John 'Dallas' Donnelly

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Nickname(s)
Dallas
Born
Friday, 3rd September, 1954
Died
Saturday, 22nd February, 1986 (Aged 31 years and 172 days)
Place Of Birth
Gunnedah, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Brother
Michael Donnelly

Biography

The career of 'Dallas' Donnelly remains central to the heart of the Wests club. The Gunnedah forward represented NSW in 1973, breaking his arm on debut, and was named Country Player of the Year. Donnelly signed with the Magpies in 1975 and represented Australia in three World Series matches that year but his sole Test appearance was not until three years later against NZ. Under coach Roy Masters in the late 1970s, Donnelly's on and off-field larrikinism took him to almost cult status but his career gradually wound down in the early 1980s as he battled injuries and increasing weight problems. He was suspended for 15 weeks in 1978 on a kneeing charge and was a regular visitor to the judiciary in the early 1980s (he also received a 14-week suspension in 1981). Donnelly later spent a season with English club Southend Invicta in 1985-86 before taking on the captain-coach position with Byron Bay. Donnelly, who had suffered from epilepsy throughout his life, drowned after suffering a fit while surfing prior to the start of the 1986 season.
- 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 3 - -   - - 1 2 0 33.33% List
Interstate Matches 4 - -   - - 4 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Northern Division 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NRL 149 6 6   4 34 67 77 5 44.97% List
National Panasonic Cup 3 - -   - - 1 1 1 33.33% List
Tour Matches Australia 4 - -   - - 3 0 1 75.00% List
World Cup 3 - -   - - 2 0 1 66.67% List
Test Series 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NRL Finals 3 - -   - - 0 3 0 0.00% List
UK Second Division 17 - -   - - 2 15 0 11.76% List
Challenge Cup 1 1 -   - 4 0 1 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1975, 1978 4 - -   - - 3 0 1 75.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1975 3 - -   - - 2 0 1 66.67% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW Firsts 1973, 1975-76 4 - -   - - 4 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Country Firsts 1973-74 2 - -   - - 0 2 0 0.00% List
Northern Division 1974 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
North Coast 1975 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1975 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Combined Sydney 1976 4 - -   - - 1 3 0 25.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1976 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1973-1976 14 0 0   0 - 7 7 0 50.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1975 21 3 4   - 17 9 10 2 42.86% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1976 21 1 2   - 7 10 9 2 47.62% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1977 20 1 -   - 3 6 14 0 30.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1978 21 - -   - - 14 7 0 66.67% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1979 12 - -   - - 6 6 0 50.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1980 18 1 -   2 5 12 6 0 66.67% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1981 7 - -   - - 3 4 0 42.86% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1982 12 - -   1 1 6 6 0 50.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1983 15 - -   1 1 1 13 1 6.67% List
Western Suburbs NSWRL 1984 2 - -   - - 0 2 0 0.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Western Suburbs 1975-84 149 6 6   4 34 67 77 5 44.97% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Southend Invicta 1984/85 17 1 -   - 4 2 15 0 11.76% List
Sheffield 1985/86 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Kent Invicta 1984 17 1 -   - 4 2 15 0 11.76% List
Sheffield 1985 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Overall1984-1985 18 1 0   0 4 2 16 0 11.11% List

Your Say

  • Dave Wilson
    24/07/2011

    RIP "Dallas" you were the best Magpie of them all !

  • Dave Wilson
    24/07/2011

    I'm sure the club Dallas played for in England were called South end Invicta......

  • Anonymous
    18/02/2012

    Dallas

    The reason I became a western suburbs supporter all those years ago

  • Anonymous
    12/03/2015

    He was the heart and soul of what the people loved about the western suburbs club and the fans he represented .
    Have never heard a rugby league crowd laugh as much in a game since .....
    After watching Dallas knock over a field goal.

  • John Plummer
    17/06/2019

    What enjoyment it was . Watching Dallas give it his all for the Magpies

  • John Plummer
    17/06/2019

    What enjoyment it was . Watching Dallas give his all for the mighty black and white Magpies

  • Anonymous
    23/04/2021

    Hope you loved Tommy joining you brother! RIP you two legends! ????

  • Anonymous
    10/10/2021

    That field goal Rex likened to kicking a cat off the front porch

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

Sources: Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1985-86, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1986-87