Len Killeen

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
19-11-1938
N/A
16-06-1962
Uitenhage RUFC- SA
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
18-08-1962 v Salford
Wakefield Trinity
1967- Balmain Australia
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1962-1966
187 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
115
408
0
1161

Biography of Len Killeen



HERITAGE NO : 798
Len Killeen by Dave Dooley:
This popular South African played for the Saints in the mid-sixties. His scoring prowess was an integral part of the great cup winning sides of this era. He was extremely quick with an excellent elusive swerve. Len was also one the sweetest kickers of a rugby ball ever to have laced a boot in the Knowsley Road dressing rooms. A summer signing his debut was nothing short of sensational.

In his first season Len also to cross the line four times in a match against Huddersfield ending his inaugural campaign with 25 tries from 27 matches. The following season realised a modest try return of 13 tries. However, this included a vital try in the 1963 Lancashire Cup Final 15 points to 4 victory over Leigh. In the same season he collected another winner`s medal as Saints lifted the Western Divisional Championship by defeating by 10 points to 7. Remarkably Len Killeen did not kick a goal for the Saints in his first two seasons. At the time a certain Mr Kelvin Coslett was in charge of the kicking department at Knowsley Road.

The 1964/65 season presented Len with an opportunity to take over the kicking duties. Killeen duly obliged with a haul of 140 goals to add to 26 touchdowns as Len topped the League`s points scoring charts with a total of 358 points. One of these tries came in the home league match against Warrington. With Saints leading by 21 points to ten at the end of a magnificent match, Len picked up a bouncing ball behind his own tryline in the Scoreboard corner of the ground. He burst through a gap between the Wire`s opposing centre and winger. He accelerated over the 25 yards line and leaving the Warrington defence in his wake furrowed a straight line as only the tenacious Parry Gordon gave chase. After 79 minutes of a tough and tense battle Len`s nerve and pace held as he curved round to score a try next to posts that was measured later to be over 100 yards in length. An exhausted Killeen was bent double behind the Warrington line unable to attempt the conversion. After a minute Len was wearing his endearing grin as the referee blew the final whistle. This personal tally contributed to a fifth consecutive Lancashire Cup triumph, the League Leader`s Trophy and a Lancashire League Championship for the Saints.

`Lenny the Lion` and the team reached an all-time high in the 1965/66 season as four trophies were brought to the Knowsley Road strong-room. Many Saints` fans will revel in memories of the fantastic climax to that particular season. In a gruelling Challenge Cup semi-final against a brave Dewsbury outfit it was down to Len to carry the Saints down the Wembley Way. Len intercepted a wide pass and dash 90 yards to score the try that broke the Yorkshire team`s spirit. Indeed Len netted all the Saints` points in the 12 points to 5 victory that day. The 21 points to 2 Challenge Cup Final victory over Wigan demonstrated Len`s all round skills. His first half 65 yards penalty goal kick broke the heart of the Wigan defence. In the second half he capitalised on a perfectly judged grubber kick from Billy Benyon to collect the ball and dive over in the corner in one continuous movement. It wasn`t the only object that Len gleefully scooped up that afternoon. In the players` tunnel at the conclusion of the match David Coleman informed him that he had been chosen for the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match. Len`s heartfelt response characterised the resolve and ambition that had been realised that afternoon:

"Oh Fantastic! It was my ambition in Rugby League. The furthest I can go. I`ve got no words for it."

One week later Len was in the limelight again as Saints demonstrated their superiority over all other club sides with a 35 points to 12 demolition of Halifax in the 1966 Championship Final Len crowned a fabulous season with a hat trick and 6 goals. This haul of 21 points (Saints` lucky number) produced a unique achievement for the man from Port Elizabeth. He finished the season at the top of the League`s tries, goals and points chart.

Len`s final season, the 1966/67 campaign, was very much an `After the Lord Mayor`s Show` affair with a Saints` camp unsettled following the departure of Alex Murphy and the introduction of limited tackle football. Saints had to be content with a third successive Lancashire League triumph as Len finished the season with an impressive 19 tries and 148 goals to top the league`s Points Scoring Chart for the third consecutive campaign. This tally included hat tricks against Salford and Widnes and a 24 points haul from 9 goals and 2 tries in the league home game against Salford.

