Referee Career
Vital Statistics
- Nickname(s)
- Hollywood
- Born
- Sunday, 19th July, 1942
- Current Age
- 83 years and 249 days
- Place Of Birth
- Paddington, New South Wales, Australia
Biography
Newtown reserve grade halfback was left in a critical condition after rupturing his spleen and injuring his kidneys during a match in 1967. Three subsequent operations ended his playing career at age 22, but Hartley became the most flamboyant and controversial referee of the 1970s. Graded as a referee in the Easts junior league in 1969, he first came to prominence during the three-way play-off for fifth place in the 1975 semi-finals. 'Hollywood' Hartley's dealings with Parramatta, and in particular coach Jack Gibson, reached rock-bottom during the latter part of the decade while his performance in the1978 grand final replay between Manly and Cronulla drew widespread criticism. However, he was also easily the best (and certainly the most watchable) referee during that period and was chosen to officiate in four consecutive grand finals (1978-81). Ironically, in the last of these, he gave an accomplished, even understated, display that resulted in Parramatta first premiership title. The same year he was chosen to referee Test matches in five countries involving every rugby league nation. Hartley retired in 1982, joining Peter Peters to become the highest rating commentary team in radio. After almost a decade at the top at 2GB, the pair parted company after a disappointing period with 2KY. Hartley returned to 2GB in 1993, sans Peters, but the pair briefly reunited in 1995 before returning to the airwaves with 2KY in 2002.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Referee 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.
Contributions:
Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Max Turner, Paul Carter, Shawn Dollin, Alan Katzmann
Your Say
30/05/2017
Greg played his junior league with Paddington Colts, in the Eastern Suburbs Junior league, and the nickname "Hollywood" he gained as a first grade referee was evident even in those days.
Having played myself with Easts juniors, with the now defunct Woollahra Waratahs, I was playing C grade against the colts, and was asked to back up for our depleted B and A grade matches, all played on the same day following each other.
Greg was playing in the Colts A grade scrum, and I was playing hooker with the Waratahs.
After the game and after the Colts gave us a drubbing, Greg came up to me, congratulated me a a young C grader playing my first A grade game, and informed me that he was the one "gouging my face" and that I should have retaliated. I never played with a loose arm though. :)
11/08/2018
Back In The 60s Growing Up In Paddington The Colts Players Had A Dress Sense Being Dapper Trousers Held High And A Walking And Running Shuffle Greg Hartley in My Mind Is How The 60s Were In Paddington
06/01/2021
I always enjoyed games he ref’d he made some mistakes but none more than the players he ref’d in a game.
03/04/2024
Greg was Graded with Canterbury Bankstown in 1963, I played a number of games with him in 3rd grade, I was Half, Greg was 5/8.
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