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John Whiteley

Playing Career

All information provided below is based only on data available in the RLP database and should be used as a guide only.

Vital Statistics

Full Name
John William Whiteley
Born
Thursday, 20th November, 1930
Died
Sunday, 13th February, 2022 (Aged 91 years and 85 days)

Honours & Awards

English Hall Of Fame
2018

Playing Career Statistics

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Representative Career - International Comp WinsStartsIntAPP3ST3PTTG2FGFGPtsBin5BinOffWLDWin% 
Tests (Senior International Matches) -16-162-2---6---105162.50%List
Other International Matches -2-21-1---3---11-50.00%List
The Ashes 25-52-2---6---41-80.00%List
World Cup 13-3----------21-66.67%List
Tour MatchesHull FCHUL-1-1-----------1-0.00%List
Tour MatchesGreat BritainGBR-18-1810-10---30---162-88.89%List
Test Series 48-82-2---6---62-75.00%List
European Championship -1-1----------1--100.00%List
Overall StartsIntAPP3ST3PTTG2FGFGPtsBin5BinOffWLDWin% 
First Class 26-2610-10---30---196173.08%List

Test Matches - By Team

TeamYears StartsIntAPP3ST3PTTG2FGFGPtsBin5BinOffWLDWin% 
England1953 1-1----------1--100.00%List
Great Britain1957-62 15-152-2---6---95160.00%List

International Matches - By Team

TeamYears StartsIntAPP3ST3PTTG2FGFGPtsBin5BinOffWLDWin% 
Great Britain1957 2-21-1---3---2--100.00%List
Rest Of The World1957 1-1-----------1-0.00%List

World Cup Matches - By Team

TeamYears StartsIntAPP3ST3PTTG2FGFGPtsBin5BinOffWLDWin% 
Great Britain1957, 1960 3-3----------21-66.67%List

Your Say

  • Ian Glover
    7 Jun 2011 11:12pm

    John Whiteley was the most able loose or second row RL forward that I have seen. His handling was beyond brilliance. He had the pace of a very fast centre or fast winger and the creativity of a world class stand-off,. and incredible fitness and work rate, and phenomenal qualities of generalship and leadership on and off the pitch. He could make the most complicated and thoughtful and exhausting play look simple and easy. He was a complete gentleman who made nasty opponents look stupid by running rings round them with much superior skill and speed, while never saying a bad word about them, and indeed teaching and encouraging them.to improve their abilities. Yet he was quietly tough as well. No-ne dreamed of calling him a pushover or big softy. His running was a delight to watch, original, stylish, combining the mazy and the direct very unprediictably. He gave former fans of his a yardstick to judge all other forwards by. I believed for 40 years after watching him that rugby league was a game of great intellectuality, delicacy, artistry and beauty - which in his capable hads it was!

  • Anonymous
    10 Jan 2017 12:36pm

    John Whiteley was the very best of some very good loose forwards in the 50/60s. He always brought the best out of team mates and was a great captain.
    Where today in world rugby would you find two forwards in the same pack that scored over a hundred tries each? Whiteley and Bill Drake

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Contributions: Shawn Dollin, Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Paul Carter, Max Turner