Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
68	68	0	33	0	0	99

Few players can have made such an impressive introduction to rugby league than Gary Waterworth, who burst onto the scene in 1961. He had been playing rugby union at Roundhay and was recommended to Featherstone by Ken Baxter, a Rovers scout. It was arranged that Waterworth would have trials in the 'A' team, the first of which was at Bramley in the opening game of the season.  On that eventful Friday night, he scored two brilliant tries which caused the Rovers officials to go into a hurried conference and offer terms immediately after the match. He signed, and was put straight into the senior team at home to Dewsbury on 30 August 1961.What a debut! He roused the crowd with a dazzling hat-trick. For his third try he received the ball 40 yards out and in a curving run to the corner flag he outpaced the Dewsbury defence to earn a great ovation from players and  crowd alike.

Such was his rise to fame that six weeks later he made his Yorkshire county debut v Lancashire at Leigh on 9 October and he was then selected as reserve winger for the Great Britain side against the New Zealanders. In 27 games, he scored 20 tries and everyone looked to him to set a new club try-scoring record in his first season. It was then, however, that he experienced the full twist of football fate when he pulled a thigh muscle in the cup game with Leigh in March 1962 and he was out for the rest of the season. His absence in the RL Cup and League Championship semi-finals against Wakefield was a big blow.

Raring to go at the beginning of the next season, he lost the tip of one of his fingers in an accident which delayed his return until 20 October. Immediately, he showed that he had lost none of his verve and the 27-27 drawn game at Wakefield two weeks later was one of his best ever games. He created the opening for the first try by Greatorex and in the second half he scored one of the best of many brilliant tries. From the half-way line he beat his opposing winger and fullback in a perfectly  executed run to score under the posts. Rather surprisingly, he later confided that he always felt uncomfortable on the wing and preferred centre.

He started his third season, 1963/64, with another typical burst and he registered five tries in the opening five games. Unfortunately, injury again intervened and he had to miss the Yorkshire Cup final against Halifax. Although he resumed, a shoulder injury at Warrington in April 1964 again disrupted his progress. It did not improve and in November 1964 he decided to retire after only three years.  Having been injury free throughout his rugby union career, it was unfortunate that he should suffer so many on turning professional.  It deprived the game of a remarkable talent which became evident in a very short period and which could have established him as a great star. His blistering pace was his main asset, but, unlike other fliers, he did not hesitate or ease up when confronted by massing defenders. No wonder coach Harold Moxon described him as the fastest finisher he had ever seen at Featherstone.

 

Biography by Ron Bailey