At the end of the 1966/67 season Len Killeen went down under to join the Balmain Tigers where he continued his record breaking exploits. His season tally of 209 points will forever remain a Tigers record as the club became part of the new West Tigers clun in 1999. Len also played in the Australian 1969 Grand Final when the Balmain Tigers beat red hot favourites South Sydney by 11 points to 2 with the trusty left boot of Killeen kicking two penalty goals.

Len died in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in October 2011, aged 72.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1962~6325 0 0 27
1963~64 13 0 0 29
1964~65 26 140 0 43
1965~66 32 120 0 44
1966~67 19 148 0 44
TOTALS:115 408 0 187
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1962~632001
1963~640001
1964~650102
1965~66 0301
TOTALS:2405

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
10th Aug 1962 --
W
 5 Liverpool City* Fr Charity Cup H 33 2 2 VIEW
18th Aug 1962 1
W
 5 Salford WDC A 35 24 3 VIEW
22nd Aug 1962 2
W
 5 Leigh WDC H 21 3 2 VIEW
25th Aug 1962 3
W
 5 Blackpool Borough WDC H 21 12 VIEW
30th Aug 1962 4
W
 5 Liverpool City WDC A 16 9 VIEW
1st Sep 1962 5
W
 5 Salford WDC H 59 0 3 VIEW
8th Sep 1962 6
W
 5 Liverpool City LC1 H 22 0 VIEW
15th Sep 1962 7
W
 5 Leigh WDC A 20 10 1 VIEW
18th Sep 1962 8
W
 5 Blackpool Borough LC2 A 14 3 2 VIEW
22nd Sep 1962 9
W
 5 Liverpool City WDC H 32 3 1 VIEW
29th Sep 1962 10
D
 5 Blackpool Borough WDC A 12 12 VIEW
2nd Oct 1962 11
W
 5 Oldham LCSF A 10 8 2 VIEW
6th Oct 1962 12
L
 5 Warrington L A 13 21 1 VIEW
9th Oct 1962 13
L
 5 Widnes WDCSF H 9 10 VIEW
13th Oct 1962 14
D
 5 Castleford L H 10 10 VIEW
3rd Nov 1962 15
L
 5 Leeds L A 7 14 VIEW
17th Nov 1962 16
W
 5 Castleford L A 8 7 2 VIEW
24th Nov 1962 17
W
 5 Huddersfield L H 36 3 4 VIEW
1st Dec 1962 18
L
 5 Workington Town L A 5 8 VIEW
8th Dec 1962 19
W
 5 Leeds L H 13 6 VIEW
15th Dec 1962 20
L
 5 Wakefield Trinity L A 7 10 VIEW
22nd Dec 1962 21
W
 5 Hull L H 27 14 1 VIEW
9th Mar 1963 22
L
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 2 3 VIEW
11th Mar 1963 23
L
 5 Halifax CC1 A 2 9 VIEW
26th Mar 1963 24
W
 5 Wigan L H 20 11 1 VIEW
13th Apr 1963 25
L
 5 Swinton L A 8 9 VIEW
20th Apr 1963 26
W
 5 Featherstone Rovers L H 18 5 2 VIEW
27th Apr 1963 27
L
 5 Hull L A 7 15 VIEW
17th Aug 1963 --
W
 5 Liverpool City* Fr Charity Cup H 34 8 VIEW
24th Aug 1963 28
L
 5 Huddersfield L H 7 10 1 VIEW
28th Aug 1963 29
W
 5 Castleford L H 20 11 VIEW
31st Aug 1963 30
W
 5 Keighley L A 18 6 1 VIEW
2nd Sep 1963 31
W
 5 Hunslet L A 15 7 VIEW
26th Oct 1963 32
W
 2 Leigh LCF N 15 4 1 VIEW
2nd Nov 1963 33
W
 2 Warrington L H 19 8 VIEW
16th Nov 1963 34
D
 2 Featherstone Rovers L H 11 11 VIEW
30th Nov 1963 35
W
 2 Liverpool City WDC H 16 0 VIEW
7th Dec 1963 36
W
 5 Wakefield Trinity L A 8 7 VIEW
14th Dec 1963 37
L
