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Merv Hicks

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)
Pale Whale
Born
Wednesday, 15th December, 1943
Current Age
82 years and 181 days
Place Of Birth
Crosskeys, Caerphilly, Wales

Known Family Links

Grandson
Harry Hayes

Competitions Won

Test Series
1965 Great Britain vs New Zealand
Preseason Cup
1970

Biography

Former Great Britain Test prop, an aggressive force on the football field, played in C’bury's 1967 grand final loss to Souths. Hicks actually played the 1970 pre-season competition with Norths but his contract was ruled to be invalid and he returned to C’bury. He finally made it to Norths in 1971, captain-coaching the club following the departure of high-profile English coach Roy Francis. Hicks later captain-coached Bowral after leaving Sydney in 1973.
- 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 G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - 97 1 98 17-17 - - 1 1 53 - - 5 51 44 3 52.04% List
NRL Finals - 4 - 4 --- - - - - - - - - 2 2 - 50.00% List
Preseason Cup 1 23 - 23 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 12 11 - 52.17% List
Endeavour Cup - 2 - 2 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - - 2 - 0.00% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  121 1 122 18-18 - - 1 1 56 - - 5 64 55 3 52.46% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Great Britain 1965   1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
CanterburyCanterbury 19661966 NSWRFL   13 - 132-2 - - - - 6 - - 1 7 6 - 53.85% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19671967 NSWRFL   23 - 235-5 - - 1 1 17 - - 1 15 7 1 65.22% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19681968 NSWRFL   11 - 111-1 - - - - 3 - - - 5 6 - 45.45% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19691969 NSWRFL   17 - 175-5 - - - - 15 - - 1 9 8 - 52.94% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19701970 NSWRFL   14 1 153-3 - - - - 9 - - - 8 7 - 53.33% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19711971 NSWRFL   6 - 6--- - - - - - - - 1 2 3 1 33.33% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19721972 NSWRFL   13 - 131-1 - - - - 3 - - 1 5 7 1 38.46% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Canterbury 1966-70   78 1 79 16-16 - - 1 1 50 - - 3 44 34 1 55.70% List
North Sydney 1971-72   19 - 19 1-1 - - - - 3 - - 2 7 10 2 36.84% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    14 Dec 2011 10:49pm

    Coached the Junee Diesels in Group 9 during the 1995 season.

  • The Defenstrator
    10 May 2012 2:36pm

    The uber-burly Hicks was affectionately known as the "Pale Whale" during his stints with Canterbury and Nth Sydney.

  • Julie
    25 Apr 2015 6:23pm

    After finishing with North Sydney, he went back to England with his family and played with Hull,commentators saying he was playing the best football of his career.Returning to Captain coach Bowral in the late seventies.

  • Julie hicks
    19 May 2015 8:49pm

    Dad went back to England and played for hull while running many pubs in Yorkshire with his wife and family, went to bow real in 1977

  • Anonymous
    17 Aug 2015 9:28am

    Went back to England after the Bears and played fo Hull.

  • Anonymous
    17 Dec 2020 1:30pm

    I believe he was Captain-coach of Orange CYMS in Group 10 NSW in 1973 as I played League with his son Paul in 1973

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