Beetson’s only game for the Maroons. Beetson returned to Redcliffe in 1981 and coached them to a grand final defeat. He was captain coach of the Maroons that year but had to withdraw with injury hours before the game. Without him Queensland won again and a new tradition was born.

It became a tri-series in 1982 with Beetson as Queensland coach and they won 2-1. It was the same in 1983 and 84 before Beetson stood down. He coached Easts to a 1987 finals defeat to Canberra Raiders. He returned to State of Origin in 1988 coaching Lewis, Meninga, Belcher, Vautin and Miles and whitewashed the Blues coached by old mentor Jack Gibson. “The side that year was as near to perfect,” Beetson said. Gibson gained revenge with a 1989 win and Queensland sacked Artie. After a stint as commentator, he returned as Cronulla coach. He could not win a premiership for the Sharks and in 1993 he bowed out. His “cloth cap” image did not suit a game heading into the Super League era.

Beetson returned to his mother’s home town of Cherbourg to offer support to the Indigenous population. School principal Chris Sarra remembers his visit to ABC reporter John Taylor. “He gave so much back, particularly to young Aboriginal children,” Sarra said. “The kids were so excited, even though they didn’t quite understand how legendary he was. I got a sense that we were in the presence of almost royalty on that occasion.” As Taylor concluded, the thing Beetson enjoyed most was being there. “Just a game of footy on a bush oval on an afternoon,” Taylor said. “I think that was Arthur’s idea of the best of times.”


2 thoughts on “Friends, Romaites and welcome to country: Vale Artie Beetson

  1. Pingback: Woolly Days

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