Barry Reilly

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Nickname(s)
Bunny
Born
Monday, 24th March, 1947
Died
Wednesday, 5th May, 2021 (Aged 74 years and 42 days)
Place Of Birth
Warwick, Queensland, Australia

Biography

‘Bunny’ Reilly was a demon tackler as another of his nicknames, 'The Axe', implies. An Easts junior, he made his first grade debut at a difficult time in the club’s history with Easts failing to win a match that year. Reilly carved out a career as a wiry, lightweight back rower with a great work-rate in defence. When Easts signed Ron Coote in 1972, Reilly moved to Cronulla, but the advent of the 13-import rule saw him return to the Roosters after one season. Under Jack Gibson's coaching in 1974-75, Reilly's reputation as a work-horse grew as a second row forward. A member of the club’s successful grand final team in 1974, injury saw him relegated to the bench against Saints in the infamous 1975 grand final match, although Gibson gave him a cameo late in the game. In retirement Reilly retained close ties with the club as a lower grade coach, and stepped into the top job towards the end of the 1990 season when Russell Fairfax was sacked.
- 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 205 19 -   - 57 128 71 6 62.44% List
Craven Mild Cup 10 1 -   - 3 1 9 0 10.00% List
NRL Finals 12 - -   - - 5 7 0 41.67% List
National Panasonic Cup 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List
World Club Challenge 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1966 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1967 22 3 -   - 9 13 7 2 59.09% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1968 21 5 -   - 15 13 7 1 61.90% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1969 11 1 -   - 3 5 6 0 45.45% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1970 20 1 -   - 3 13 7 0 65.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1971 14 2 -   - 6 5 8 1 35.71% List
Cronulla NSWRFL 1972 7 1 -   - 3 1 6 0 14.29% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1973 13 1 -   - 3 10 3 0 76.92% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1974 21 1 -   - 3 18 3 0 85.71% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1975 23 1 -   - 3 21 2 0 91.30% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1976 22 1 -   - 3 12 9 1 54.55% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1977 19 2 -   - 6 11 7 1 57.89% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1978 7 - -   - - 4 3 0 57.14% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1979 4 - -   - - 2 2 0 50.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs 1966-71, 1973-79 198 18 -   - 54 127 65 6 64.14% List
Cronulla 1972 7 1 -   - 3 1 6 0 14.29% List
Overall1966-1979 205 19 0   0 57 128 71 6 62.44% List

Your Say

  • roy horrigan
    29/08/2011

    barry reilly...the axe..great tackler..great clubman.
    i remember johnny raper passing the comment that
    if barry reilly weighed a little bit more he certainly
    would have played rep football.weighed about 12st
    wringing wet.jack gibson brought him on for the last
    few minutes in a grand final win even though he was
    injured just to show his appreciation.

  • Anonymous
    26/07/2015

    My father and Bunnys father were mates from their days at sea as merchant seaman. My father always had a laugh thinking about the time that he and Bunnys father were at the sports ground being half drunk said come on we will go into the dressing room and a short time later they were asked to leave as their boistrois behaviour was too much.

  • Anonymous
    18/07/2017

    Bunny went to Bondi junior tech in Wellington st back in 1962 Played for NSW 9Stone 7 I Remender Him Being Called Up At Assembly A Destend Tricolour

  • Dazza
    28/05/2020

    Found Barrys playing height/weight on a roosters.com.au page which has a doco of the 1976 World Club challenge program against St Helens (https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2020/02/03/legends-remember-1976-world-club-challenge/)

    5 foot 4 & 12 st 6

    that equates to:
    163 cm & 79kg!

    He was very small!

    I updated his wikipedia profile with the stats:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Reilly

  • Len Callaghan
    11/08/2020

    In 1962 I played with Barry in the NSW 9 stone team that toured Qld. I tried out for the Sydney team as a lock but could not match it with Barry and had to settle for second row. I remember playing a game against Toowoomba, I was put though a gap by Francis Davis, Barry loomed up on the inside and when I drew the fullback Barry only had to run 40 or so metres unchallenged but passed immediately to the centre who scored even then Barry was always the team man.

  • Jono
    06/05/2021

    RIP Bunny. You were a legend

  • Joe reaiche
    07/05/2021

    Played with Bunny Reilly from 1978-1979 and worked with him at the Easts leagues club for the same yrs. What people didn’t know about him off the field was he was a down to earth guy who was a man of honor. He was funny as hell when he and I would play “crowd dodging” w the clubs takings the night b4 as we escorted the Clubs cashier to the bank. She had no choice but to keep up w us. Despite her pleas to slow down!!!. He taught me to always shave in the sauna w no cream- still do it to this day. He also was a great goal kicker and wld put myself, Russell fairfax and Stumpy Stevens to shame when we wld practice at the sports ground kicking from the paddington end sideline where he wld just walk up (after us missed a few), and wld nail it on his first kick - then he wld walk away look at us with his rolling eyes and cheeky grin as to say “really guys”??? - Sadly missed ???????? RIP my warrior brother. You are at peace in heaven!!

  • Anonymous
    14/05/2021

    RIP Axe (1947-5th May 2021

  • Anonymous
    25/07/2021

    Barry Reilly passed away a couple of months back. Please update

  • Anonymous
    30/10/2021

    Passed away earlier this year ..

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