John Gray

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Friday, 9th October, 1953
Current Age
70 years and 163 days

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Hooker Of The Year
1982

Biography

Great Britain RU international also played County cricket for Warwickshire and the MCC before changing codes to play for Wigan in 1973. Gray came to Australia on Great Britain’s 1974 tour and made his Test debut in the Lions’16-11 Second Test win, while his 6 goals in the Third Test almost won his country the Ashes. A tough hooker and a brilliant around-the-corner goal-kicker, Gray brought his considerable talents to Norths in the mid-1970s. In 1976 he was awarded the Amco Cup 'superstar' prize for player of the competition but only after an embarrassing mix-up after promoters first gave the award to Balmain's Allan McMahon. Gray signed with Manly in 1978 on a reduced contract for the chance to play in a competitive side. Unfortunately he was sent off and suspended in the major semi-final replay against P’matta and Manly went on to win a dramatic 1978 grand final replay without him. Gray later returned to Norths but a series of broken forearms and constant back pain ended his career in 1983.
- 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 %  
Tour Matches Great Britain 17 2 52   1 111 12 5 0 70.59% List
Test Series 6 - 17   1 16 3 3 0 50.00% List
The Ashes 3 - 9   1 38 1 2 0 33.33% List
European Championship 2 - 4   - 8 2 0 0 100.00% List
World Cup 1 - 4   - 8 1 0 0 100.00% List
NRL 139 13 285   1 611 69 65 5 49.64% List
NRL Finals 4 - 2   - 4 1 2 1 25.00% List
National Panasonic Cup 1 - 35   - 70 0 1 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Great Britain 1974 8 1 18   1 40 5 3 0 62.50% List
England 1975 3 - 8   - 16 3 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1974-1975 11 1 26   1 56 8 3 0 72.73% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
England 1975 1 - 4   - 8 1 0 0 100.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney NSWRFL 1975 10 - 23   - 46 3 7 0 30.00% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1976 15 2 33   - 72 4 10 1 26.67% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1977 19 3 66   - 141 10 8 1 52.63% List
Manly NSWRFL 1978 25 4 61   - 134 16 8 1 64.00% List
Manly NSWRFL 1979 16 - 7   - 14 7 8 1 43.75% List
Manly NSWRFL 1980 9 - -   - - 5 4 0 55.56% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1981 16 - 40   - 80 7 9 0 43.75% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1982 21 3 51   1 112 14 6 1 66.67% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1983 8 1 4   - 12 3 5 0 37.50% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney 1975-77, 1981-83 89 9 217   1 463 41 45 3 46.07% List
Manly 1978-80 50 4 68   - 148 28 20 2 56.00% List
Overall1975-1983 139 13 285   1 611 69 65 5 49.64% List

Your Say

  • Col the Bear
    05/02/2011

    John Gray is also a member of the North Sydney Team of the Century (bench).

  • keith newbold president,cov.schools
    14/01/2012

    john went to a famous comprehensive school in coventry england.he played soccer up to the age of 15 representing coventry schools as a good striker.he switched codes at 16 when his considerable talents strength and confidence prepared him for his impending excellence in both forms of the rugby game.his school was the woodlands comprehensive school.

  • jean mason(nee wilkins)
    02/08/2013

    He was also an excellent trumpet player with Coventry Youth Orchestra where I was a mediocre violin player. He had star quality about him even then.

  • Martin Parkinson
    10/12/2015

    I remember John at school and afterwards as a fantastic sportsman and very intimidating on a Saturday morning of a schools rugby match with a crash helmet under his arm and unshaven stubble as the opposition team watched him enter the changing rooms. He was also a national shot putt champion and also a good basketball player.

  • Merv Riley
    20/08/2018

    Played with John in the 1969-70 side at Loughborough Colleges. He was a real tough hooker in a side that contained many future Rugby Union and League internationals. His great ball handling skills made him an excellent Sevens player. He seems to have had a very successful R,L. career in Australia.

  • Joe Lindsay
    30/12/2023

    I was two years younger than him at Woodlands school and remember watching him practice his goal kicking at lunchtime.
    He was knocking them over from the halfway line when he was only 16. And them leather balls took some kicking.

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