Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Born
- Saturday, 30th August, 1958
- Current Age
- 65 years and 234 days
- Place Of Birth
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Biography
Easts junior trialed with both Easts and Manly before being graded by Souths in the late 1970s. A tough, no-nonsense prop Peter Tunks toiled for seven seasons with the Rabbitohs, (overcoming bouts of hepatitis and glandular fever in 1979), before achieving success with C’bury. A member of the Bulldogs’ teams that won premierships in 1984-85 Tunks played in 6 Tests for Australia (each against NZ) but declined to tour with the 1986 Kangaroos due to business commitments. Tunks captained Leeds in 1987-88 and was Phil Gould's choice as captain following the standing down of Steve Mortimer in 1988. After leading the club to a grand final win over Balmain that year, Tunks later followed Gould to Penrith in 1990. Injuries relegated him to reserve grade with the Panthers and he decided to see out his career in English club football. Tunks played with Salford and Sheffield Eagles (both 1990) before taking on a captain-coach role with Oldham. Tunks' brief in England was clear - avoid relegation at all costs - but with the club languishing at the bottom of the league table he resigned in February 1994 and was replaced by Bob Lindner.
- 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 % | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRL | 233 | 42 | - | - | 146 | 133 | 90 | 10 | 57.08% | List | ||||
| Craven Mild Cup | 2 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Tooheys Challenge Cup | 6 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| State of Origin | 9 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| National Panasonic Cup | 7 | 4 | - | - | 13 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 57.14% | List | ||||
| NRL Finals | 13 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 76.92% | List | ||||
| City vs Country Firsts | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Test Series | 5 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 80.00% | List | ||||
| World Cup | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Australia | 4 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | |||
| City vs Country | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Yorkshire Cup | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| English Championship | 26 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 38.46% | List | ||||
| Regal Trophy | 5 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 80.00% | List | ||||
| Challenge Cup | 5 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
| Lancashire Cup | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| UK Second Division | 7 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| ||||||||||||||
Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 1985-87 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 1985-86 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
| ||||||||||||||
Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| NSW | 1981, 1984-87 | 9 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
| NSW City Firsts | 1985-86 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| NSW City | 1987-89 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Overall | 1981-1989 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 78.57% | List | |||
| ||||||||||||||
NRL/NSWRL - By Year | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1977 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1978 | 19 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 52.63% | List | |||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1979 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 20.00% | List | |||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1980 | 16 | 5 | - | - | 15 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1981 | 21 | 8 | - | - | 24 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 38.10% | List | |||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1982 | 21 | 5 | - | - | 15 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 57.14% | List | |||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1983 | 16 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 43.75% | List | |||
| Canterbury | NSWRL 1984 | 24 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 83.33% | List | |||
| Canterbury | NSWRL 1985 | 19 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 68.42% | List | |||
| Canterbury | NSWRL 1986 | 16 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 56.25% | List | |||
| Canterbury | NSWRL 1987 | 17 | - | - | - | - | 12 | 5 | 0 | 70.59% | List | |||
| Canterbury | NSWRL 1988 | 21 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 80.95% | List | |||
| Canterbury | NSWRL 1989 | 22 | - | - | - | - | 10 | 10 | 2 | 45.45% | List | |||
| Penrith | NSWRL 1990 | 12 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 5 | 1 | 50.00% | List | |||
NRL/NSWRL - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| South Sydney | 1977-83 | 102 | 27 | - | - | 86 | 46 | 52 | 4 | 45.10% | List | |||
| Canterbury | 1984-89 | 119 | 15 | - | - | 60 | 81 | 33 | 5 | 68.07% | List | |||
| Penrith | 1990 | 12 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 5 | 1 | 50.00% | List | |||
| Overall | 1977-1990 | 233 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 146 | 133 | 90 | 10 | 57.08% | List | |||
English Career - By Year | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Leeds | 1987/88 | 24 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 62.50% | List | |||
| Salford | 1990/91 | 8 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Sheffield | 1990/91 | 15 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 26.67% | List | |||
English Career - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Leeds | 1987 | 24 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 62.50% | List | |||
| Salford | 1990 | 8 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Sheffield | 1990 | 15 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 26.67% | List | |||
| Overall | 1987-1991 | 47 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 27 | 16 | 4 | 57.45% | List | |||
Contributions:
Rugby League Tables, Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Alan Katzmann, Steven Russo, Max Turner, Bill Bates
Sources:
NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, Match Video, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, Newspapers
Your Say
23/05/2011
My question is not ruby league related. I remember Peter Tunks had a wine bar in Randwick. I would like to know the name of that wine bar to settle a bet please.
29/06/2012
Tunks had a bar in Randwick in the 1980s named Baxters.
26/10/2017
One of the best prop forwards of the 80s. Always remembered for his powerhouse performances in the great Bulldogs side who had the best forward pack of the 80s.
14/05/2020
You can hear him on Talkinsport on 2SM between 3:00 and 6:00 pm from Monday to Wednesday.
Want to have your say about this player? Add a comment.