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John Gray

  • 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

Born
Friday, 9th October, 1953
Current Age
72 years and 245 days

Competitions Won

Test Series
1974 New Zealand vs Great Britain
European Championship
1974/75
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
1978

Honours & Awards

Dally M Hooker Of The Year
1982

Biography

Great Britain RU international also played County cricket for Warwickshire and the MCC before changing codes to play for Wigan in 1973. Gray came to Australia on Great Britain’s 1974 tour and made his Test debut in the Lions’16-11 Second Test win, while his 6 goals in the Third Test almost won his country the Ashes. A tough hooker and a brilliant around-the-corner goal-kicker, Gray brought his considerable talents to Norths in the mid-1970s. In 1976 he was awarded the Amco Cup 'superstar' prize for player of the competition but only after an embarrassing mix-up after promoters first gave the award to Balmain's Allan McMahon. Gray signed with Manly in 1978 on a reduced contract for the chance to play in a competitive side. Unfortunately he was sent off and suspended in the major semi-final replay against P’matta and Manly went on to win a dramatic 1978 grand final replay without him. Gray later returned to Norths but a series of broken forearms and constant back pain ended his career in 1983.
- 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 4ST 3PT 4PT T G   A GK % 1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 8 3 11 1---1 26     1 - 1 56 - - - 8 3 - 72.73% List
The Ashes - 2 1 3 ----- 9     1 - 1 19 - - - 1 2 - 33.33% List
World Cup - 1 - 1 ----- 4     - - - 8 - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
Tour Matches Great BritainGBR - 15 2 17 2---2 52     1 - 1 111 - - - 12 5 - 70.59% List
Test Series 1 5 1 6 ----- 17     1 - 1 35 - - - 3 3 - 50.00% List
European Championship 1 2 - 2 ----- 4     - - - 8 - - - 2 - - 100.00% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G   A GK % 1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) 1 133 6 139 121--13 285     1 - 1 611 1 1 6 69 65 5 49.64% List
NRL Finals - 4 - 4 ----- 2 / 3 66.67% - - - 4 - - 1 1 2 1 25.00% List
Preseason Cup - 13 - 13 ----- 26     - - - 52 - - - 5 8 - 38.46% List
Midweek Cup - 13 2 15 ----- 35     - - - 70 - - 1 7 8 - 46.67% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G   A GK % 1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  177 12 189 151--16 407     2 - 2 865 1 1 7 98 86 5 51.85% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G   A GK % 1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Great Britain 1974   5 3 8 1---1 18     1 - 1 40 - - - 5 3 - 62.50% List
England 1975   3 - 3 ----- 8     - - - 16 - - - 3 - - 100.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G   A GK % 1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
England 1975   1 - 1 ----- 4     - - - 8 - - - 1 - - 100.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G   A GK % 1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19751975 NSWRFL   9 1 10----- 23     - - - 46 - - - 3 7 - 30.00% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19761976 NSWRFL   15 - 152---2 33 / 66 50.00% - - - 72 - - 1 4 10 1 26.67% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19771977 NSWRFL   19 - 193---3 66     - - - 141 - - - 10 8 1 52.63% List
ManlyManly 19781978 NSWRFL   25 - 254---4 61     - - - 134 - - 1 16 8 1 64.00% List
ManlyManly 19791979 NSWRFL   15 1 16----- 7     - - - 14 - - 2 7 8 1 43.75% List
ManlyManly 19801980 NSWRFL   8 1 9----- -     - - - - - - 1 5 4 - 55.56% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19811981 NSWRFL   16 - 16----- 40     - - - 80 1 1 1 7 9 - 43.75% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19821982 NSWRFL Winfield Cup   19 2 213---3 51     1 - 1 112 - - - 14 6 1 66.67% List
North SydneyNorth Sydney 19831983 NSWRFL Winfield Cup   7 1 8-1--1 4     - - - 12 - - - 3 5 - 37.50% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G   A GK % 1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
North Sydney 1975-77, 1981-83   85 4 89 81--9 217     1 - 1 463 1 1 2 41 45 3 46.07% List
Manly 1978-80   48 2 50 4---4 68     - - - 148 - - 4 28 20 2 56.00% List

Your Say

  • Col the Bear
    5 Feb 2011 8:04am

    John Gray is also a member of the North Sydney Team of the Century (bench).

  • keith newbold president,cov.schools
    14 Jan 2012 8:20am

    john went to a famous comprehensive school in coventry england.he played soccer up to the age of 15 representing coventry schools as a good striker.he switched codes at 16 when his considerable talents strength and confidence prepared him for his impending excellence in both forms of the rugby game.his school was the woodlands comprehensive school.

  • jean mason(nee wilkins)
    2 Aug 2013 8:04am

    He was also an excellent trumpet player with Coventry Youth Orchestra where I was a mediocre violin player. He had star quality about him even then.

  • Martin Parkinson
    10 Dec 2015 9:44am

    I remember John at school and afterwards as a fantastic sportsman and very intimidating on a Saturday morning of a schools rugby match with a crash helmet under his arm and unshaven stubble as the opposition team watched him enter the changing rooms. He was also a national shot putt champion and also a good basketball player.

  • Merv Riley
    21 Aug 2018 12:28am

    Played with John in the 1969-70 side at Loughborough Colleges. He was a real tough hooker in a side that contained many future Rugby Union and League internationals. His great ball handling skills made him an excellent Sevens player. He seems to have had a very successful R,L. career in Australia.

  • Joe Lindsay
    30 Dec 2023 9:31am

    I was two years younger than him at Woodlands school and remember watching him practice his goal kicking at lunchtime.
    He was knocking them over from the halfway line when he was only 16. And them leather balls took some kicking.

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

Sources: Widnes RLFC History , RFL Player Registers