Sport
4 April, 2025
Glasgow shares life and times playing league at Lions
Former local shares experiences from playing league in toughest era.
IN the one of the toughest era’s of rugby league, former Western Suburbs and North Sydney Rugby League star Barry Glasgow shared fascinating insights into his illustrious career at the Lions dinner meeting last Wednesday at the West Wyalong Bowling Club to a captivated audience.
Speaking to an audience of 26 Lions members and their guests, Glasgow took them on a journey through his playing days during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
After completing his education in Goulburn, Glasgow (left) returned to the family farm in Tullibigeal, where he played Rugby League for Tullibigeal and Australian Rules football for Four Corners. It was during a Group 17 knockout match that Glasgow’s potential was spotted by John Kelly, a significant figure in his career. Kelly offered him the chance to trial for the Western Suburbs Leagues Club in Sydney. After impressing in a single trial, Glasgow was handed a contract with the club. Around the same time, he was also invited to trial with Geelong in the AFL but chose to pursue his Rugby League career.
Glasgow expressed his deep gratitude for the mentorship and support he received from Kelly throughout his career. On the field, Barry became known not only as a skilled footballer but also as one of the game's best field goal kickers. He, along with Eric Simms and Phil Hawthorn, played a crucial role in changing the value of the field goal from two points to one - a move that forever altered the dynamics of the game.
One of the most memorable moments of his career came when he kicked a field goal from halfway at fulltime to break a 12-all deadlock against the mighty St George Dragons at Kogarah. This dramatic kick ended the Dragons' 10-year undefeated streak at home. To make the moment even more special, Barry’s mother, one of the few games she attended, was present to witness the historic win.
Glasgow also named some of the toughest players he faced throughout his career, including Graham Langlands, whom he considered the hardest to tackle, and Bob Fulton, whom he regarded as one of the finest footballers he ever played against. He also reminisced about his time with the Western Suburbs team, a squad that included some of the most formidable players in League history, such as Noel Kelly, Peter Dimond, and John “Chow” Hayes.
As the evening unfolded, Barry discussed the evolution of Rugby League, contrasting past training methods and game strategies with the more modern approach seen today. His stories painted a vivid picture of the grit, camaraderie, and passion that defined the game during his era.
Now residing on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with his wife, Barry remains active in the sporting community. He is a member of the Mona Vale Golf Club and spends considerable time in West Wyalong, where he oversees farming interests in Tullibigeal and enjoys participating in the veterans' Friday afternoon golf games.
The evening was a rare opportunity for local Lions members to hear from one of the game’s greats, with Barry’s stories offering a window into the history and evolution of Rugby League from a time when the game was played with raw intensity and fierce competition.
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