1956 Australia Men's National Team Results
Researched by Alan Garside, David Hearder, Andre Kruger and Doug Butcher, written by Greg Stock

| 1955 | A-Internationals | B-Internationals | Index | 1957

Friendly Matches | Western Australia | South Australia | Victorian XI | Tasmania | Victoria | Queensland | New South Wales | New South Wales | New South Wales | USSR | Great Britain | India | Yugoslavia | India | West Germany | West Germany | HMS Newcastle

Source: Page authors, Daily newspapers

Friendly Matches

Saturday July 14 1956
Bayswater Oval, Bayswater, Perth, Australia
Referee: Ben Owenell (Australia)
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIAN XI
Bill Henderson, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, Bob Wemyss, Alwyn Warren, Cliff Sander, Don Brown, Spencer Kitching, Colin Kitching, Graham McMillan, Brian Vogler
Manager: Not recorded
Goals: C.Kitching 17, _, Vogler 43, S.Kitching 65
4 - 1 Western Australia
Frank Franken, Noel Adair, Ron Adair, Con Purser (c), R.Lynn, Doug Stewart, Don West, Tom Clayton, R.Churchward, Bill Adair, W.McBirnie
Manager: Not recorded
Goal: B.Adair
With Australia hosting the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne the Australian Olympic squad toured the country playing a number of warm-up games to select a final squad and prepare for the tournament.

Tuesday July 17 1956
Norwood Oval, Norwood, Adelaide, Australia
Referee: Karney (Australia)
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIAN XI
Lineup Included; Bill Henderson, Bill Harburn, Bob Wemyss, Alwyn Warren, Frank Loughran, Spencer Kitching, Colin Kitching
Manager: Not recorded
Goals: C.Kitching (x2), S.Kitching
3 - 2 South Australia
Jim McCabe, Charles Di Bartolo, Vic Ciampi (c), Jack Mather, Max Lucchesi, Giuseppe Chiappin, N.Ragno, K.Welker, Alec Beattie, B.Esca, A.Costalunga
Manager: Not recorded
Goals: Beattie, Ragno

Thursday July 19 1956
Melbourne Showground, Ascot Vale, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Rodger Carr (Australia)
Attendance: 300
AUSTRALIAN XI
Lineup Included; Bill Henderson, Brian Vogler
Manager: Not recorded
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known
3 - 0 Victorian XI
Lineup Included; Del Mannering
Manager: Not recorded

Saturday July 21 1956
South Hobart Oval, South Hobart, Australia
Referee: G.Evans (Australia)
Linesmen: A.Mackie and S.Kelly (Australia)
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIAN XI
Bill Henderson, Bob Bignell (c), Bill Harburn, Bob Wemyss, Alwyn Waren, Cliff Sander, Sid Thomas, Spencer Kitching, Colin Kitching, Graham McMillan, Brian Vogler
Manager: Richard Telfer
Goals: C.Kitching (x5), McMillan (x4), S.Kitching (x2), Vogler (x2 incl a pen), Thomas, Sander
15 - 1 Tasmania
Harry Wise, Terry Clark, C.Robertson, Terry Clark, Alastair Rattray (c), B.Lancaster, Ben Wood, George Arnott, Walter Worsey, Terry Patterson, Des Kenna
Manager: David Smith
Goal: Patterson 45
The first time an Australian representative team played in Tasmania was this next match in the Olympic selection trials.
Match Day Programme

Sunday July 22 1956
South Melbourne Cricket Ground, South Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: 4,000
AUSTRALIAN XI
Lineup Included; Bill Henderson, Bob Wemyss, Cliff Sander, Don Brown, Graham McMillan, Colin Kitching
Manager: Not recorded
Goals: Brown, McMillan, Sander 44
3 - 0 Victoria
Ray Barotajs, H.Jakubowski, Cor Mathyssen, Tony Vella, Tom Jack, Bob Zablocki, Sid Thomas, Frank Loughran, Don Hodgson, Mike de Bruyckere, Ted Smith
Manager: Len Young

Saturday August 4 1956
Heath Park, East Brisbane, Australia
Referee: Bill Malcolm (Australia)
Attendance: 3,000
AUSTRALIAN XI
Bill Henderson, Bob Bignall (c), Bill Harburn, Bob Wemyss, John Pettigrew, Bob Young, Peter Stone, Jack Lennard, Alex Beattie, Ray Neal, Malcolm Wild
Manager: Bill Thomas
Goals: Beattie (x2), Wild (x2), Lennard
5 - 2 Queensland
John Speare, Gordon Kathage, Ken Proudlock, Norm Rule, Nobby Clarke, Cliff Sander, Forest Cleeton, Spencer Kitching, Gordon Nunn, Alan Pitcairn, Brian Vogler
Manager: Not recorded
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known

