Fartown legend Pat Devery dies, at 95

Pat
Devery made his Huddersfield debut at Workington Town on October 4, 1947 and would go on to make 223 appearances for the Fartown club. — Pat Devery made his Huddersfield debut at Workington Town on October 4, 1947 and would go on to make 223 appearances for the Fartown club.

The Australian half-back was the last surviving member of Huddersfield’s 1953 Challenge Cup-winning team against St Helens at Wembley.

The West Yorkshire club have not lifted the famous trophy since.

Devery joined Huddersfield in 1947 and scored 98 tries plus 401 goals in 223 games, understandably later being inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame.

Davy said: “This is very sad news as Pat Devery was one of rugby league’s real gentlemen.

“He played tennis well into his 80s. When not playing rugby league he was a teacher and I well remember Jennifer (Davy’s late wife) telling me how he was one of her teachers and how he would collect the signatures of his team-mates for her and fellow classmates.”

In Sydney, Devery won the 1944 Grand Final with Balmain and earned Test honours two years later before moving to the UK.

He debuted for Huddersfield against Workington Town and was soon appointed captain, holding the position until the end of the 1949-50 season.

Although arriving at Fartown as a stand-off half, he played most of his games for the club at centre.

Devery, crucially, scored a try and kicked two goals in the 13-12 League Championship final win against Warrington at Maine Road in 1949 – Huddersfield have only been crowned champions once since, in 1962 – and he also featured in the following season’s loss to Wigan.

His last appearance for Huddersfield was at Batley in 1954 before announcing his retirement from playing. Devery still holds the Huddersfield club record for most points in a season with 332, comprising 16 tries and 142 goals in the Cup-winning campaign of 1952-53.

Meanwhile, current Huddersfield captain Leroy Cudjoe is in full swing with his testimonial preparations.

The England centre – who debuted for Giants in 2008 – was awarded a benefit year for 2018 by the RFL and his Huddersfield side host Dewsbury on Sunday, January 14.