Brian Nordgren

Brian Carl Lloyd Nordgren (23 October 1925 – 15 May 2007) was a New Zealand rugby league player who played professionally for Wigan.

Brian Nordgren
Personal information
Full nameBrian Carl Lloyd Nordgren[1]
Born(1925-10-23)23 October 1925
Greymouth, New Zealand
Died15 May 2007(2007-05-15) (aged 81)
Hamilton, New Zealand
Playing information
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1944–45 Ponsonby 27 28 53 0 217
1946–55 Wigan 294 312 109 0 1154
Total 321 340 162 0 1371
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1945 Auckland 5 17 20 0 91
1945 Auckland Pākehā 1 1 5 0 13
1945 North Island 1 1 0 0 3
1950 Other Nationalities 1 0 0 0 0
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
Ponsonby
Source: [2]

Early years

Born in Greymouth in 1926, Nordgren grew up in a Christchurch orphanage. He successfully joined the Army in 1940, claiming to be almost 18. However, in 1944, while awaiting shipment to Europe, a family member revealed he was only 17, and he was discharged.[3]

Playing career
Nordgren with the ball for the North Island team in their match with the South Island at Carlaw Park on October 6, 1945.

Nordgren joined Ponsonby in 1944, scoring 5 tries. In the following season he scored 156 points in the Auckland Rugby League competition for Ponsonby which was an Auckland senior club record. In an exhibition match between Ponsonby and Mt Albert in Cambridge, Waikato he scored a try and kicked 8 goals.[4] He also represented Auckland and scored 91 points from just 5 games including a remarkable 17 tries. Norgren also scored 13 points for Auckland Pākehā against Auckland Māori in their 19-16 win. He also scored a try in the North Island's 18-8 win over the South Island on October 6, 1945. Nordgren was a champion sprinter and held the New Zealand junior 100 yard and 220 yard records.

Along with Ces Mountford he sensationally signed with Wigan in December 1945, catching the New Zealand Rugby League unawares as they had not realised a 1937 international transfer ban had lapsed in 1941.[5]

Nordgren made his début for Wigan against Warrington on 3 April 1946 and went on to play in nine matches that season.[6] During his time at Wigan he was the top try scorer in the 1949-50 season, with 57 tries, and played in two Challenge Cup finals in 1946 and 1951. Wigan lost to Wakefield Trinity in 1946 after Nordgren missed a long-range penalty goal, estimated by Nordgren to be about 54m.[7] The team won the Challenge Cup in 1951, defeating Barrow.

He represented Other Nationalities against France in 1951 and retired in 1955, having played in 293 games and scored 1154 points from 312 tries and 109 goals.[8]

County Cup Final appearances

Brian Nordgren played right wing, i.e. number 2, in Wigan's 9-3 victory over Belle Vue Rangers in the 1946–47 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1946–47 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 26 October 1946,[9] played left wing, i.e. number 5, and scored a try in the 10-7 victory over Belle Vue Rangers in the 1947–48 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1947–48 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 1 November 1947,[10] played left wing in the 14-8 victory over Warrington in the 1948–49 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1948–49 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 13 November 1948,[11] played left wing, and scored 4-tries in the 20-7 victory over Leigh in the 1949–50 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1949–50 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 29 October 1949,[12] played left wing, and scored 2-tries in the 28-5 victory over Warrington in the 1950–51 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1950–51 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 4 November 1950,[13] played left wing, and scored 2-tries in the 14-6 victory over Leigh in the 1951–52 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1951–52 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 27 October 1951,[14] and played right wing in the 8-16 defeat by St. Helens in the 1953–54 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1953–54 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 24 October 1953.

Later years

Nordgren studied law at the University of Liverpool and was called to the bar in 1951. After retirement he returned to New Zealand and practiced law in Auckland and Hamilton. He also spent some time coaching Ponsonby.[3]

References
  1. "Brian Carl Lloyd Nordgren". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 7 July 2022 – via Online Cenotaph.
  2. B Nordgren rugbyleagueproject.org
  3. Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009, 2009. ISBN 9781869693664.p.131.
  4. "Visit Of Auckland Teams". Waikato Independent, Volume XLIV, Issue 1194. 17 October 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  5. NZRL pays tribute to Rugby League great Brian Nordgren rleague.com, 19 May 2007
  6. Brian Nordgren wigan.rlfans.com
  7. Obituary: Brian Nordgren nzherald.co.nz, 2 June 2007
  8. "Brian Nordgren". Wigan Warriors. 15 May 2007. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  9. "1946-1947 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  10. "1947-1948 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  11. "1948-1949 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  12. "1949-1950 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  13. "1950-1951 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  14. "1951-1952 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
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