The NSW side that toured Victoria in 1913 was a far cry from the one desired by selectors, and when James Paling Haigh took his place at centre half for the sky blues in St. Kilda that day I’m certain that it was not where he expected to be in the early part of the season.
Born in Alexandria in 1887, Haigh was first selected to play for NSW in 1912 playing in the first match against Queensland, a 2-1 loss at the Gabba. He was then among a raft of players brought in to replace those unable to tour Victoria in 1913, among them Judy Masters.
Playing with Canterbury at the time and then with Balmain the following season, Haigh enlisted in 1916 and was posted to the 19th Battalion AIF, 14th reinforcements. He was later transferred to the 5th Australian Machine Gun Company in 1917. James had a number of stints in hospital during the war, not through injury sustained in battle, but through the various illnesses floating around the trenches at the time.
He was eventually discharged in September of 1919 and no doubt returned to his trade as a stereotyper. There is no record yet found of his involvement in the game post war, possibly deeming it a game for younger legs than his given that he was already 29 at the outset of his military career.