Geoff Oakes
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Geoffrey Oakes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 May 1938 Belle Vue, Wakefield, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 30 May 2026 (aged 88) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Hooker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Geoffrey Oakes (20 May 1938 – 30 May 2026) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at club level for Wakefield Trinity (two spells) and Warrington as a hooker.
Background
[edit]Geoff Oakes was born in Belle Vue, Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England on 20 May 1938.[2] He worked at Walton Colliery c. 1960.[citation needed]
Oakes played soccer as a goalkeeper at Thornes House Grammar School and started playing rugby at age 16.[citation needed]
In 1955, he played two matches for Yorkshire Amateurs U-18 against Lancashire and Cumberland whilst with the Trinity Juniors and signed for Wakefield Trinity in 1956 and remained with Trinity until 1964.[citation needed] Oakes made his first team appearance with Harold Poynton and Reg Parker in 1958 against St Helens.[citation needed] He played in two winning Wembley finals, two championship finals and one Yorkshire Cup.[citation needed]
He signed for Warrington in 1964 and whilst there won a Lancashire Cup winners medal.[citation needed] In 1967 he returned to Wakefield and retired in 1968 after breaking a leg in a match against St Helens, missing the "water splash" final, having played in all previous rounds.[citation needed]
Oakes's other sporting interest was golf, and he was a former member and the past captain of the City of Wakefield Golf Club.[citation needed] He played in many pro-ams around the world, winning 25 events including Monaco, Trinidad and Tobago, Acapulco and Biarritz.[citation needed] Professionals played alongside included Mike Slater, Hedley Muscroft, Ronan Rafferty, Paul Carrigill, Bill Ferguson and local professional Adrian Ambler.[citation needed]
Oakes also became interested in Horse Riding and took part in one day hunter trials, winning at Heath, Wakefield and hunted several times with Rockwood and Badsworth hunts.[citation needed]
While owning the Quarry Inn, Horbury, he improved his cooking skills and continued to do so in retirement.[citation needed]
Geoff had two children and two grandchildren.[citation needed] He died on 30 May 2026, aged 88.[3]
Playing career
[edit]Championship final appearances
[edit]Oakes played hooker in Wakefield Trinity's 3–27 defeat by Wigan in the Championship Final during the 1959–60 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 21 May 1960,[4] and played hooker in the 5–14 defeat by Huddersfield in the Championship Final during the 1961–62 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 19 May 1962.[citation needed]
Challenge Cup Final appearances
[edit]Oakes played hooker in Wakefield Trinity's 38–5 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final during the 1959–60 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 14 May 1960[citation needed], and played hooker in the 12–6 victory over Huddersfield in the 1961–62 Challenge Cup Final during the 1961–62 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 12 May 1962.[5]
County Cup Final appearances
[edit]Oakes played hooker in Wakefield Trinity's 16–10 victory over Huddersfield in the 1960–61 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960,[5] and played hooker in Warrington's 16–5 victory over Rochdale Hornets in the 1965–66 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1965–66 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Friday 29 October 1965.[citation needed]
Club career
[edit]Oakes, Reg Parker and Harold Poynton made their début for Wakefield Trinity in the 17–12 victory over St. Helens at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Saturday 1 February 1958[citation needed], he made his début for Warrington on Saturday 21 November 1964, and played his last game for Warrington on Wednesday 28 September 1966.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Player Summary: Geoff Oakes". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers' Club. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ↑ "Geoff Oakes". Wakefield Trinity. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
- ↑ "1959–1960 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 25 September 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- 1 2 Hoole, Les (2004). Wakefield Trinity RLFC — FIFTY GREAT GAMES. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-429-9