26 April 1931- 22 July 2011
Col Purcell was a tireless worker for Rugby League for many years, particularly in the Illawarra region. He was a life Member of the Illawarra Steelers, the Collegians RLFC, along with the Illawarra Senior, Junior and Minor Leagues. He was also awarded the first Life Membership of the Wollongong Diocese Catholic Schools Rugby League, which was an excellent effort from a Presbyterian.
Bubbles, as Col was known, was born in the Illawarra region and began playing with the Wollongong under 17 team in 1945. He then played some junior league with the old Unanderra-Keira club and next joined Wollongong Tech OBU. A first grader with Wollongong Wests in 1950 as a 19 year old in 1950, Col moved to the Wollongong club where he was a member of the 1951 Illawarra Premiership winning team. Wollongong defeated Corrimal 15-11 in that year's Grand Final. He went back to Wests in 1952 and then came to Sydney in 1953, where he had three seasons playing grade football with South Sydney. Col was a member of the Souths 1953 Reserve Grade Premiership winning team. After a season with Gosford in 1956, Col joined Eastern Suburbs in the Sydney competition. Col made his first grade debut that season, 1957, playing seven games in the top grade. He scored an excellent try at the Sports Ground for Easts firsts on 20 April, 1957 in their 19-14 win over Souths.
Back in his home town in 1958, Col four seasons with Collegians firsts then had one season with Gerringong in 1962 , followed by three years in the Corrimal first grade side. He then rejoined Collegians in 1966 playing grade football for the next three seasons, then back to Gerringong for one year in 1969, before finishing with Collegians in 1972 after three seasons playing in the minor grades. Col was 41 when he retired, after 26 years playing the game he loved.
After retiring, Col continued helping Rugby League and spent many years coaching and then in administration. He also worked as a columnist, publicising the game in the South Coast Times, the Illawarra Daily Mercury, the Illawarra Advertiser and the Sunday Telegraph from 1965 to 1994. He was also the editor of the Illawarra League's weekly programme for many years. In 2005 he was awarded an OAM for his services to Rugby League in the Illawarra district.
Col's wife Billie, helped and worked alongside her husband in his Rugby League endeavours. Billie passed away in February 2009 after the couple had been married for nearly 57 years. Col is survived by his son Craig and daughters Karen and Janice, plus several grandchildren.