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John Elford

  • Playing Career

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 Thomas Elford
Nickname(s)
Snoozer
Born
Sunday, 30th March, 1947
Died
Sunday, 4th February, 2024 (Aged 76 years and 311 days)
Place Of Birth
Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Cousin
Terry Elford

Competitions Won

Test Series
1972 Australia vs New Zealand
Interstate Series
1972

Biography

Casino product, and a beach sprint champion, came to Wests as a winger in 1966 but shifted to the forwards with great success. John Elford's promising career was constantly interrupted by a spate of broken arm injuries. A great defender and confident ball-player, Elford played for NSW in 1972 before giving a mature display in Australia's Test series win against the Kiwis. After scoring two tries in the 31-7 Second Test thrashing of NZ in Brisbane he was a member of Australia's World Cup squad at the end of that year but broke his arm in a qualifying match in France. Elford missed the entire 1973 season and further injuries eventually resulted in his retirement in 1978.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Additional Notes

John's birthday is wrongly reported as 1 March 1947 it has been verified as 30 March 1947. John grew up in Frederickton just North of Kempsey in NSW and played for Smithtown in the NSW Group 2 competition where he played as captain/coach following his retirement from Wests in the NSWRL.

Playing Career Statistics

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Representative Career - International   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 4 - 4 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 3 1 - 75.00% List
World Cup - 2 - 2 --- - - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Tour Matches Western Suburbs MagpiesWES - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Interstate Series 1 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - 1 1 - - 100.00% List
NSW City vs Country - 2 - 2 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 2 - - 100.00% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - 112 4 116 14-14 - - - - 42 - - - 55 57 4 47.41% List
NRL Finals - - 3 3 --- - - - - - - - - 2 1 - 66.67% List
Preseason Cup - 21 1 22 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 7 12 3 31.82% List
Midweek Cup - 2 - 2 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 2 - - 100.00% List
Endeavour Cup - - 1 1 --- - - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  143 5 148 20-20 - - - - 60 - - 1 70 71 7 47.30% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1972   4 - 4 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 3 1 - 75.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1972   2 - 2 --- - - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSW City Seconds 1968, 1972   2 - 2 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 2 - - 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1972   1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - 1 1 - - 100.00% List
North Coast 1978   1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19661966 NSWRFL   13 - 131-1 - - - - 3 - - - 9 4 - 69.23% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19671967 NSWRFL   6 - 62-2 - - - - 6 - - - 4 2 - 66.67% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19681968 NSWRFL   19 - 195-5 - - - - 15 - - - 12 7 - 63.16% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19701970 NSWRFL   15 - 152-2 - - - - 6 - - - 4 10 1 26.67% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19711971 NSWRFL   11 - 11--- - - - - - - - - 1 10 - 9.09% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19721972 NSWRFL   20 - 203-3 - - - - 9 - - - 8 11 1 40.00% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19741974 NSWRFL   21 3 241-1 - - - - 3 - - - 13 10 1 54.17% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19751975 NSWRFL   2 1 3--- - - - - - - - - 1 2 - 33.33% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19761976 NSWRFL   5 - 5--- - - - - - - - - 3 1 1 60.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Western Suburbs 1966-68, 1970-72, 1974-76   112 4 116 14-14 - - - - 42 - - - 55 57 4 47.41% List

Your Say

  • Gary Osullivan
    15 May 2017 8:58pm

    One of the greatest and toughest players. A gentlemen off the field and a legend on it.

  • Ed
    14 Mar 2020 12:08pm

    Played for Smithtown after leaving Wests.

  • Ed
    8 Sep 2021 7:18pm

    Played for Smithtown after leaving West’s.

  • Ed
    25 Jan 2024 11:57pm

    His last game for Wests was in round one of the 1976 Amco Cup against Inter Monaro. He scored a try but broke his arm again.
    Is also related to Terry Elford who played for Newtown in 1977.

  • Anonymous
    5 Feb 2024 9:29am

    Passed away 4 February 2024

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Contributions: Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, Max Turner, Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, Tony McCarron, Tim Costello, Wests Archives, AJ Lucantonio