🐇 Eugene 'Owen' McCarthy | Rabbitohs Coach #3
Full Name: Eugene Sylvester McCarthy
Born: 26/11/1882 at Candeloe, NSW
Died: 28/3/1940 at Redfern (Sydney), NSW [aged 50]
Club Playing Career: South Sydney rugby union 1908-10; Balmain 1911; South Sydney 1912-17 (premiers in 1914)
Club Coaching Career: South Sydney 1924
Awards and Accolades: Rabbitohs premiership winner 1914
His real name was Eugene, but he never really liked his name and always preferred to be called ‘Owen’ instead. He was the grandson of an Irish convict from County Cork, Munster, who arrived in Sydney in 1838 aboard the vessel, Bengal Merchant. McCarthy was a highly rated hooker throughout his playing career in both rugby codes, started playing first grade for Souths' rugby union side in 1908 and until 1910, played in 35 games for the Red and Green XV team (including 13 games as their captain in 1915). He did not play in the club's losing final side in 1909, where Glebe defeated them by 17-6. While playing in the fifteen-man code he represented NSW and NSW Seconds in 1909 (one game in each), and Metropolis in 1908-09 (three games).
He switched codes in 1911 but decided to start his professional playing career with Balmain, where he played in 13 games for the Watersiders. The following season he moved to Souths, where he stayed until 1917. McCarthy was part of Souths' winning 1914 side, and played in their losing 1916 final side, where they were defeated by Balmain by five-points-to-three. He also represented Rest of NSW and the Combined Team (Rest of First Grade), both in 1917. In his six seasons playing with the Rabbitohs he played 65 first grade premiership games, 11 first grade City Cup games, and six first grade domestic tour games.
After he retired as a player, ‘Owen’ proudly served the Rabbitohs, firstly as a coach of their Presidents Cup Under-21s side between 1918-25 and their premiership winning Third Grade side in 1918. He was also the clubs Reserve Grade Selector throughout the 1920s. In 1924 he became the official coach of the Rabbitohs first grade side, which was a short season with only nine rounds being played (eight games and a bye). Souths finished on top of the ladder equal with the Balmain Watersiders and they had to play in the final to determine the premiership winner, which Balmain won three-nil. The Rabbitohs did however win the first grade City Cup competition after easily defeating Sydney University in the final by 23-2. ‘Owen’ died in 1940 at the age of 50 and according to his Deceased Estate File he was a plumber by trade and lived at Kensington.
