Edward Root

Edward Alexander Root (The South Sydney Sentinel erroneously reported that Root was born on 20 June 1902.) However, according to Rugby League Project, military records show that Root was discharged in April 1917 when it was discovered he was underage.

Playing career A South Sydney junior, Root started playing first grade for Souths in 1923, becoming a mainstay in the side in 1926. That year he first tasted premiership success with Souths, who also won the following two years' competitions. He was sent off in the 1926 decider against University. He made his representative debut for New South Wales in 1927 and was regularly selected for the Blues over the next six seasons. He was selected to go on the 1929–30 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, playing in fifteen tour matches but no Tests. When the NSWRL changed the South Sydney/Newtown boundary distinction in 1930 Root spent the following season with Newtown due to the strict residential criteria of the time. He then returned to Souths and played in the back-to-back premiership-winning Souths sides of 1931 and 1932.

In 1935 he was signed by St. George and scored two tries in the record-breaking 91–6 win over competition newcomers Canterbury-Bankstown before later becoming the club's captain-coach. He played with Saints for two seasons before retiring. His son, Stan Root was also a St. George Dragons player between 1941 and 1950.

Death Root died on 7 May 1986 at Brighton-Le-Sands, New South Wales,

Notes and references