 5 Halifax L H 12 13 VIEW
1st Jan 1964 38
L
 5 Swinton L H 6 8 VIEW
4th Jan 1964 39
W
 2 Salford WDC A 15 5 1 VIEW
11th Jan 1964 40
L
 5 Hunslet L H 10 12 VIEW
7th Mar 1964 41
W
 2 Huddersfield L A 16 11 VIEW
14th Mar 1964 42
W
 2 Workington Town L H 14 8 VIEW
21st Mar 1964 43
W
 5 Whitehaven WDC H 50 7 3 VIEW
27th Mar 1964 44
W
 5 Wigan L H 11 5 VIEW
28th Mar 1964 45
W
 5 Salford WDC H 24 13 VIEW
30th Mar 1964 46
W
 3 Swinton L A 10 7 VIEW
4th Apr 1964 47
L
 5 Widnes L H 6 10 VIEW
8th Apr 1964 48
L
 4 Featherstone Rovers L A 12 19 VIEW
11th Apr 1964 49
W
 5 Wakefield Trinity L H 24 10 VIEW
15th Apr 1964 50
W
 5 Whitehaven WDC A 3 0 VIEW
18th Apr 1964 51
W
 2 Liverpool City WDC A 32 7 3 VIEW
22nd Apr 1964 52
W
 5 Wigan L A 22 13 2 VIEW
25th Apr 1964 53
W
 5 Widnes L A 19 8 VIEW
1st May 1964 54
W
 5 Oldham WDCSF H 22 11 1 VIEW
6th May 1964 55
W
 5 Hull L A 17 9 VIEW
16th May 1964 56
W
 5 Swinton WDCF N 10 7 VIEW
14th Aug 1964 --
W
 5 Swinton* Fr Gallie Cup H 22 2 VIEW
22nd Aug 1964 57
W
 5 Leigh L A 19 6 VIEW
24th Aug 1964 58
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 28 4 VIEW
29th Aug 1964 59
W
 5 Widnes L H 29 6 3 4 VIEW
31st Aug 1964 60
W
 5 Whitehaven L A 15 5 1 3 VIEW
5th Sep 1964 61
W
 5 Liverpool City LC1 A 41 11 1 7 VIEW
14th Sep 1964 62
W
 5 Barrow LC2 A 22 11 5 VIEW
19th Sep 1964 63
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 6 4 VIEW
26th Sep 1964 64
W
 5 Featherstone Rovers L A 30 15 2 6 VIEW
29th Sep 1964 65
W
 5 Warrington LCSF A 10 8 1 VIEW
3rd Oct 1964 66
W
 5 Workington Town L H 32 6 2 7 VIEW
10th Oct 1964 67
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L A 31 9 2 8 VIEW
17th Oct 1964 68
W
 5 Featherstone Rovers L H 25 12 3 5 VIEW
24th Oct 1964 69
W
 5 Swinton LCF N 12 4 3 VIEW
31st Oct 1964 70
W
 5 Oldham L H 22 6 5 VIEW
7th Nov 1964 71
W
 5 Warrington L H 26 10 1 6 VIEW
14th Nov 1964 72
W
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 25 12 1 5 VIEW
21st Nov 1964 73
W
 5 Barrow L H 37 3 2 5 VIEW
19th Dec 1964 74
W
 5 Leigh L H 10 7 1 2 VIEW
1st Jan 1965 75
W
 5 Swinton L A 11 5 1 3 VIEW
9th Jan 1965 76
W
 5 Liverpool City L H 23 3 4 VIEW
16th Jan 1965 77
L
 5 Warrington L A 4 6 VIEW
23rd Jan 1965 78
W
 5 Whitehaven L H 16 3 2 VIEW
27th Jan 1965 --
W
 5 Other Nationalities* Fr Opening of Floodl H 19 2 1 VIEW
6th Feb 1965 79
W
 5 Castleford CC1 H 22 9 1 VIEW
13th Feb 1965 80
L
 5 Workington Town L A 3 4 VIEW
16th Feb 1965 81
W
 5 Salford L H 12 6 VIEW
20th Feb 1965 82
W
 5 Huddersfield L H 28 6 1 VIEW
27th Feb 1965 83
L
 5 Wigan CC2 A 2 7 VIEW
13th Mar 1965 84
W
 5 Oldham L A 15 9 6 VIEW
16th Mar 1965 85
L
 5 Wakefield Trinity L H 2 9 1 VIEW
20th Mar 1965 86
L
 5 Wakefield Trinity L A 4 5 2 VIEW
23rd Mar 1965 87
L
 5 Wigan L H 6 10 3 VIEW
27th Mar 1965 88
L
 5 Salford L A 8 11 4 VIEW
30th Mar 1965 89
W
