There are some who spurn, others who yearn and the ones who earn, and Valmore Murphy is the latter. Val, just awarded life membership of the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League for his major contribution to the game’s development, has been an outstanding advocate for rugby league in Western Australia and has, over many years, ensured that players have been given every opportunity to develop and play at the highest level.

Val is best known in the context of these Notes for his own rugby league playing prowess at ASOPA [1961-62] and, while teaching in Papua New Guinea, for his sporting endeavours there as well as his initiatives in organising and managhing tours: NSW Combined High Schools to PNG 1967-76 and a PNG tour of NSW in 1973.

Val – already a life member of the WA Rugby League - has been an Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League delegate for Western Australia since 1999 and was the State’s team manager from 1994-2002. He was also the Affiliated States’ team manager in 1999, 2002 and 2003. And, in 2007, inaugural team manager for the Combined Affiliated States team. All of this contributed hugely to raising the profile of rugby league in Western Australia and in other non-traditional rugby league states.

As Principal of Aranmore Catholic College, Val established the Rugby League Academy in 2001. This supported new pathways to elite rugby league players from Western Australia. The number of players who travelled to the eastern states to pursue rugby league is a testament to Val’s work. The College also toured Great Britain in 2000 and South Africa in 2001.

The citation for Val’s life membership describes him as “a man of great integrity and wit [who] has always been a strong advocate for Rugby League, both in Western Australia and at ASSRL Council. He is truly worthy of this awarding of ASSRL Life Membership.”

And so say all of us.