Sunday August 5 1956
Sydney Sports Ground, Moore Park, Sydney, Australia
Referee: Ron Wright (Australia)
Linesmen: Herbert Imlay and Norm Vidler (Australia)
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIAN XI
Bill Henderson, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, Bob Wemyss, Cliff Sander, Don Brown, Bill Harburn, Frank Loughran, Peter Stone, Alec Beattie, Ted Smith
Manager: Not recorded
Goals: Loughran (x2), Stone
3 - 4 New South Wales
Lineup Included; Ron Lord, Bill Taylor, Bill Williams, George Arthur (c), Bob Young, Bruce Morrow, Charlie Stewart, Ray Neal, Harry Robertson
Manager: Bernard Bryant
Goals: Stewart (x3), Neal

Saturday August 18 1956
Sydney Sports Ground, Moore Park, Sydney, Australia
Referee: Herbert Imlay
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIAN XI
Bill Henderson, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, Bob Wemyss, Alwyn Warren, Cliff Sander, Don Brown, Frank Loughran, Charlie Stewart, Graham McMillan, Brian Vogler
Manager: Robert Telfer
Goal: McMillan 76
1 - 3 New South Wales
Ron Lord, Bill Taylor, Harry Murdoch, Bill Williams (c), George Arthur, Bob Young, Bruce Morrow, Joe Kendall, Bill Collins, Ray Neal, Geoff Campbell
Manager: Bernard Bryant
Goals: Neal 5, 62 pen, Morrow 25
Match Day Programme

Sunday August 19 1956
Crystal Palace Ground, Wallsend, Newcastle, Australia
Referee: Keith Urwin (Australia)
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIAN XI
Bill Henderson, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, Bob Wemyss, Alwyn Warren, Bill Harburn, Peter Stone, Jack Lennard, Alan Garside, Graham McMillan, Ted Smith
Manager: Robert Telfer
Goal: McMillan
1 - 0 New South Wales
Ron Lord, Bill Mullen, Harry Murdoch, Bill Williams (c), George Arthur, Keith Grant, Bruce Morrow, Joe Kendall, Bill Collins, Ray Neal, Geoff Campbell
Manager: Bernard Bryant
Match Day Programme

Thursday November 15 1956
Melbourne Showground, Ascot Vale, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: 6,000
AUSTRALIA
Lineup Included; Ron Lord (Bill Henderson 46), Cliff Sander
Coach: Len Young
Goal: Sander 7
1 - 15 Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Gavrill Kachalin
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known
Once the Australian Olympic squad was selected they played a number of friendly games around Melbourne to prepare for the Olympic Games Finals.

Monday November 19 1956
Campbell Reserve, Coburg, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIA
Lineup Included; Ron Lord (Bill Henderson 46), Alec Beattie
Coach: Len Young
Goal: Beattie
1 - 3 Great Britain
Lineup Included; Harry Sharratt, Dexter Adams (Donald Stoker), Leslie Farrer (Terrence Robinson), Lawrence Topp, Herbert Dodkins (James Coates), John Hardisty, Derek Lewin, John Laybourne, James Lewis
Manager: Not recorded
Goals: Hrdisty, Lewin, Lewis

Tuesday November 20 1956
Campbell Reserve, Coburg, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIA
Lineup Included; Bill Henderson (Ron Lord 46)
Coach: Len Young
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known
3 - 1 India
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Syed Abdul Rahm
Goal: Goalscorer Not Known

Friday November 23 1956
Campbell Reserve, Coburg, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIA
Bill Henderson, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, Bob Wemyss, Alwyn Warren, Cliff Sander, Frank Loughran, Jack Lennard, Graham McMillan, Ted Smith, Bruce Morrow
Coach: Len Young
Goal: Goalscorer Not Known
1 - 5 Yugsolavia
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Milovan Ciric
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known

Sunday November 25 1956
Olympic Village, Heidelberg West, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIA
Ron Lord, Bob Bignall (c), John Pettigrew, Bob Wemyss, George Arthur, Cliff Sander, Bruce Morrow, Frank Loughran (Colin Kitching 46), Jack Lennard, Graham McMillan, Ted Smith
Coach: Len Young
Goal: Goalscorers Not Known
3 - 4 India
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Syed Abdul Rahm
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known

Wednesday November 28 1956
Olympic Village, Heidelberg West, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIA
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Len Young
Goal: Goalscorers Not Known
3 - 3 West Germany
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Sepp Herberger
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known

Thursday November 29 1956
Olympic Village, Heidelberg West, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIA
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Len Young
Goal: Goalscorers Not Known
1 - 5 Yugsolavia
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Milovan Ciric
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known
This second match may not have been a full match, in any case no score for this game has been found. The information comes from the personal recollection of goalkeeper Ron Lord who kept a diary throughout the 1956 Olympics. A copy can be found at Southern Cross.

Thursday December 6 1956
Campbell Reserve, Coburg, Melbourne, Australia
Referee: Not recorded
Attendance: Not recorded
AUSTRALIA
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Len Young
Goal: Goalscorers Not Known
7 - 2 H.M.S. Newcastle
Lineup Not Known
Coach: Not recorded
Goals: Goalscorers Not Known
Match against a team from the Royal Navy ship H.M.S. Newcastle
 

Last updated: 17 November 2021.