“Dad had a goal and he achieved it. He showed what can be done if you’ve got the right attitude, the right mindset and don’t let people tell you that you can’t do it,” says Earl, 52.

“He has achieved something no one can ever beat. There will be indigenous players forever and a day, but there will only ever be one person who is the first ever. That’s worthy of recognition.”

When 20-year-old Lionel told his mates he was leaving Tweed Heads to play in the Brisbane Premiership League for Wynnum/Manly Seagulls, they scoffed that he’d be back before too long. His retort was as fast as his sprint, as skilled as his sidestep and as accurate as his goal kick. “Nup, you’ll come and see me when I play for Australia.”

One of four boys and two girls raised by Ruby and Eric Morgan, Lionel and brothers Paddy, Mick and Maurie all played for the Tweed Heads Seagulls, after Ruby was encouraged to enrol her boys by the members amongst the police officers, bank officials and post office staff whose buildings she cleaned.

Photo: Earl Morgan, son of Lionel Morgan

A NSW Schoolboy representative player, Lionel was asked to trial for the Wynnum/Manly Seagulls in 1958 – but being only 19 and yet to finish his fibrous plastering apprenticeship, his parents refused to let him go. Instead, the Bundajulung man played in the Tweed All-Blacks 1958 premiership team which beat the Murwillumbah Brothers – captain-coached by now Gold Coast Titans director, Paul Broughton OAM – to take home the Anthony Shield.

When Wynnum/Manly club stalwart Mal Irwin came knocking a second time the following year, Ruby and Eric relented and Lionel joined the Brisbane Premiership League team. He boarded with the Irwin and Cloherty families, who also secured him a job with the-then Department of Harbours & Marine where he worked for 40 years in dredging.

“They allowed him to move to Wynnum for that first season in 1959 but that six months lasted 61 years,” laughs son Earl, 52, who also played for the Seagulls, along with brothers David, 58, the late Bradley, who died aged 47 in 2011, and Christopher, 48. Lionel played 10 seasons and 106 games for the popular club.

When Lionel was named a Kangaroo in 1960, he became the first Aboriginal player selected to join a national sporting team of any football code and the first to play for his country.

Photo: Lionel Morgan and Bill McDermott

By September, Lionel was running onto the field at Wigan, north-west England, again facing off against the les Chanticleers, playing one match for Australia in the 1960 World Cup. This narrow 13-12 win over the French paved the way for the Kangaroos to progress to the grand final where they were defeated 10-3 by Great Britain at Bradford.

“It’s something I don’t elaborate on,” Lionel told reporters in 2010. “It’s happened many moons ago. I don’t go around with my head in the air because I’m the first, like I’m untouchable. But to play with someone like Reg Gasnier … It was a great thrill.”

“It was tough in the old days,” Lionel once said of the racism he copped on the field. At the same time he was representing Australia rugby league on the world stage, Aboriginals were not deemed Australian citizens and thus were not eligible for passports. Strings had to be pulled in Canberra for Lionel to join the World Cup Tour, seven years before the referendum which voted overwhelmingly to include Aboriginals in the national census.

Lionel has recounted two occasions where he ended up in Ipswich Hospital – once when he got tackled over the sideline and the entire Ipswich team jumped on top of him, and the second time after being punched by a spectator after scoring a try.

“The only pushback was when he’d play other club teams, that’s when supporters would rubbish him for being Aboriginal. He was called everything under the sun, but those same people cheered for him when he played for Brisbane in the Bulimba Cup, they’d cheer for him when he played for Queensland – though the worst was playing for Queensland at the Sydney Cricket Ground, kicking for goal with beer bottles and golf balls flying – and when you’re playing for Australia, all that’s forgotten. You’re everybody’s friend and everybody wants to know you when you’re there,” recalls Earl, who lives with wife Maree, 58, and children Kiah, 25, and Zane, 22, in the same street he grew up in. Christopher and his family also live in Wynnum, while David and his family live in nearby Alexandra Hills.

