Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Born
- Friday, 9th October, 1953
- Current Age
- 70 years and 163 days
Awards & Accolades
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 | ||||
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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 | |||
Overall | 1974-1975 | 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 | |||
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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 | |||
Overall | 1975-1983 | 139 | 13 | 285 | 1 | 611 | 69 | 65 | 5 | 49.64% | List |
Contributions:
Andrew Ferguson, Rugby League Tables, Greg Fiveash, Paul Carter, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Alan Katzmann, Tim Costello
Your Say
05/02/2011
John Gray is also a member of the North Sydney Team of the Century (bench).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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