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 8 2 1 VIEW
5th Apr 1965 90
W
 5 Barrow L A 21 14 3 VIEW
9th Apr 1965 91
W
 5 Liverpool City L A 11 0 4 VIEW
16th Apr 1965 92
W
 5 Wigan L A 16 8 1 4 VIEW
17th Apr 1965 93
W
 5 Widnes L A 14 2 1 4 VIEW
19th Apr 1965 94
W
 5 Swinton L H 16 5 2 VIEW
21st Apr 1965 95
W
 5 Huddersfield L A 20 6 7 VIEW
24th Apr 1965 96
W
 5 Barrow Ch1 H 23 7 4 VIEW
30th Apr 1965 97
W
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers Ch2 H 24 6 6 VIEW
15th May 1965 98
W
 5 Wakefield Trinity ChSF H 10 5 1 2 VIEW
22nd May 1965 99
L
 5 Halifax ChF N 7 15 1 2 VIEW
14th Aug 1965 --
L
 5 Swinton * Fr Gallie Cup A 9 11 3 VIEW
20th Aug 1965 100
W
 5 Halifax L H 15 4 4 VIEW
24th Aug 1965 101
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 9 VIEW
15th Sep 1965 102
W
 5 New Zealand Tour H 28 7 1 1 VIEW
18th Sep 1965 103
W
 5 Castleford L H 21 6 VIEW
27th Sep 1965 104
W
 5 Widnes L A 9 4 1 VIEW
1st Oct 1965 105
W
 5 Oldham L H 23 17 1 VIEW
5th Oct 1965 106
W
 5 Leigh FT1 H 25 19 1 2 VIEW
9th Oct 1965 107
W
 5 Barrow L H 18 14 VIEW
16th Oct 1965 108
W
 5 Salford L A 15 11 1 2 VIEW
23rd Oct 1965 109
W
 5 Workington Town L H 43 4 1 1 VIEW
30th Oct 1965 110
W
 5 Barrow L A 15 10 1 VIEW
9th Nov 1965 --NPS
W
 14 Huddersfield L H 11 4 VIEW
13th Nov 1965 111
W
 5 Workington Town L A 7 3 1 2 VIEW
16th Nov 1965 112
W
 5 Leeds FT2 H 21 9 1 4 VIEW
19th Nov 1965 113
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 19 7 1 5 VIEW
27th Nov 1965 114
D
 5 Wakefield Trinity L H 9 9 1 3 VIEW
4th Dec 1965 115
W
 5 Whitehaven L A 4 2 2 VIEW
7th Dec 1965 116
W
 5 Swinton FTSF H 9 5 2 VIEW
14th Dec 1965 117
L
 5 Castleford FTF H 0 4 VIEW
17th Dec 1965 118
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L H 21 9 2 3 VIEW
1st Jan 1966 119
W
 5 Salford L H 16 3 1 5 VIEW
8th Jan 1966 120
L
 5 Oldham L A 9 13 1 3 VIEW
29th Jan 1966 121
W
 5 Halifax L A 5 2 1 VIEW
1st Feb 1966 122
W
 5 Widnes L H 9 4 3 VIEW
5th Feb 1966 123
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L A 25 11 2 5 VIEW
14th Feb 1966 124
W
 5 Leigh L H 17 2 1 2 VIEW
19th Feb 1966 125
L
 5 Wakefield Trinity L A 12 20 3 VIEW
26th Feb 1966 126
W
 5 Wakefield Trinity CC1 A 10 0 2 VIEW
1st Mar 1966 127
W
 5 Warrington L H 22 6 2 5 VIEW
8th Mar 1966 128
W
 5 Liverpool City L H 16 2 1 2 VIEW
12th Mar 1966 129
W
 5 Huddersfield L A 8 7 4 VIEW
19th Mar 1966 130
W
 5 Swinton CC2 H 16 4 1 5 VIEW
23rd Mar 1966 131
W
 5 Leigh L A 6 5 3 VIEW
26th Mar 1966 132
L
 5 Wigan L A 8 17 1 VIEW
2nd Apr 1966 133
W
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers CC3 H 12 10 3 VIEW
8th Apr 1966 134
W
 5 Wigan L H 17 10 3 VIEW
11th Apr 1966 135
L
 5 Swinton L A 6 20 3 VIEW
16th Apr 1966 136
W
 5 Dewsbury CCSF N 12 5 2 3 VIEW
22nd Apr 1966 137
L
 5 Swinton L H 10 15 2 VIEW
25th Apr 1966 138
W
 5 Liverpool City L A 28 3 5 VIEW
30th Apr 1966 139
