Les Mead

Who is Les Mead?

Les Mead is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative goal-kicking half back, he played his club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership with Western Suburbs.

Son of Sydney's Western Suburbs' club pioneer Ted Mead, Les started his career in Sydney before playing as captain-coach of Wauchope on New South Wales' North Coast in 1931 but returned to Wests the following year. With Western Suburbs he formed an effective partnership in the halves with Vic Hey. Mead was the top point-scorer of the 1932 NSWRFL season with 104 points. In 1933 he was selected to represent New South Wales and later that year went on the 1933-34 Kangaroo tour. In August 1933, while in England, Mead played for Australia against England in a novel 7-a-side match. He played several matches while on tour but only one Test match. The following year Mead kicked two goals in Wests' premiership final victory.

In 1935 Mead was named captain of Western Suburbs. That season he also scored a club record 27 points in a premiership match and made his final appearance for New South Wales. After the 1937 NSWRFL season he returned to Wauchope, but went back to Wests to end his career with them in 1941 as captain-coach.