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
- Stanley Bruce Olive
- Born
- Thursday, 28th August, 1930
- Died
- Thursday, 22nd May, 2025 (Aged 94 years and 267 days)
Biography
Wollongong prop played for NSW in nine matches between 1958-62 but could not break into the Australian Test side. Olive, who paved the way for Country’s upset wins over City in 1961-62, later played with Newtown in the mid-1960s.
- 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 | Southern DivisionSOD | - | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | 50.00% | List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tour Matches | New South Wales FirstsNFI | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 0.00% | List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | Starts | Int | APP | 3ST | 3PT | T | G | 2FG | FG | Pts | Bin5 | Bin | Off | W | L | D | Win% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interstate Series | 3 | 8 | - | 8 | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | 62.50% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NSW City vs Country Firsts | 2 | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | 50.00% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NSW City vs Country | 2 | 5 | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 3 | - | 40.00% | 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 | - | 0.00% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) | - | 69 | - | 69 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | 1 | 32 | 32 | 5 | 46.38% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preseason Cup | - | 16 | - | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 9 | 1 | 37.50% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | Starts | Int | APP | 3ST | 3PT | T | G | 2FG | FG | Pts | Bin5 | Bin | Off | W | L | D | Win% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Class | 102 | - | 102 | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | 12 | - | - | 1 | 46 | 50 | 6 | 45.10% | List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | Starts | Int | APP | 3ST | 3PT | T | G | 2FG | FG | Pts | Bin5 | Bin | Off | W | L | D | Win% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern Division | 1958-60 | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | 33.33% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NSW Country Seconds | 1958 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 0.00% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NSW Firsts | 1958-59, 1961-62 | 10 | - | 10 | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 5 | 5 | - | 50.00% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NSW Country Firsts | 1959-62 | 6 | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | - | 33.33% | 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% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NewtownNewtown | 19641964 NSWRFL | 17 | - | 17 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | 9 | 8 | - | 52.94% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NewtownNewtown | 19651965 NSWRFL | 17 | - | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 6 | 3 | 47.06% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NewtownNewtown | 19661966 NSWRFL | 16 | - | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 7 | - | 56.25% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NewtownNewtown | 19671967 NSWRFL | 19 | - | 19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 31.58% | 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% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Newtown | 1964-67 | 69 | - | 69 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | 1 | 32 | 32 | 5 | 46.38% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contributions:
Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, Rugby League Tables, Max Turner, Andrew Ferguson, Tony McCarron, Derek Farrar, Shawn Dollin, Tim Costello
Your Say
1 Apr 2015 12:48am
Should of played for Australia but never got the opportunity when came to the selectors! Bias I say! Even when the England side toured Australia Grand dad played for NSW with all his might left a dent in the English side, even they said he was one of the hardest forwards they played against...It is what it is but needless to say leave the past in the past...That is all, as you were! Be blessed...
14 Mar 2018 5:47pm
Bruce is one of the best person you could ever meet a true gentleman and it’s been a highlight of my life knowing him.
3 Apr 2018 9:48pm
I had the privilege to meet Bruce Olive. He is an outstanding and great human being. It was an absolute pleasure to meet this man.
25 Jun 2018 1:02pm
Watched him play at Wollongong for Wests when I was about 10 years old. A great game, he was a tough no nonsense player, we could use more like him today.
10 May 2019 4:07pm
I am the youngest boy of Bruce Olive
The stories he has shared with me about his rugby League career at the highest level have been life inspiring and life changing.
Courage, Respect for others, Understanding, Humility, Self Respect, Empathy are just a few examples of the influence my father has had on my life.
Thanks Dad
14 Apr 2020 4:15pm
A living aboriginal treasure. Played for the Casino all blacks
15 May 2020 6:01pm
I can remember Bruce playing for the Red Devils in the Illawarra comp. He was an excellent player and did not take a backward step to anyone. Although I was a Port Kembla fan at that time I always remember thinking when the indigenous team played Wests that Bruce would go on to play for Australia. Unfortunately it was a time when indigenous players did not get the accolades that they deserved. Good to see that others appreciate the effort that Bruce put in.
6 Aug 2020 11:21am
Saw Bruce play for the casino all blacks when I was a kid.Wonderful family of footballers and great people. Racism kept him out of the Australian side. Trailblazer for the indigenous people. Should be interviewed for historys sake
16 Jun 2021 10:42am
Another product of Casino. Was part of the Casino All Blacks side that was undefeated for many years, prior to heading to Sydney.
28 Aug 2021 6:59pm
Underrated. Big time.
1 Feb 2024 4:33pm
Bruce was and I imagine still is a great ambassador for our indigenous people.
Played against Bruce (West W v Collegians) in 1961
Tough forward, huge hands but more importantly, great attitude and sportsman.
Good memories.....hope he's keeping well
19 Mar 2024 11:48pm
Just to say my uncle introduced me to Bruce Olive in 1968 at a Wollongong Wests game because he knew I was a blue-bag supporter. Bruce had recently retired from first-grade.
Bruce was lovely. A huge hulking frame, gentle nature and touch with a wide smile. I later came to know one of his blue-bag team-mates from the 1960s somewhat better when I trained at the Redfern Police Academy and spent 11 weeks being tortured (in a nice kinda way) by Chicka Moore.
Meeting Bruce Olive was big deal for this six year old and left quite an impression I treasure to this day.
24 May 2025 6:02am
R.I.P , Bruce Olive .
26 May 2025 1:27pm
Bruce Olive was my neighbour for a couple of years , when I was growing up in the late 1950’s/ early 60’s. I never forgot his commanding presence & respectful demeanour. One of a kind. Died 22 nd May 2025
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