Bob 'Bustling' Lindner

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Nickname(s)
Bustling
Born
Saturday, 10th November, 1962
Current Age
61 years and 130 days
Place Of Birth
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Second Rower Of The Year
1993
Ron McAuliffe Medal
1993

Biography

Hard-running forward was a regular in the Australian Test team for the better part of a decade without being able to find stability with one club. Lindner played lock with Brisbane Souths (1983-84) and Wynnum-Manly (1985-86) before representing Australia on the 1986 Kangaroo Tour. He played in all six Tests (Papua New Guinea, Great Britain and France) but stays at P’matta (as a much-touted replacement for Ray Price) and the G’Coast were short-lived. Representative honours continued, however, and following a stint with Castleford in England he played against NZ in 1987 and Great Britain in 1988. A broken leg in a State of Origin match in 1989 ruled him out of the NZ tour but after joining a young Wests club in 1990 he was later named player of the 1990 Kangaroo Tour of England and France. Lindner suffered another broken leg injury in 1991 but made a great recovery before breaking the leg again while playing for Australia against NZ. 1992 saw him taking on the visiting Great Britain side, pushing his Test tally to 19 matches, before playing in the World Cup final. Wests' salary cap problems saw him join his fourth premiership club, I’warra, in 1993 but after playing for Australia (against NZ) and Queensland (an emotional try-scoring performance in the Maroons' 24-12 win), he announced his intention to leave Australia to play with Oldham. Lindner took over as captain-coach of the English following the departure of Peter Tunks and successfully averted the team’s relegation to Second Division. He then linked with the short-lived South Queensland Crushers where he was originally recruited as a player but retired in order to replace Bill Gardner as club coach in 1995-96. Lindner stood down as coach in 1997, which was also the Crushers’ final year in the ARL premiership.
- 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 %  
State of Origin 25 7 -   - 28 13 12 0 52.00% List
National Panasonic Cup 3 2 -   - 8 1 2 0 33.33% List
Tour Matches Australia 33 11 -   - 44 29 4 0 87.88% List
World Cup 9 2 -   - 8 8 1 0 88.89% List
Test Series 16 3 -   - - 11 4 1 68.75% List
The Ashes 12 3 -   - 24 9 3 0 75.00% List
English Championship 40 14 -   - 56 16 23 1 40.00% List
Challenge Cup 3 1 -   - 4 1 2 0 33.33% List
NRL 97 22 -   - 88 42 52 3 43.30% List
Yorkshire Cup 4 3 -   - 12 3 0 1 75.00% List
Regal Trophy 2 1 -   - 4 0 2 0 0.00% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
NRL Finals 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1986-88, 1990-93 24 6 -   - 24 18 5 1 75.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992 9 2 -   - 8 8 1 0 88.89% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
QLD 1984-93 26 7 -   - 28 14 12 0 53.85% List
Brisbane Firsts 1986 1 1 -   - 4 0 1 0 0.00% List
Overall1984-1993 27 8 0   0 32 14 13 0 51.85% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Parramatta NSWRL 1987 13 6 -   - 24 6 7 0 46.15% List
Parramatta NSWRL 1988 15 4 -   - 16 5 10 0 33.33% List
Gold Coast NSWRL 1989 10 - -   - - 2 7 1 20.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRL 1990 16 5 -   - 20 5 10 1 31.25% List
Western Suburbs NSWRL 1991 6 - -   - - 3 3 0 50.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRL 1992 17 3 -   - 12 9 7 1 52.94% List
Illawarra NSWRL 1993 20 4 -   - 16 12 8 0 60.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Parramatta 1987-88 28 10 -   - 40 11 17 0 39.29% List
Gold Coast 1989 10 - -   - - 2 7 1 20.00% List
Western Suburbs 1990-92 39 8 -   - 32 17 20 2 43.59% List
Illawarra 1993 20 4 -   - 16 12 8 0 60.00% List
Overall1987-1993 97 22 0   0 88 42 52 3 43.30% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Castleford 1986/87 9 5 -   - 20 4 5 0 44.44% List
Castleford 1987/88 10 4 -   - 16 6 3 1 60.00% List
Oldham 1993/94 30 10 -   - 40 10 19 1 33.33% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Castleford 1986-87 19 9 -   - 36 10 8 1 52.63% List
Oldham 1993 30 10 -   - 40 10 19 1 33.33% List
Overall1986-1994 49 19 0   0 76 20 27 2 40.82% List

Your Say

  • Amity
    01/09/2009

    He came into the supermarket where I work. Few of us realised who he was. Asked him for an autograph for a work mate and he signed a bit of paper for him. Seems like a really nice guy. And a bit cute.

  • fiona pearson
    18/10/2011

    great fella, met bobby in his other profession, helped diagnose a serious condition of mine, so glad i went to see him that day

  • dan
    29/05/2012

    best qld fwd ever! my fav of all time & im a nsw/tiger fan.

  • matt
    27/06/2019

    Highly regarded player, bought by Parra to replace the legendary Ray Price.....only ever tried hard in the lead up to Origin selection.

  • Dean
    25/02/2020

    The best lock in qld state of origin history. Retired while in amazing form. Big, fast and strong.

  • Gus O
    18/03/2022

    My memory is Lindner being picked ahead of Wayne Pierce for the Kangaroos and having a massive game. I couldn’t hardly believe how good he was. Well played.

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

Sources: NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1994, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1994-95