Sandy Pearce

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Sidney Charles Pearce
Born
Thursday, 31st May, 1883
Died
Friday, 14th November, 1930 (Aged 47 years and 166 days)
Place Of Birth
Double Bay, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

International Hall Of Fame
2006
National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
2006

Known Family Links

Son
Joe Pearce

Biography

Pioneer league forward had one of the most durable career in Test football - representing Australia in 1921 at age 38, some thirteen years after making his Test debut. ‘Sandy’ Pearce defected from Easts RU ranks to play against the NZ 'All Golds' in 1907. An immensely strong and resourceful hooker he was a foundation member of the Easts club and went on to be the first player to surpass 150 first grade games during his career. Pearce played in two Tests against NZ in 1908 and was regarded as the 'iron-man' of the pioneer Kangaroos in 1908-09. He played in 32 matches in England including all three Tests. He went on to play in another Test series against NZ, in 1909, but declined to tour with the 'Australasian' Kangaroos in 1911-12. Pearce returned to the Test arena against England in the 1914 and 1920 Ashes series and made his second Kangaroo Tour in 1921-22. He represented NSW in 1921 (and played for his State against every visiting rugby league nation) some became the oldest Australian Test player in the history of the game (38 years 158 days) when he played in the Second Test against England on the 1921-22 Kangaroo Tour. Known as the ‘Prince of Hookers’ Pearce died prematurely in 1930 less than 10 years after his career ended. In 1932 his son 'Joe' Pearce played for Australia, thus becoming the first father-son combination to represent Australia.
- 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 %  
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 24 5 -   - 15 14 10 0 58.33% List
NRL 157 5 1   - 17 100 51 6 63.69% List
Tour Matches Australia 67 2 -   - 6 32 30 5 47.76% List
Test Series 16 - -   - - 7 7 2 43.75% List
The Ashes 11 - -   - - 4 6 1 36.36% List
NRL Finals 3 - -   - - 2 1 0 66.67% List
Tour Matches Kangaroos 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Australasia 2 - -   - - 1 0 1 50.00% List
Interstate Matches 6 1 -   - 3 6 0 0 100.00% List
City Cup 18 - -   - - 12 6 0 66.67% List
Tour Matches Metropolis 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Sydney Firsts 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1908-09, 1914, 1920-21 19 1 -   - 3 7 10 2 36.84% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1908-09 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List
Australasia 1910 2 - -   - - 1 0 1 50.00% List
Overall1908-1910 6 0 0   0 - 4 1 1 66.67% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW Firsts 1907-14, 1920-21 32 6 -   - 18 22 10 0 68.75% List
Kangaroos 1909-10, 1917 6 - -   - - 3 3 0 50.00% List
Metropolis 1911-12, 1914-15 4 - -   - - 2 2 0 50.00% List
Sydney Firsts 1920 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Overall1907-1921 43 6 0   0 18 27 16 0 62.79% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1908 7 2 -   - 6 7 0 0 100.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1909 7 1 1   - 5 2 5 0 28.57% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1910 9 - -   - - 6 2 1 66.67% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1911 14 - -   - - 11 3 0 78.57% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1912 14 - -   - - 13 1 0 92.86% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1913 14 - -   - - 12 2 0 85.71% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1914 13 1 -   - 3 8 5 0 61.54% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1915 14 - -   - - 6 8 0 42.86% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1916 12 1 -   - 3 5 5 2 41.67% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1917 14 - -   - - 7 7 0 50.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1918 12 - -   - - 6 6 0 50.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1919 9 - -   - - 5 2 2 55.56% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1920 10 - -   - - 6 4 0 60.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1921 8 - -   - - 6 1 1 75.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Sydney 1908-21 157 5 1   - 17 100 51 6 63.69% List

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Contributions: Alan Katzmann, Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Bill Bates, Michael Borg

Sources: Newspapers