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Bob Boland

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

Nickname(s)
Bolo
Born
Monday, 1st April, 1935
Current Age
91 years and 70 days
Place Of Birth
Balmain, New South Wales, Australia

Competitions Won

Preseason Cup
1967, 1968

Biography

One of the most durable, and underrated, forwards of the late 1950s and 1960s, the Balmain junior appeared in the club’s grand final losses to St George in 1964 and 1966. In the first of these games, Boland’s misdirected kick for touch resulted in the only try of the match to champion St George winger John King while in the latter, he played as stand-in hooker. Boland captained Balmain in the 9-8 win over Great Britain in 1966, the first time a Sydney club defeated a touring Lions team, but representative honours eluded him during a long career. In 1968 he was lured to Penrith by club secretary Merv Cartwright as the Panthers’ captain-coach and brought immediate success with a win in the final of the pre-season competition. Injury forced Boland into retirement in 1970 but he battled on as coach with limited resources until he was sacked during the early stages of the 1973 season.
- ALAN WHITICKER

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 G 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tour Matches Balmain TigersBAL - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSW City vs Country - - 1 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Country Carnival - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - 200 1 201 13-13 - 8 8 55 - - 3 103 92 6 51.24% List
NRL Finals - 9 - 9 1-1 - - - 3 - - - 4 5 - 44.44% List
Preseason Cup 2 40 - 40 2-2 - - - 6 - - 1 20 15 5 50.00% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  241 2 243 15-15 - 8 8 61 - - 4 124 108 11 51.03% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Sydney Firsts 1963   1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1967   - 1 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
BalmainBalmain 19571957 NSWRFL   14 - 14--- - - - - - - - 8 6 - 57.14% List
BalmainBalmain 19581958 NSWRFL   2 - 2--- - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
BalmainBalmain 19601960 NSWRFL   11 - 113-3 - - - 9 - - - 6 5 - 54.55% List
BalmainBalmain 19611961 NSWRFL   18 - 181-1 - - - 3 - - - 10 8 - 55.56% List
BalmainBalmain 19621962 NSWRFL   18 - 183-3 - - - 9 - - - 5 11 2 27.78% List
BalmainBalmain 19631963 NSWRFL   19 - 191-1 - - - 3 - - - 12 7 - 63.16% List
BalmainBalmain 19641964 NSWRFL   20 - 201-1 - - - 3 - - - 13 7 - 65.00% List
BalmainBalmain 19651965 NSWRFL   18 - 181-1 - - - 3 - - 1 10 7 1 55.56% List
BalmainBalmain 19661966 NSWRFL   20 - 20--- - - - - - - - 13 7 - 65.00% List
BalmainBalmain 19671967 NSWRFL   16 1 17--- - 1 1 2 - - 1 10 5 2 58.82% List
PenrithPenrith 19681968 NSWRFL   19 - 191-1 - 4 4 11 - - 1 9 10 - 47.37% List
PenrithPenrith 19691969 NSWRFL   20 - 201-1 - 3 3 9 - - - 6 13 1 30.00% List
PenrithPenrith 19701970 NSWRFL   5 - 51-1 - - - 3 - - - - 5 - 0.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Balmain 1957-58, 1960-67   156 1 157 10-10 - 1 1 32 - - 2 88 64 5 56.05% List
Penrith 1968-70   44 - 44 3-3 - 7 7 23 - - 1 15 28 1 34.09% List

Your Say

  • LEO TUMETH
    16 Nov 2013 9:17am

    THE BEST FORWARD TO EVER NOT GAIN REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS.A REAL BALMAIN LEGEND.THEY THREW AWAY THE MOULD WHEN BOLO RETIRED.

  • Cec Quinnell
    19 Jun 2017 6:18pm

    A fair dinkum Tiger. How I wish the game was being played the same way as it was when Bob was running around. How many of todays "Stars" would have lasted the distance back then?

  • Anonymous
    17 Jul 2020 7:24pm

    I was a young Panthers fan back in their early years. We had Laurie Fagan, Bobby Mara and Bob Boland, all ex Balmain players. There was a great relationship between players and fans when both teams met in those days. One of the greatest games was in 1968 with a see-sawing game with Bobby Mara kicking his one and only career field goal to win the game. Bob Boland, an absolute legend for the Tigers and the Panthers.

  • Greg Horne
    7 Jun 2023 5:14am

    I was in my last year at school in 1968. I was At Penrith park that Sunday
    Penrith turned out with Bolo. George piper Ron clothier in the forward s. Laurie Fagan and Bobby Mara all ex tigers a great game and Bobby Mara kicked the winning field goal

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Contributions: Shawn Dollin, Rugby League Tables, Greg Fiveash, Tony McCarron, Max Turner, Alan Katzmann, Andrew Ferguson, Paul Carter, Derek Farrar, Tim Costello