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Gary Larson

  • Playing Career

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)
Sven
Born
Monday, 2nd January, 1967
Current Age
59 years and 158 days
Place Of Birth
Gladstone, Queensland, Australia

Competitions Won

World Cup
1995
Test Series
1995 Australia vs New Zealand
State of Origin
1991, 1995, 1998

Honours & Awards

Ron McAuliffe Medal
1995

Biography

Mobile Gladstone lock won praise with his tireless displays for Norths and in Queensland's State of Origin sides in the early 1990s. Gary Larson was one of Norths' most consistent performers during the club's run to the preliminary final in 1991 and was considered unlucky not to have played for Australia in the early 1990s. In 1994 he blemished his fine record when he was sent from the field in the final against Canberra for a dangerous tackle on David Furner. Norths went on to lose the match and Larson lost his chance to press for selection on the Kangaroo Tour. In 1995 he finally made his Test against NZ before going on to play in 9 Tests at the height of the Super League war. Initially declaring his unavailability for World Cup duty because of family commitments Larson was rushed into the side following a broken cheekbone suffered by Paul Harragon and played in both the semi-final, against NZ, and the final against England. Curiously, Larson missed Test selection in ARL’s stand-alone season in 1997 despite being a mainstay of Queensland’s State of Origin pack. He announced his retirement from rep duty in early 1999 but following the Bears’ merger with Manly he saw out the final year of his career with the Eels.
- 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 ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 8 - 8 1-1 - - - 4 - - - 8 - - 100.00% List
Other International Matches - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
World Cup 1 3 - 3 1-1 - - - 4 - - - 3 - - 100.00% List
Test Series 1 3 - 3 --- - - - - - - - 3 - - 100.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
State of Origin 3 24 - 24 --- - - - - - - - 11 13 - 45.83% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership - 214 35 249 34-34 - - - 136 - 2 1 133 109 7 53.41% List
NRL Finals - 14 - 14 1-1 - - - 4 - - 1 4 10 - 28.57% List
Midweek Cup - 3 - 3 --- - - - - - - - 2 - 1 66.67% List
Challenge Cup AU - 6 3 9 --- - - - - - - - 5 4 - 55.56% List
Overall   Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  249 35 284 35-35 - - - 140 - 2 1 154 122 8 54.23% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1995-96   8 - 8 1-1 - - - 4 - - - 8 - - 100.00% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1995-1997   1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1995   3 - 3 1-1 - - - 4 - - - 3 - - 100.00% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
QLD 1991-98   24 - 24 --- - - - - - - - 11 13 - 45.83% List

NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19871987 NSWRL Winfield Cup   - 1 11-1 - - - 4 - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19881988 NSWRL Winfield Cup   1 1 2--- - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19891989 NSWRL Winfield Cup   20 2 221-1 - - - 4 - - - 5 16 1 22.73% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19901990 NSWRL Winfield Cup   7 8 151-1 - - - 4 - - - 8 7 - 53.33% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19911991 NSWRL Winfield Cup   21 - 217-7 - - - 28 - - - 12 8 1 57.14% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19921992 NSWRL Winfield Cup   16 1 171-1 - - - 4 - - - 8 9 - 47.06% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19931993 NSWRL Winfield Cup   19 1 203-3 - - - 12 - - - 12 7 1 60.00% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19941994 NSWRL Winfield Cup   24 - 244-4 - - - 16 - 1 1 18 6 - 75.00% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19951995 ARL Winfield Cup   20 2 223-3 - - - 12 - 1 - 10 10 2 45.45% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19961996 ARL Optus Cup   23 - 231-1 - - - 4 - - - 15 6 2 65.22% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19971997 ARL Optus Cup   21 1 222-2 - - - 8 - - - 12 10 - 54.55% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19981998 NRL Premiership   24 - 245-5 - - - 20 - - - 16 8 - 66.67% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19991999 NRL Premiership   14 6 204-4 - - - 16 - - - 7 13 - 35.00% List
ParramattaParramatta 20002000 Telstra NRL Premiership   4 12 161-1 - - - 4 - - - 9 7 - 56.25% List

NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP ST PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
North Sydney 1987-99   210 23 233 33-33 - - - 132 - 2 1 124 102 7 53.22% List
Parramatta 2000   4 12 16 1-1 - - - 4 - - - 9 7 - 56.25% List

Your Say

  • Col the Bear
    5 Feb 2011 7:54am

    Gary Larson is also a member of the North Sydney Team of the Century (prop).

  • Ninja Joe
    7 Feb 2012 11:05pm

    Gary holds the record for the most consecutive State of Origin matches (24)

  • Anonymous
    17 Feb 2012 11:31pm

    Gary played rugby union at schoolboy level and was a very good centre. It was only after multiple ankle and knee injuries that he moved into the forwards

  • Anonymous
    14 Sep 2018 9:03pm

    An Australian schoolboy rugby union player. Brilliant centre.

  • Anonymous
    19 Jan 2019 12:06pm

    Gary Larson - Absolute Legend.
    Workhorse and dependable and an alround champion.
    We need more former sportsmen and women involved today passing on their skills and experience.
    The younger arrogant players of today would greatly benefit from such true sportsmen.

  • Anonymous
    8 May 2024 5:53pm

    Gary first came to notice in the league world when playing for Miriam Vale (where the oval is named after him) before the CQ Capras at 18 as a centre before heading to Nth Sydney Bears. Knee/leg injuries hit him hard early on but one of his early games at the Bears was certainly at centre before moving to the forwards the following year.
    He enjoyed a great career and became an ambassador for the game he loved.

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

Sources: David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present), Big League, Match Video, RFL Player Registers, Widnes RLFC History , Castleford Tigers Heritage , News Reports