W
 5 Warrington Ch1 H 35 7 2 7 VIEW
7th May 1966 140
W
 5 Oldham Ch2 H 15 10 1 3 VIEW
14th May 1966 141
W
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers ChSF H 14 6 2 4 VIEW
21st May 1966 142
W
 5 Wigan CCF N 21 2 1 5 VIEW
28th May 1966 143
W
 5 Halifax ChF N 35 12 3 6 VIEW
19th Aug 1966 144
D
 5 Widnes L A 10 10 2 VIEW
23rd Aug 1966 145
L
 5 Warrington L H 6 10 3 VIEW
27th Aug 1966 146
W
 5 Salford L H 42 7 2 9 VIEW
29th Aug 1966 147
L
 5 Wakefield Trinity L A 15 28 3 VIEW
3rd Sep 1966 148
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets LC1 A 18 16 2 VIEW
7th Sep 1966 149
W
 5 Salford FTP(1) A 19 10 1 5 VIEW
10th Sep 1966 150
W
 5 Liverpool City L A 35 12 2 4 VIEW
14th Sep 1966 151
L
 5 Wigan LC2 A 9 11 1 3 VIEW
17th Sep 1966 152
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L A 23 14 7 VIEW
24th Sep 1966 153
D
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 17 4 VIEW
26th Sep 1966 154
W
 5 Salford FTP(2) H 40 5 2 8 VIEW
30th Sep 1966 155
W
 5 Whitehaven L H 35 12 1 7 VIEW
7th Oct 1966 156
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L H 25 6 5 VIEW
14th Oct 1966 157
W
 5 Wakefield Trinity L H 18 15 3 VIEW
18th Oct 1966 158
W
 5 Swinton FT1 H 11 9 1 VIEW
22nd Oct 1966 159
W
 5 Salford L A 30 3 3 5 VIEW
28th Oct 1966 160
W
 5 Leeds L H 16 3 1 2 VIEW
1st Nov 1966 161
D
 5 Barrow FT2 A 11 11 1 VIEW
2nd Nov 1966 162
L
 5 Leigh L A 5 29 1 VIEW
18th Nov 1966 163
W
 5 Barrow L H 16 11 4 VIEW
26th Nov 1966 164
W
 5 Huddersfield L A 15 10 3 VIEW
2nd Dec 1966 165
L
 5 Castleford L A 7 25 2 VIEW
9th Dec 1966 166
W
 5 Leigh L H 4 0 1 VIEW
17th Dec 1966 167
W
 5 Workington Town L A 16 9 4 VIEW
26th Dec 1966 168
W
 5 Wigan L H 8 3 1 VIEW
27th Dec 1966 169
W
 5 Warrington L A 9 8 3 VIEW
2nd Jan 1967 170
D
 5 Swinton L A 9 9 3 VIEW
21st Jan 1967 171
L
 5 Workington Town L H 5 6 1 VIEW
27th Jan 1967 172
W
 5 Oldham L H 25 7 5 VIEW
3rd Feb 1967 173
D
 5 Salford CC1 A 5 5 1 VIEW
7th Feb 1967 174
L
 5 Salford CC1(rep) H 3 8 VIEW
11th Feb 1967 175
W
 5 Liverpool City L H 23 6 7 VIEW
17th Feb 1967 176
L
 5 Oldham L A 7 8 2 VIEW
4th Mar 1967 177
L
 5 Leeds L A 20 26 6 VIEW
10th Mar 1967 178
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 17 2 3 VIEW
18th Mar 1967 179
W
 5 Huddersfield L H 11 4 4 VIEW
24th Mar 1967 180
W
 5 Wigan L A 21 7 1 2 VIEW
25th Mar 1967 181
L
 5 Whitehaven L A 3 4 VIEW
7th Apr 1967 182
W
 5 Widnes L H 25 10 3 4 VIEW
14th Apr 1967 183
W
 5 Leigh Ch1 H 37 12 2 7 VIEW
22nd Apr 1967 184
W
 5 Bradford Northern Ch2 H 15 8 2 VIEW
29th Apr 1967 185
W
 5 Castleford ChSF H 14 3 4 VIEW
6th May 1967 186
D
 5 Wakefield Trinity ChF N 7 7 2 VIEW
10th May 1967 187
L
 5 Wakefield Trinity ChF(rep) N 9 21 2 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 142 | LOSSES : 41 | DRAWS : 10

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