Bob Banks

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Robert Barry Marjoribanks
Born
Sunday, 15th June, 1930
Current Age
93 years and 309 days
Place Of Birth
Tumut, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Uncle
Ken Banks
Father
Bob Marjoribanks
Uncle
Hugh Marjoribanks
Horace Banks
Cousin
Bob Banks
Gary Banks

Biography

Brilliant on-field organiser at five-eighth or centre, Banks was born in Tumut but began his career in the Newcastle competition where he came from a noted footballing family (his family name had been shortened from 'Marjoribanks'). After a season with Easts, Banks moved to Charters Towers where he first represented North Queensland against France. He made his state debut the following year and distinguished himself as a consummate team player during the next decade. In 1953 Banks toured NZ with the Australian team before playing in the first of three Ashes series (1954, 1956-57 and 1962). After playing in the inaugural World Cup competition in 1954, he toured with the 1956-57 Kangaroos and appeared in all six Tests on tour. Despite continued good performances captaining Queensland whilst playing in Cairns and Tully, Banks’ Test career seemed to be winding down until he was recalled against France in 1960. He was the oldest player on the field in Australia’s Second Test loss against Great Britain in 1962 in what was to be his final rep match. Banks retired in 1963 after captain-coaching North Queensland to victory in the state competition.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Additional Notes

Played under surname Banks real surname Marjoribanks.

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 18 5 -   - 15 7 11 0 38.89% List
Tour Matches North Queensland Firsts 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Interstate Matches 27 4 3   - 18 7 19 1 25.93% List
Tour Matches Queensland Firsts 5 - -   - - 1 4 0 20.00% List
Tour Matches Toowoomba 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 29 9 3   - 33 21 8 0 72.41% List
Test Series 13 2 1   - 5 8 5 0 61.54% List
The Ashes 6 1 -   - 6 3 3 0 50.00% List
World Cup 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Country Carnival 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tour Matches Newcastle Firsts (AU) 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Central Queensland 1 1 -   - 3 0 1 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1953-54, 1956-57, 1960, 1962 15 2 1   - 8 9 6 0 60.00% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1953-1954 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1953-1954 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North QLD 1951 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Toowoomba 1952, 1954 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
QLD Firsts 1952-54, 1956-57, 1959-60, 1962 32 4 3   - 18 8 23 1 25.00% List
Newcastle (AU) 1955 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Central QLD 1956 1 1 -   - 3 0 1 0 0.00% List
Overall1951-1962 38 5 3   0 21 10 27 1 26.32% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1950 18 5 -   - 15 7 11 0 38.89% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs 1950 18 5 -   - 15 7 11 0 38.89% List

Your Say

  • Dave Smith
    14/03/2010

    Bob Banks is my best mate John's father, he now lives in Newcastle with John. John put extensions onto his house to care for the old fellow. I get great pleasure out of the stories he tells me about his career. He is now confined to using a motorised buggy to get around. He loves watching the TV - any sport - and has the occasional flutter on the horses. His record for playing Rugby League is not bettered by many: 15 Tests, 2 World Cup games, 33 games for Queensland (most of them as captain). He is in the top 100 players for Queensland over the last 100 years and is in the top team for Newcastle as 5/8th over the last hundred years. He is a person that has had no regret with what he has done in his life and is a top person, never complains about his situation. He says the best players he has seen and played with are Clive Churchill, Wally Lewis and Andrew Johns.

  • len price
    15/12/2018

    bobby was a great player who could adapt to any gven situation during he game. qld had some lean times then because of nsw clubs offerng better contracts [pokies ] during bobbys career. bob rose above it all.. in passng i played in bulolo with a dave smith from woollongong. just wondering is ths you.-------len price.

  • Chris Marjoribanks
    24/06/2022

    Hi Len,

    Dave Smith is from Newcastle also, and much younger than Bobby (22years younger). I am Bobby's grandson from Newcastle, but have been living in Wollongong since 2017 and still in Wollongong now. My pop told me he played a few games in Wollongong when he was younger, I think in his early Years. Did you play with Bobby? please get in touch.

    Cheers, Chris Marjoribanks

  • Ian Palmer
    21/08/2023

    Met Bobby Banks in the John Hunter Hospital Newcastle October 2016. A real gentleman. Talked about is Rugby days playing for Australia in England. . He was well respected in Yorkshire and Lancashire.Class player.

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