The son of Irish immigrant parents, Michael and Honorah Devereux,[5] Devereux played for the first ever New South Wales rugby league team in their début match against New Zealand, and later on was selected to play in the first ever trans-Tasman test, which was début match of the Australia national rugby league team against New Zealand on the return leg of their tour of Britain. Devereaux is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 4.[6] He went on to play in all three matches.
Devereaux was a member of the Australian side selected for the first ever Kangaroo tour and was the first Australian to score a try in rugby league against Great Britain when he got a hat-trick in the first ever Test between the nations.[3] After the tour he stayed in England and played for Hull FC, and became the first player to score 100 tries for the club.[7] He was awarded Life Membership of the New South Wales Rugby League in 1914.[8]
Devereux was in England during World War I and served in the military. In April 1916 he gained selection in an Australasian servicemen's rugby union side[9] but the war he resumed his playing career with Hull.
Returning to Australia after the War, Devereux coached North Sydney in the 1924 NSWRFL season, and worked as a labourer on the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. On 3 December 1929, his leg was crushed in an industrial accident on the bridge, and was subsequently amputated at Royal North Shore Hospital.[3] Devereux was unable to work thereafter, and came close to destitution. The North Sydney Leagues Club voted him a £50 donation in 1932 to assist with living costs.[3]
Devereux died in England on 7 March 1934[10] as stated in the Sydney Sun by Claude Corbett on 22 March 1934.[11] The Sydney Sun newspaper noted on 30 October 1941, that "Devereux had died about 4 years ago." Some argued for many years that he died at sea, but his death was later confirmed as being registered at Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. His wife, Daisy Elizabeth Deveruex née Heath, did not remarry and died at Leeds in 1956.[3][12]
On 26 August 2006, the North Sydney club announced their team of the century, with Devereux named in the centres.
^ abcdeMasters, Roy (25 April 2014). "Enlisting Kangaroos were followed by NSW league players in their thousands". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 44.