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HallOfFame

Louis Victor Armbruster

Second Row

Player Bio

Inducted:
2008
Date of Birth:
12 July 1902
Birthplace:
Meerschaum Vale, NSW
Nickname:
Vic
Debut Team:
New South Wales
Date:
23 September 1922
Opposition:
Queensland
Venue:
Sydney Sports Ground, NSW
Representative:
New South Wales, Queensland, Australia
Clubs:
Mullumbimby, Valleys Toowoomba, Grammars Brisbane, Valleys Brisbane, Bundaberg, Rochdale Hornets

Career

Milestones

  • Premierships: 1927
  • Kangaroo Tour: 1929-30
  • Rated No. 85 in Rugby League Week’s Top 100 players: 1992

Playing

First Class Games
238
Points
217
Tries
63

Biography

'Vic' Armbruster was one of the best of the many NSW players to head to Queensland in the 1920s. Born in the small farming community of Meerschaum Vale, near Lismore, Armbruster was only 20 when he won selection for NSW in the only interstate clash of 1922.

A tall second-rower, Armbruster settled in Toowoomba in 1924, and made an immediate impact on his new club Valleys, where he teamed with future Test stars Herb Steinohrt and Dan Dempsey.

The trio became automatic selections for Toowoomba and eventually Queensland. Armbruster, Steinohrt and Dempsey all played in the famous match between Toowoomba and England in 1924, when the local team won 23–20.

It was after this match that the mayor of Toowoomba, Doug Annand tagged the team the ''Galloping Clydesdales''.

A noted ball handler with the ability to slip a pass when surrounded by defenders and a player renowned for ''dropping back to take the high punts'', Armbruster's international career began in the second Ashes Test of 1924.

He played all three Tests against England in 1928 and was one of the first forwards chosen for the 1929–30 Kangaroo tour. His partnership with George Treweek in the Australian second row for three of the four Tests was hailed as one of the finest combinations ever to wear the green and gold.

Armbruster returned to England in 1931, playing with fellow Australians Cec Aynsley and Bill Spencer at the Rochdale Hornets club, his career winding down in 1935.

“Vic Armbruster’s play left an impression that he is the greatest forward since Frank Burge.”

Mick Fihelly, 1935 Journalist

22. Vic Armbruster - Hall of Fame

Career Stats

Club Career

Club
Team Name Competition Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
Grammars Brisbane Brisbane Club Competition
1926
1930
1928
1930
27 5 3 - 21
Valleys Brisbane QRL Club Competition 1929 1930 9 3 5 - 19
Rochdale Hornets England First Class Games 1931 1935 106 15 - - 45

Representative Career

Intercity

Intercity
Team Name Competition Opponent Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
Toowoomba Bulimba Cup 1925 1925 4 3 - - 9
Toowoomba Touring Sides 1924 1925 2 - - - -
Brisbane
1926
1930
1930
1930
18 4 1 - 14

State

State
Team Name Competition Opponent Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
New South Wales Interstate Series Queensland 1922 1922 1 - - - -
Queensland Interstate Series New South Wales 1924 1931 26 9 3 - 33
Queensland Victoria 1924 1924 - 1 1 - 5
Queensland Touring Sides
1924
1928
1930
1925
1928
1930
6 3 1 - 11
Queensland Tour Matches 1925 1925 8 6 - - 18

International

International
Team Name Competition Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
Australia Tests
1924
1928
1924
1930
8 2 - - 6
Australia Tour Matches 1929 1930 16 6 - - 18

Other Representative

Other Representative
Team Name Opponent Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
Combined Country-Newcastle Metropolis 1923 1923 1 - - - -
South Queensland North Queensland 1927 1927 1 1 - - 3
Queensland The Rest 1927 1928 2 3 - - 9
Other Nationalities 1933 1933 1 1 - - 3

Hall of Fame Members

Acknowledgement of Country

National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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