Darrel Chapman

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Darrel Barrie Chapman
Born
Saturday, 11th September, 1937
Died
Friday, 9th October, 1992 (Aged 55 years and 28 days)

Biography

Kempsey fullback played for Northern NSW against NZ in 1959 before forcing his way into the NSW side. Chosen for the 1959-60 Kangaroo tour, Chapman played in 18 matches (no Tests) before coming to Souths. He captained the Rabbitohs for four seasons from 1961-64 and after his retirement, built a prominent career in coaching and administration. Chapman served on the NSWRL coaching panel and held positions with the NSW Department of Sport, the Australian Coaching Education Council and the National Rugby League Coaching Scheme. A teacher who moved into the sports science field with the Lismore campus of the University of New England, Chapman lost a long battle with cancer in 1992 at the age of 55.
- 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 Northern Division 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Interstate Matches 1 1 -   - 3 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
NRL 61 10 -   - 30 22 38 1 36.07% List
Craven Mild Cup 13 1 -   - 3 4 8 1 30.77% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1960 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Northern Division 1959 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Possibles (AU) 1959 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW Firsts 1959 1 1 -   - 3 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW Country Firsts 1959 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1960 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1959-1960 5 1 0   0 3 1 4 0 20.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Souths NSWRFL 1960 11 4 -   - 12 4 7 0 36.36% List
Souths NSWRFL 1961 14 1 -   - 3 6 8 0 42.86% List
Souths NSWRFL 1962 16 3 -   - 9 4 11 1 25.00% List
Souths NSWRFL 1963 9 - -   - - 2 7 0 22.22% List
Souths NSWRFL 1964 11 2 -   - 6 6 5 0 54.55% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Souths 1960-64 61 10 -   - 30 22 38 1 36.07% List

Your Say

  • Bill Haydon
    03/10/2009

    Darrell was born in 1937 and played 73 games for Souths between 1960-64 and 1 game for NSW.

  • Alberto Rosso
    22/10/2011

    Chapman was a phys ed teacher in the early 60s at a number of schools including Homebush Boys High. Subsequently he went on to become a leading academic in the field of sports science at what is now Southern Cross University. His life and career are memorialised in annual Darrel Chapman Fun Run in Lismore, NSW.

    Note to eds short bio and image at http://dcfr.scu.edu.au/index.php/7/

    Note to editor

  • barry grier
    30/09/2012

    Followed SOUTHS in my younger years,and still remember Darrel Chapman as one of the great fullbacks of that era,was an exciting player to watch..

  • Mick Cawley
    24/10/2013

    Darrel was my primary school teacher at Condell Park Primary School in the early sixties and of course the coach of the six stone sevens school footy team. Naturally we won the comp that year. He was probably the best teacher i had all through school. I was just looking at an old photo of the team which is why i googled the name.
    Sorry to hear of his passing

  • hugh fletcher
    27/10/2013

    I first met Darryl when he was a student at Woodlawn College in Lismore. I was a student at Grafton High School at the time and played football against him during interschool football carnivals. He was a very talented footballer, as was the entire Woodlawn College who produced many fine footballers over the years. I also met Darryl on many occasions when I was working and living in Armidale, he was a student at the Armidale Teachers College.

  • matthew chapman
    20/05/2015

    darrel was my father, and the most talented sportsman i have ever known. but his best quality was the way he involved everybody in all types of sport with no pressure. it was all about the enjoyment. i really miss him.

  • Norm Lunn (Junior)
    14/03/2016

    In the late 1950,s Darrel taught at the Lower Creek Public School which is located half way between Kempsey and Armidale on the Macleay River
    After school he used to practice his goal kicking and I was the bunny that had to retrieve the ball after each attempt
    He used to board at the Lower Creek Post Office while teaching and would travel to Kempsey CYM every weekend

  • Bruce Pryor
    02/02/2017

    Darrel was a teacher at Randwick Boys High School when I was a student there. He coached us in 3rd grade Rugby in 1966 and we went through to win the comp that year by having only one try scored against us for the entire season and that occurred in the final . He was an inspiration to me and I always think fondly of him and was sad when I heard of his passing.

  • David ringstad
    20/07/2018

    Darryl Chapman was my school teacher in early sixties at Condell park primary.great teacher he gave me my nickname (dolly) reason being I was in charge of the point scores in the quizzes we used to have.... Bob dyer show was big in those days on ????

  • R senior
    12/08/2018

    I went to Randwick Boys High from 1964 to 1968 Darrel Chapman was the sports master at that time & was assisted by Alan Cardy. Darrel was a huge inspiration to me in those years as i was recovering from surgery to my feet, many fond memories of those days, a great Rabbitoh as well, taken way too early.

  • Bill Haydon
    18/08/2018

    Darrel was from my hometown of Kempsey. He played for the same team as my father, CYM, before signing with the Rabbitohs, a team I passionately support. My father and I also both attended Darrel’s alma mater, Woodlawn College near Lismore, but at different times.

  • Lachlan Macdonald
    21/11/2019

    Played for Bankstown against his University side in the 2nd Division Rugby League Competition around 1970. He was the 2nd Division journalist for Rugby League week and I was immensely chuffed when he gave me a glowing write up.
    The irony is that I am the proud owner of his 1959 Kangaroo jumper, it stands proudly on my wall at home in Sydney. The jumper was given to me by my then employer. I also have three programmes from that tour which I purchased from England, one has the autograph of Reg Gasnier on the front cover.

  • Peter Williams
    26/08/2021

    I had Mr Chapman as my class 5A teacher when I was in Grade 5/Year 5 at Condell Park Public School. He was my Rugby League coach in Grade 6 when we were won the Bankstown District Primary School’s RL Competition. We were undefeated in the local competition. We only lost one match all season, and that was a special match that we played against a visiting Aboriginal team from Walgett, from outback NSW. We had to play in bare feet at Bankstown Showground and nearly the whole school came to watch. Darrell was a tough but fair teacher and a good coach.
    John Addison was also in our team. ( His son Dylan, went on to play AFL for the Melbourne Bulldogs and GWS).
    It was sad to see Darrel died so young.

  • Anonymous
    16/05/2022

    I knew Darrel Chapman when I was a student teacher but in 1961 at Connell Park. He used to do push ups in the staff room and was lots of fun.
    Sorry to hear he died so young.

  • Robert Durbin
    08/01/2024

    Darrel Chapman was my teacher in the 60's at Condell Park Primary School. When was on play ground duty he would kick a football to the many kids who admrred him. Was a great teacher who spent a lot of time getting a fellow student, Andrew Westwood (sic) to stop stuttering by taking his time when speaking & it worked. Sorry to see he died so young.

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

Sources: Newspapers