Rex Mossop, Australian rugby player and television commentator died he was , 83.

Rex Peers Mossop was an Australian rugby league and rugby union footballer—a dual-code international, and an Australian television personality from 1964 until 1991.


(18 February 1928 – 17 June 2011)

Rugby union career

Mossop played rugby union for the Manly club and played eight tests for the Wallabies from 1948 to 1951. His international rugby union career was played at lock.

Rugby league career

Switching to rugby league in the UK in 1951, he played with Rugby Football League Championship side Leigh. He returned to Australia in 1956, joining the Manly Sea Eagles and becoming the cornerstone of their forward pack in the late 1950s.
Ever an aggressive front-row forward, Mossop played in the Manly sides that lost to the St George Dragons in grand finals in 1957 and 1959. In the lead up to the 1959 Grand Final, rumours were circulating that Mossop was carrying a broken cheekbone. From the kick off, Saints' forwards took turns at testing Mossop's injury with Harry Bath giving him particular attention. For most of the match the Manly forward copped a hammering until in frustration, Mossop retaliated by standing on Bath's head. A brawl broke out between the two and the referee Darcy Lawler sent both off.
Notwithstanding his uncompromising playing style, Mossop won a newspaper's "best and fairest" award for the 1958 season.
He first represented Australia in rugby league at age 30 in 1958 in the first Test against Great Britain in Sydney, an appearance im which he became Australia's 25th dual code rugby international, following Ken Kearney and preceding Arthur Summons. He then toured with the Kangaroos to Great Britain in 1959-60 as vice-captain. He played a total of nine Tests for Australia.
He played 136 games for Manly, retiring in 1963 at age 35.^[3]

Commentator

As was normal for professional rugby league players of the time, Mossop had a full time job as a car salesman for one of Sydney's largest car dealers, Stacks Holden when he heard in 1963 that Channel 7 were advertising for a Sports Director. Despite not having any television or broadcasting experience Mossop beat out sixty applicants for the job, many of whom possessed more television credentials than he did.
Mossop first appeared on air in 1964 and called his first game in 1965, only four years after former player Ray Stehr had carried out the first ever commercial telecast on Channel 9 in 1961. He spent 20 years as host of a rugby league preview show including the "Controversy Corner" discussion segment. From the early 1970s till 1990 on Sydney channels Seven and then Ten he was the voice of rugby league and the pre-eminent TV match broadcast caller. His criticism of players and referees was blunt and uncompromising and his calling style was seen by opposing fans as parochially favouring Manly. His match commentaries and indeed his other forays into the public domain were often filled with tautological descriptors that in eastern state Australian vernacular became known as "Mossopisms":^[4][5] These mistakes also led to his nickname, "Rox Messup".^[6]

• "if I keep getting Boyd and O'Grady mixed up, it's because they look alike, especially around the head"
• "tiny, diminutive, little Mark Shulman"
• "he seems to be favouring a groin injury at the top of his leg"^[5]
• "now the referee's giving him a verbal tongue lashing"^[4]
• "I don't think the male genitals or the female genitals should be rammed down people's throats … to use a colloquialism."^[4]
• "He's made a great yardage of 25 metres."

He also recorded such classics as:

• "Son of a very famous father"
• "A little bit marginal"
• "Very mobile running"

The perceived parochialism towards Manly - and a gruff style that bordered on arrogance - often alienated him with league supporters, so much so that he was once famously hit in the side of the head with a piece of fruit thrown at him while giving a live post-match summary.^{[citation needed]} With his long association with Channel 7 many celebrities and media still refer to ATN Channel 7 as Channel REX.

Other television work

In 1970-71 he was the "Beast" on the television talk show Beauty and the Beast.^[7]

Honours

Mossop became a life member of the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) in 1999 in recognition of services to the game.
In 2006, Mossop was named in both the Manly Rugby League and Manly Rugby Union "best ever" sides, highlighting his enormous contribution to both codes.
Rex Mossop was awarded the Australian Sports Medal on 24 October 2000 for services to Rugby League.^[8]

Personal

Mossop was the younger son of Norman, a World War I veteran who had been wounded in battle at Passchendale, and Nellie Mossop (née Kirkpatrick). Born in Five Dock, New South Wales, he had an elder brother, Kirk, who later became a noted artist. The family lived in Five Dock but moved to Balgowlah by the time he was five. He attended Manly Boys High School leaving in 1943 to become, initially, an apprentice fitter and turner and later a sales representative for a variety of businesses prior to his career in television.
Mossop married Joan Mildred Bell on 26 October 1951 at St Matthews Church, Manly. ^[9] The couple had two sons, Kirk (1952) and Gregory (1956).

Death

In his final years, Mossop had suffered from Alzheimer's disease.^[2] He died aged 83 on 17 June 2011 at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney surrounded by family and friends.^[2] His funeral was held on 24 June 2011 at St Matthews Church, Manly.
As a mark of respect for Mossop, the Manly Sea Eagles players wore black armbands for their Round 15 clash with traditional rivals Parramatta on 20 June 2011 at Manly's home ground, Brookvale Oval, and a minute's silence was observed before kick off.^[10]

 

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