Photo: Lionel Morgan playing for Brisbane against Ipswich in the Bulimba Cup Competition.

Named Queensland’s Best Back in 1962, Lionel scored in all 13 games he played for the state, notching 13 tries and kicking 17 goals. Playing for Brisbane in the Bulimba Cup between 1959 and 1963, Lionel scored 24 tries and 147 points in 18 games.

“Dad always said one of his greatest achievements was he got to play with his brothers Paddy and Maurie at Wynnum, at different times. Paddy had two seasons with dad in 1962 and 1963, and he had a season with Wests [Brisbane Panthers] in Brisbane in 1961 playing against Dad. Then in 1968 Maurie came up to Wynnum for a season. It was two of his biggest dreams to play with his brothers,” says Earl.

Photos of Lionel and other key players line the walkway to the change rooms at the Wynnum/Manly Seagulls Club, where Lionel is a life member and listed alongside Wally Lewis on the club’s legends team. The Wynnum/Manly Seagulls Man of the Match at the annual indigenous round is awarded the Lionel Morgan Medal.

Despite the broken bones and trips to hospital, wife Laura never “put the brakes” her husband’s career. It was Lionel’s choice to switch to coaching in 1968 when Earl was born, to spend more time with his family. As well as coaching Queensland Rugby League’s Indigenous Under-16 team, Lionel did stints with Wynnum/Manly, Stradbroke Island, Ipswich and Tweed Heads.

Photo: Lionel Morgan congratulates Wynnum Manly coach Des Morris after Wynnum Manly win their first ever Brisbane grand final in 1982.

“Lionel’s a shining light for young indigenous Australians in our area, someone that has achieved so much but yet retained such a humble and strong connection with his family and community.”

It’s a sentiment seconded by Preston Campbell, 43, who met Lionel in the 1990s but didn’t learn of his history in the game until much later. “I have always admired Uncle Lionel’s humility and the way he was willing to work in the background to achieve change. He has been a mentor to generations of young kids coming through the game and also to young indigenous leaders,” says Campbell, who was awarded the Ken Stephen Medal in 2008 for his own tireless work with indigenous communities.

“He has encouraged all of us to look at indigenous communities in a different light and realise the importance of the game to our peoples in making a difference.”

Earl recalls growing up seeing his dad being asked for his autograph or being greeted everywhere he went, but he says playing in the backyard, he and his brothers dreamt of being the likes of Arthur “Artie” Beetson, Graham “Wombat” Eadie or Steve Rogers.

Photo: Preston Campbell, Lionel Morgan and Earl Morgan.

Lionel’s playing career was over by the time Earl was born, so his memories are of Dad on the sidelines – be it at the boys’ rugby games, cricket matches or meets at the Wynnum/manly swim club Lionel was pivotal in establishing. He describes theirs as a typical family upbringing – two working parents, attending local schools, lots of sport and holidays visiting family at Tweed Heads and Stradbroke Island, where Laura, 79, a Quandamooka woman and teacher, grew up and first met Lionel.

Laura, 79, and Lionel will celebrate 61 years of marriage in November. She and her sons regularly visit Lionel, who still recognises his family which includes 9 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, at Anglicare Southern Queensland’s E.M. Tooth Residential Aged Care Home, where he has lived for the past 18 months. Manager Glenda Phillips, says there’s no mistaking Lionel’s lifelong love for rugby.

“There’s memorabilia in his room, he likes watching and reading magazines associated with rugby league, and he proudly wears his collection of football shirts and jerseys. He’s very proud of his achievements in his life. Once you get him chatting, he’s happy to share his stories,” says Phillips, who says Lionel also enjoys their regular exercise classes, music at Friday’s Happy Hour and gardening.

Photo: Lionel Morgan’s four children – David, Brad, Earl and Chris