Craddock Dufty

Personal information
Full name	Calvin Thomas Craddock Dufty
Born	10 March 1900[1] Thames, New Zealand
Died	1 August 1955 (aged 55)[2] Auckland, New Zealand[3]
Playing information
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	90 kg (14 st 2 lb)
Position	Fullback, Wing, Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1919–21 Newton Rangers 22 1 44 1 93 1922–26 Athletic/Grafton Athletic 52 24 90 0 252 1927–29 Newton Rangers 30 4 67 1 148 1929–30 Ellerslie 12 0 16 0 32 1931 Ellerslie-Otahuhu 4 1 4 1 13 1936 City Rovers 10 1 22 1 49 Total 130 31 243 4 587 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1919 Returned Soldiers 1 0 0 0 0 1919–30 Auckland 27 14 62 2 170 1919–30 New Zealand 51 5 111 1 239 1921 Auckland B 1 0 3 0 6 1922–28 Auckland Province 3 0 6 0 12 1922 New Zealand Māori 8 2 15 0 36 1925–30 North Island 5 0 14 0 28 1928 New Zealand XIII 5 0 2 1 6
Source: [4]

Calvin Thomas Craddock Dufty (10 March 1900 – 1 August 1955) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand.^[4]

War service

During World War I, Dufty served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, embarking in 1916 when aged 16.^[5]

Playing career

Dufty, 7th from the left in the NZ Māori team to play Auckland at Carlaw Park on 20 May 1922.

Dufty in the #1 jersey for the 1st test v England in 1924.

NZ 1st test team to play England at Carlaw Park on 4 August 1928.

Dufty played in the Auckland Rugby League competition for Newton Rangers (1919-21, & 1927-29), Athletic/Grafton Athletic (1922-26), and Ellerslie United (1929-30).^[6][7][8]

Dufty in the 1922 Auckland Province team to play New South Wales at the Auckland Domain

He transferred to Ellerslie after moving to the area during 1929 after playing several games for Newton during the season.

In 1919, aged 19, Dufty made his debut for Auckland, starring in the regions 37-13 defence of the Northern Union Cup against Hawke's Bay.^[9] His performance earned him selection for the New Zealand squad that played against the first tour of Australia.

In 1922, he toured Australia with the New Zealand Māori side. He played in five inter-island games for the North Island, his last being in 1930.^[9]

In 1922 and in 1924, he played for both Auckland and Auckland Province. In 1922, his appearances were against the touring New South Wales team, while in 1924 his appearances were against the touring Great Britain Lions. He was part of the disastrous 1926-27 New Zealand tour of Great Britain, which resulted in several forwards going on strike and receiving life bans.

The NZ team to tour England and Wales with Craddock Dufty, second row from the bottom in the centre (21).

Dufty 4th from the left in the back row of the champion Newton side of 1927.

In 1928, he again played the touring Lions, representing both Auckland City and Auckland Province, as well as New Zealand.

Dufty on the outside supporting Hec Brisbane in the 3rd test against England in 1928 in Christchurch.

Lining up a penalty kick for Auckland Northland in 1930. It hit both posts before going over.

Dufty finished his career with a then-record 224 points for New Zealand, including 106 goals.^[9] He played in twelve test matches, scoring 41 points.

Personal life

Dufty was born to Samuel and Emily (nee Bennett). Dufty's siblings were: Louisa Esther (1901-26), Annie Elizabeth (1902-62), Jessie May (1909-37), and Gwendoline Pearl (1919-90), a brother Cecil Charles who died in infancy (1905), and brothers Thomas Joseph (1899-1949), Samuel Craddock (1911-79), and Arthur James (1911-89).

On 1 August 1955, Craddock Dufty died while at Auckland Public Hospital. His wife was Ethel May (nee Gerraty) whom he had married in 1921. She had died on 9 June 1953. Craddock Dufty was buried at Waikumete Cemetery. He was survived by three children: June, Moira Coral (1928-86), and Craddock.^[10]

References