Bill Anderson (Australian coach)

William Charles Anderson PSM (born 10 April 1948) is an Australian former cricket and rugby league coach.[1]

Bill Anderson
Personal information
Full nameWilliam Charles Anderson
Born (1948-04-10) 10 April 1948 (age 76)
Glebe, NSW, Australia
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1980–82 South Sydney 71 34 3 34 48
1987 Balmain 25 14 1 10 56
Total 96 48 4 44 50
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1988 NSW City 1 1 0 0 100

Born and raised in the Sydney suburb of Glebe, Anderson's main sporting pedigree was in cricket and while attending Fort Street High School he captained the NSW Combined High Schools XI. He played in Sydney 1st grade cricket for Petersham-Marrickville, scoring four centuries. His 648 runs in 1974/75 contributed to the club winning the premiership and he finished only behind Bob Simpson in the competition's player of the season award.[2]

Anderson served his rugby league coaching apprenticeship under Jack Gibson, first at Eastern Suburbs and then South Sydney, before succeeding his mentor as Rabbitohs head coach in 1980. He guided South Sydney to the finals during his maiden season and remained in charge for two further campaigns, then served as an assistant with the Bob Simpson-coached NSW cricket team, which he helped win a Sheffield Shield title before becoming head coach for a season in 1986–87.[3] Returning to rugby league in 1987, Anderson coached Balmain to a fifth-place finish, after they were eliminated from the finals by his former club South Sydney. He was replaced at Balmain by Warren Ryan in 1988 and coached NSW City that year to a win over NSW Country.[4]

In addition to coaching, Anderson was also involved in radio and television commentary during the 1980s and 1990s, including a period with Network 10. He was an educator and in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours list was awarded a Public Service Medal for his "public service to education in New South Wales". One of his coaching proteges in grade cricket was Usman Khawaja and he ended up working as the Test batsman's manager.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "NSW Sports Award honour". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. 24 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Bill Anderson PSM". stumptostump.com. 28 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Anderson to coach NSW". The Canberra Times. 4 July 1986. p. 4 (Sport) – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Brilliant Canberra connection Daley and Ferguson fails to stop City might". The Canberra Times. 12 May 1988. p. 24 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Khawaja mentor tips Test success". ABC News. 1 January 2011.
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