Joe Jorgenson

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Cecil Keith Jorgenson
Nickname(s)
Joe
Born
Monday, 12th September, 1921
Died
Friday, 7th May, 1993 (Aged 71 years and 237 days)
Place Of Birth
Berry, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Australia's first post-war Test captain represented NSW in 1941 while playing for Port Kembla. Originally from Berry, Jorgenson came to Balmain in 1944 and scored over 100pts in his first season with the Tigers. He played in the centres in the club’s 1944 grand final win over Newtown and topped the 100pts mark again the following year. Jorgenson revolutionised the art of goal-kicking when he used a mound of sand, as opposed to a divot of turf, to gain greater height with his kick. (He preferred to kick the ball 'Dave Brown' style with the laces facing downward). In 1946 he turned his back on a record offer from English club Huddersfield, setting his sights instead on an Australian Test jersey. Jorgenson was selected Australian Test captain for the First Test against England but the match ended in an 8-all draw and he was relieved of the captaincy for the Second Test. When C’bury centre Ron Bailey was ruled out of the Third Test Jorgenson was reinstated as captain but Australia was soundly beaten. Although Balmain went on to win the grand final that year, Jorgenson left Sydney to take on the role of captain-coach with Junee but the move was not a success. When he failed to make the Country and NSW sides he returned to Balmain in time for the 1947 semi-finals. Although playing reserve grade he forced his way into the club’s grand final team against C’bury and scored all of his team's points in the 13-9 win (1t, 5g). Jorgenson played for the Tigers until 1953 (he was the season's leading point-scorer in 1950 with a modest 124pts) but saw out his career with a handful of matches for P’matta in 1954. He passed away in May 1993 after a short illness, aged 71.
- 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 %  
City vs Country Firsts 5 4 16   - 44 3 2 0 60.00% List
Interstate Matches 9 4 31   - 74 8 1 0 88.89% List
NRL 100 22 343   - 752 55 36 9 55.00% List
NRL Finals 9 3 27   - 63 6 3 0 66.67% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 2 - 4   - 8 0 2 0 0.00% List
Test Series 3 - 4   - - 0 2 1 0.00% List
The Ashes 3 - 4   - 16 0 2 1 0.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 3 - 4   - 8 0 2 1 0.00% List
Country Carnival 1 - 4   - 8 1 0 0 100.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1946 3 - 4   - 8 0 2 1 0.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW Group 7 1939, 1941, 1943 5 3 3   - 15 2 3 0 40.00% List
NSW Firsts 1941, 1945-46 12 5 42   - 99 9 3 0 75.00% List
NSW Country Firsts 1941-43 3 1 5   - 13 1 2 0 33.33% List
Rest of NSW Firsts 1942 1 - 2   - 4 0 1 0 0.00% List
Metropolis 1944 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1944 1 - 5   - 10 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1945-46 2 3 11   - 31 2 0 0 100.00% List
Probables (AU) 1948 1 - 4   - 8 0 1 0 0.00% List
Overall1939-1948 26 12 72   0 180 16 10 0 61.54% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Balmain NSWRFL 1944 12 3 48   - 105 9 2 1 75.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1945 16 5 54   - 123 7 5 4 43.75% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1946 9 6 24   - 66 6 3 0 66.67% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1947 1 1 5   - 13 1 0 0 100.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1948 11 1 33   - 69 7 2 2 63.64% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1949 1 - 2   - 4 0 1 0 0.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1950 19 4 60   - 132 12 5 2 63.16% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1951 12 2 46   - 98 5 7 0 41.67% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1952 12 - 48   - 96 6 6 0 50.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1953 2 - 12   - 24 1 1 0 50.00% List
Parramatta NSWRFL 1954 5 - 11   - 22 1 4 0 20.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Balmain 1944-53 95 22 332   - 730 54 32 9 56.84% List
Parramatta 1954 5 - 11   - 22 1 4 0 20.00% List
Overall1944-1954 100 22 343   0 752 55 36 9 55.00% List

Your Say

  • The Funambulist
    08/05/2012

    In the mid-1940s 'Joe' Jorgenson was Australia's highest earning rugby league player, receiving 4000 pounds a year to turn out for Balmain.

  • Cyril "Doc" Rice
    23/04/2014

    It was when I was a 12 y.o schoolboy in Alstoneville ( NSW Nth Coast.) that I read about "Joey" in the Sporting Life magazine.
    I decided then that Balmain would be "my" team and they still are and always will be

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