The 1983 Queensland rugby league tour of Papua New Guinea and England was a tour that took place in two parts. In June 1983 the Queensland team took in a one-week tour of Papua New Guinea, then following the end of the 1983 Brisbane Rugby League season, the team embarked on a 3-game, 2 week tour of England in October. [1] [2]
The team was coached by Arthur Beetson and was captained by Wally Lewis.
Chris Phelan who played for the 1983 Sydney premiers Parramatta was the only non-Queensland based player in the 21 man touring squad. Paul Bartier, Martin Bella, Terry Butler, Wayne Challis, Greg Conescu and Mal Meninga only played on the Paupa New Guinea portion of the tour.
Wednesday, 15 June |
Highlands Zone  | 16 – 34 |  Queensland |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Ifiso Segeyaro, Dekot Koki Goals: K. Tifati (4) | [3] | Tries: Wayne Challis, Terry Butler, Cavill Heugh, Mal Meninga, Richie Poulsen, Brad Tessmann Goals: Wally Lewis (1), Mal Meninga (1), Colin Scott (1) |
Highlands Zone: . Reserves – . Coach –
Queensland: . Reserves – Colin Scott, Steve Stacey, Terry Butler, Gene Miles, Wayne Challis, Paul Bartier, Joe Kilroy, Martin Bella, Greg Conescu, Richie Poulsen, Brad Tessmann, Bryan Niebling, Cavill Heugh. Reserves – Mal Meninga, Wally Lewis (c), Mark Murray, Wally Fullerton Smith
Saturday, 18 June |
PNG Presidents XIII  | 3 – 106 | Queensland |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Goals: K. Keveu Field Goals Poka Kila | [4] | Tries: Brad Tessmann (4), Terry Butler (3), Wally Fullerton Smith (2), Mal Meninga (2), Gene Miles (2), Colin Scott (2), Steve Stacey (2), Paul Bartier, Cavill Heugh, Bryan Niebling Goals: Mal Meninga (7), Colin Scott (5), Wally Lewis (1) |
PNG Presidents XIII: . Reserves – . Coach –
Queensland: Joe Kilroy, Terry Butler, Mal Meninga, Gene Miles, Wayne Challis, Wally Lewis (c), Mark Murray, Brad Tessmann, Greg Conescu, Martin Bella, Bryan Niebling, Wally Fullerton Smith, Paul Bartier. Reserves – Richie Poulsen, Cavill Heugh, Steve Stacey, Colin Scott
Sunday, 16 October |
Hull Kingston Rovers  | 8 – 6 | Queensland |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Mike Smith Goals: George Fairbairn (2) | [5] | Tries: Wally Lewis Goals: Wally Lewis (1) |
Hull KR: George Fairbairn (c), Garry Clark, Mike Smith, John Dorahy, Gary Prohm, Steve Hartley, Gordon Smith, Roy Holdstock, David Watkinson, Mark Broadhurst, Phil Hogan, Chris Burton, David Hall. Res – David Laws, Andy Kelly, Tracy Lazenby. Coach – Roger Millward
Queensland: Colin Scott, Steve Stacey, Gene Miles, Brett French, Mitch Brennan, Wally Lewis (c), Mark Murray, Paul Khan, Shane Bernardin, Brad Tessmann, Bryan Neibling, Chris Phelan, Wally Fullerton-Smith. Res – Joe Kilroy, Wayne Lindenberg, Trevor Paterson, Gavin Jones
Sunday, 23 October |
Wigan  | 2 – 40 | Queensland |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Goals: Colin Whitfield (1) | [6] | Tries: Wayne Lindenberg (2), Mitch Brennan, Brett French, Cavill Heugh, Joe Kilroy, Gene Miles, Chris Phelan Goals: Shane McNally (4) |
Wigan: Colin Whitfield, Ronnie Braithwaite, David Stephenson, Tim Wilby, Henderson Gill, David Wood, Jimmy Fairhurst, Kerry Hemsley, Howie Tamati, Brian Case, Danny Campbell, Graeme West (c), John Pendlebury. Res – Shaun Wane, Mick Scott, Brian Dunn. Coach – Alex Murphy
Queensland: Joe Kilroy, Brett French, Gene Miles, Wally Lewis (c), Mitch Brennan, Wayne Lindenberg, Larry Briggenshaw, Greg Dowling, Shane McNally, Chris Phelan, Gavin Jones, Cavill Heugh, Trevor Paterson
Sunday, 29 October |
Leeds  | 2 – 58 | Queensland |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Goals: David Creasser (1) | [7] | Tries: Wally Lewis (2), Gene Miles (2), Colin Scott (2), Mitch Brennan, Greg Dowling, Wally Fullerton-Smith, Joe Kilroy Goals: Shane McNally (7) |
Leeds: Ian Wilkinson, Paul Prendiville, David Creasser, Steve Martin, Andrew Smith, John Holmes, Kevin Dick, Ron Dickinson, Russ Sowden, Keith Rayne, Kevin Rayne, Kevin Squire, David Herron. Res – David Heselwood, Colin Cooper, Garry Clark Kevin James. Coach – Robin Dewhurst
Queensland: Joe Kilroy, Brett French, Gene Miles, Mitch Brennan, Colin Scott, Wally Lewis (c), Mark Murray, Greg Dowling, Shane McNally, Shane Bernardin, Chris Phelan, Bryan Neibling, Wally Fullerton-Smith. Res – Gavin Jones, Cavill Heugh, Larry Briggenshaw
As had happened at the end of the unbeaten 1982 Kangaroo tour (which Wally Lewis, Gene Miles and Mark Murray had all been a part of with Lewis the Kangaroos vice-captain), a number of the Queensland players were targeted by cashed-up English clubs. Wally Lewis, despite feeling jaded due to not having a break from the game since the end of the 1981 BRL season, accepted a £30,000 offer to join Wakefield Trinity for 10 games before returning to Australia for the start of the 1984 BRL season where he would move from his junior club Fortitude Valley Diehards to join the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.
Greg Dowling would join Wigan for a season in 1985–86 season. Wally Fullerton Smith joined Leeds for the 1984–85 season. Joe Kilroy joined Halifax and Chris Phelan joined Oldham.
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