Ron Costello

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Saturday, 7th November, 1942
Current Age
81 years and 143 days

Biography

Former Wests forward, a highly consistent second rower, represented NSW in 1967 while playing for the Collegians Club in the I’warra competition. Costello toured with the Australian team in NZ in 1969, appearing in one Test. Canterbury won the race for his signature in 1970 and Costello was called into the Ashes-deciding Third Test against Great Britain. He later made Australia's World Cup squad that year and backed up with another tour to NZ in 1971.
- 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 79 12 -   - 36 42 36 1 53.16% List
Tour Matches Southern Division 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
City vs Country Firsts 5 2 -   - 6 2 3 0 40.00% List
Interstate Matches 8 1 -   - 3 7 1 0 87.50% List
Tour Matches Australia 7 2 -   - 6 4 3 0 57.14% List
Test Series 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Craven Mild Cup 13 2 -   - 6 9 4 0 69.23% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 1 - -   - - 0 0 1 0.00% List
The Ashes 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NRL Finals 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
World Cup 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Endeavour Cup 3 - -   - - 2 1 0 66.67% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1969-71 4 - -   - - 2 2 0 50.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1969-1970 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Southern Division 1966-67 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
NSW Country Seconds 1966 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1967, 1969-71 9 1 -   - 3 7 1 1 77.78% List
NSW Country Firsts 1967-69 4 2 -   - 6 1 3 0 25.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1970 1 3 -   - 9 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1971 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1966-1971 18 6 0   0 18 12 5 1 66.67% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1964 8 - -   - - 4 3 1 50.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1965 10 1 -   - 3 4 6 0 40.00% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1970 22 2 -   - 6 14 8 0 63.64% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1971 17 4 -   - 12 8 9 0 47.06% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1972 22 5 -   - 15 12 10 0 54.55% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Western Suburbs 1964-65 18 1 -   - 3 8 9 1 44.44% List
Canterbury 1970-72 61 11 -   - 33 34 27 0 55.74% List
Overall1964-1972 79 12 0   0 36 42 36 1 53.16% List

Your Say

  • craig hobbs
    11/07/2012

    Hi Allan, it was a honnor to play with ron at shellharbour group 7 1979, even thow he was well and truly at the end of his caree, just his presense at training or on the feild was a inspuration to me and the rest of the team. My farther John who played with manly in the 50's, alway's said to me, listen and look to what he has to offer he was a marvelous high working player in illawarra & canterbury. 'he also organised a great end of season trip too'! hope he is well.

  • Barry Grimson
    15/07/2015

    Just a neighbour of Ron and Marie,he lives life to the fullest cherishes catching up with old teammates luv his live and let live attitude to life ,all the best caffer

  • denis hooper
    27/06/2017

    hardest tackler in the game in his day great bloke great plater

  • Norm Fairbairn
    08/11/2018

    Wonderful player was Ron Costello. Many great memories, called into 1970 World Cup final (his only game on tour) and tackled everything that moved. Dropped from national side after 1971 defeat (24-3) to New Zealand. He was injured early in the game but stayed on. Favourite moment was in an AMCO cup game in 1975 playing for Southern Districts against Balmain when he upended and back-slammed old Canterbury teammate Dennis Manteit. Great stuff!!

  • Christine Jensen (née Vale-Lane
    29/03/2023

    Can’t resist this comment. My parents in the 1950’s had the milk bar in Addison St prior to dad fracturing his back in 2 places causing both he and mum to have to walk out of the 7 day a week commitment. Whilst having that milk bar Ronnie who is the same age as myself used to come in with a cheeky grin on his face and purchase family size apple pies that mum had baked. It was an indulgence he enjoyed.

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