Phil Gould

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Philip Ronald Gould
Nickname(s)
Gus
Born
Friday, 24th January, 1958
Current Age
66 years and 64 days
Place Of Birth
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Coach Of The Year
1988

Biography

P’matta junior became the youngest captain in Penrith's history as a 20-year-old in 1978. Gould was a lock back then, with stints at fullback, five-eighth and second row to follow, and also a keen goal-kicker. Following the retirement of Mick Stephenson, Gould was made captain for his second full first grade match. Two detached retina injuries threatened his early career but moving to Newtown, he played second row in the 1981 grand final loss to P’matta and set up a try for Brian Hetherington with a brilliant short pass. After several seasons with C’bury (premiers in 1984-85) and Souths, he retired at the end of 1986 when he was offered the job of C’bury reserve grade coach. When Warren Ryan left the Bulldogs at the end of 1987 Gould stepped into the top job and promptly won the 1988 premiership - at age 30 - the youngest coach to do so. ‘Dally M’ Coach of the Year in 1988, Gould quickly stamped his mark as a tactically brilliant, thoroughly professional coach but the following year was a major disappointment. His departure from the Bulldogs was a bitter one, but Gould bounced back with consecutive grand finals at Penrith, culminating in the club’s 1991 premiership success. In 1992, he took NSW to State of Origin victory and it was his professionalism that held the Panthers together as the club unravelled during the turmoil of that year. By 1994 he had stretched his State of Origin winning sequence to three series but surprised many with his timing when he quit the Panthers before the end of the season to link with Easts for 1995. Gould was an outspoken opponent of Super League and was instrumental in signing key players to the ARL. He resigned as NSW coach following the Blues’ loss to an under-strength Queensland team in 1995 and the ensuing seasons saw him concentrate on his domestic club duties with the Roosters, taking the club to the finals in five consecutive years before announcing his retirement at the end of the 1999 season. After a two-year break, in which Gould kept a steady pace as a media commentator in print, radio and TV, he returned to the Roosters as coaching director and was named NSW State of Origin coach for 2002. Following a drawn series in 2002 and an authoritative series win in 2003, Gould weathered a concerted media backlash against his outspoken views on the game and resigned as Blues mentor after the 2004 series - the most successful State of Origin coach in history (eight series between 1992 and 2004 for six series wins; 24 games - 14 wins, 9 losses and 1 draw). Biography, As Good as Gould (1997).
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 107 8 56   2 142 56 45 6 52.34% List
NRL Finals 6 2 1   - 8 2 4 0 33.33% List
National Panasonic Cup 1 - 2   - 4 0 1 0 0.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Penrith NSWRFL 1976 1 - 1   - 2 0 1 0 0.00% List
Penrith NSWRFL 1977 3 - -   - - 0 3 0 0.00% List
Penrith NSWRFL 1978 19 1 37   - 77 4 13 2 21.05% List
Penrith NSWRFL 1979 6 1 11   1 26 3 3 0 50.00% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1981 11 2 2   - 10 7 4 0 63.64% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1982 6 - 5   - 10 2 3 1 33.33% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1983 14 2 -   1 9 9 5 0 64.29% List
Canterbury NSWRL 1984 10 1 -   - 4 9 1 0 90.00% List
Canterbury NSWRL 1985 14 - -   - - 8 5 1 57.14% List
Souths NSWRL 1986 23 1 -   - 4 14 7 2 60.87% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Penrith 1976-79 29 2 49   1 105 7 20 2 24.14% List
Newtown 1981-82 17 2 7   - 20 9 7 1 52.94% List
Canterbury 1983-85 38 3 -   1 13 26 11 1 68.42% List
Souths 1986 23 1 -   - 4 14 7 2 60.87% List
Overall1976-1986 107 8 56   2 142 56 45 6 52.34% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    14/08/2020

    Very fortunate to have either of those premierships after Terry Lamb bashed Ellery Hanley out of the game in 1988 and Daley/Stuart playing busted in 1991.

  • Anonymous
    22/02/2021

    Born July 15, 1958. Not January 24.

  • Anonymous
    08/04/2021

    He knows his football but to outspoken rather not have to listen to him

  • Anonymous
    27/06/2021

    Full of his own self importance

  • Anonymous
    02/10/2022

    I think your statement about PG being the greatest state of origin coach of all time should state clearly it was for NSW. I’m sure Mal Meningas record is better.

  • Anonymous
    21/04/2023

    I still find out if Phil gould played for nsw or Australia

  • Anonymous
    12/07/2023

    Sack all the old Penrith players coaching nsw blues

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Contributions: Andrew Ferguson, Rugby League Tables, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Greg Stroud, AJ Lucantonio