Greg 'Brandy' Alexander

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Gregory Peter Stephen Alexander
Nickname(s)
Brandy
Born
Thursday, 4th March, 1965
Current Age
59 years and 15 days
Place Of Birth
Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Rookie Of The Year
1984
Dally M Halfback Of The Year
1985, 1989, 1991
Dally M Player Of The Year
1985

Known Family Links

Brother-in-law
Peter Shiels
Matt Geyer
Brother
Ben Alexander
Father-in-law
John King
Brother-in-law
Mark Geyer
Cameron King

Biography

Penrith's first ‘home-grown’ Test player, Greg Alexander displayed a unique ability during his career to score and set up tries. Fast, with an elusive step and swerve, 'Brandy' Alexander was also a great tactical kicker, a confident goal-kicker and an excellent cover-defender. A star schoolboy footballer, Alexander made a stunning impact with the Panthers in 1984. He was duly named ‘Dally M’ Rookie of the Year, and in 1985, ‘Dally M’ Player of the Year (the year he broke Bob Landers' long-standing club point-scoring record). In 1986 Alexander was a late call-up to the 1986 Kangaroos squad after P’matta winger Eric Grothe was ruled out and played in 10 matches on tour (no Tests). 1987 was an injury-plagued season for Alexander (including a highly publicised gouging injury) but he returned to win selection in the President's XIII side against Great Britain in 1988. Alexander earned the top halfback position on the 1989 tour of NZ but was replaced in the Second Test by Manly's Des Hasler at the preference of coach Bob Fulton. Alexander played one of his finest matches in Penrith’s 30-18 major semi-final win over Canberra to propel the club into the 1990 grand final. Although losing to the Raiders, 18-14, he duly made his second Kangaroo tour – taking the field as replacement in the Third Test against Great Britain before being selected on the wing in the two Tests against France. In the match against the ‘French B’ side at Lyon he scored a then world record 46pts (5t, 13g) for an international match and rounded off a try in the Second Test with a memorable backflip. As Penrith captain in 1991 he led the club to an historic 19-12 win over Canberra in the grand final. Alexander controlled the match with a finely-tuned kicking game in the second half; potting a 38m field goal to snatch a 13-12 lead before landing a majestic side-line conversion of Royce Simmons' try to wrap up the match. Although ruled out of the Australian Tour of Papua New Guinea with injury he went to England and unsuccessfully led Penrith in the World Club Challenge against Wigan. The 1992 season saw a downturn in his career following a troublesome knee injury and the death of his younger brother Ben in a car accident. At the beginning of the 1993 season he was replaced as captain by John Cartwright and was shifted to fullback following the signing of Kiwi halfback Gary Freeman. Alexander's desire was sadly missing with the Panthers and he signed on with the Auckland Warriors for the 1995 season. After two seasons across the Tasman, Alexander returned to Penrith to see out the final years of his career. In 1997 his brilliant form earned him a NSW halfback’s jersey in the Super League Tri-Series but a foot injury saw him miss the remainder of the season. While his final three seasons with the Panthers were injury-ridden Alexander retired in 1999 as only the second player in history (after Terry Lamb) to score 100 tries and 1000 pts for the one club. Alexander has since established a career as a skills coach with the Panthers and a media commentator with Radio 2UE and FoxSports. Autobiography, Five Star Brandy (1991).
- 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 265 111 351   14 1160 146 110 9 55.09% List
NRL Finals 8 5 21   1 63 4 4 0 50.00% List
National Panasonic Cup 7 7 3   - 34 4 3 0 57.14% List
Tour Matches Australia 28 27 55   - 218 26 2 0 92.86% List
City vs Country 4 2 -   - 8 4 0 0 100.00% List
State of Origin 6 - 2   - 4 0 6 0 0.00% List
Test Series 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 5 2 21   1 51 3 2 0 60.00% List
The Ashes 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
World Cup 2 1 3   - 10 2 0 0 100.00% List
World Club Challenge 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1989-90 6 4 10   - 36 5 1 0 83.33% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1989-1990 2 1 3   - 10 2 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW City 1988-91 4 2 -   - 8 4 0 0 100.00% List
NSW 1989-91 6 - 2   - 4 0 6 0 0.00% List
NSW (SL) 1997 1 1 -   - 4 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1988-1997 11 3 2   0 16 5 6 0 45.45% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Penrith NSWRL 1984 23 10 -   - 40 12 10 1 52.17% List
Penrith NSWRL 1985 26 13 69   2 192 14 11 1 53.85% List
Penrith NSWRL 1986 22 11 69 / 102 67.65% 1 183 10 11 1 45.45% List
Penrith NSWRL 1987 17 5 18 / 34 52.94% 1 57 6 10 1 35.29% List
Penrith NSWRL 1988 16 6 5 / 8 62.50% 3 37 11 5 0 68.75% List
Penrith NSWRL 1989 18 15 -   1 61 13 5 0 72.22% List
Penrith NSWRL 1990 18 13 59 / 90 65.56% - 170 13 4 1 72.22% List
Penrith NSWRL 1991 18 9 50 / 74 67.57% 3 139 15 2 1 83.33% List
Penrith NSWRL 1992 9 2 10 / 13 76.92% - 28 3 6 0 33.33% List
Penrith NSWRL 1993 17 5 34 / 63 53.97% - 88 7 10 0 41.18% List
Penrith NSWRL 1994 13 3 21 / 42 50.00% - 54 6 5 2 46.15% List
Auckland ARL 1995 21 8 4 / 6 66.67% - 40 13 8 0 61.90% List
Auckland ARL 1996 16 3 4 / 5 80.00% - 20 8 8 0 50.00% List
Penrith Super League 1997 6 2 4 / 7 57.14% 2 18 5 1 0 83.33% List
Penrith NRL 1998 14 3 4 / 7 57.14% - 20 6 7 1 42.86% List
Penrith NRL 1999 11 3 -   1 13 4 7 0 36.36% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Penrith 1984-94, 1997-99 228 100 343   14 1100 125 94 9 54.82% List
Warriors 1995-96 37 11 8 / 11 72.73% - 60 21 16 0 56.76% List
Overall1984-1999 265 111 351   14 1,160 146 110 9 55.09% List

Your Say

  • Paul Carter
    23/06/2011

    Alexander is the only player to be Dally M Rookie of the Year one year then Dally M Player of the year the next year.He won the Dally M Rookie of the Year in 1984 then Dally M Player of the Year in 1985.He was also chosen as Halfback in Penriths Greatest Team in 2006.He also was chosen as Penrith Greatest Clubman in 2008 and he was also one of the Selectors for the Australian Rugby League Team of the Century that was unveiled in 2008 after being Selected in a Secret ballot in Sydney in December 2007.

  • Josho
    03/10/2021

    Brandy was a truly talented player.Never gave up on a play.Was a true champion for Penrith,put them on the map and gave them some hope.Played in the greatest era of Rugby League,with so many quality opponents each week.Rising to the top of the class in 91,has never looked back !!

  • Anonymous
    11/04/2022

    the greatest halfback I have seen

  • Anonymous
    19/01/2023

    Better than fittler anyday? Anytime

  • Donny
    11/08/2023

    Scored in my opinion one of the greatest individual trys in 1993. Great player!

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, AJ Lucantonio, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, Max Turner, Steven Russo, Bill Bates

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2000, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1996, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1994, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1995