Jim Craig

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Jim Hampton Craig
Born
Saturday, 29th June, 1895
Died
Sunday, 13th December, 1959 (Aged 64 years and 166 days)

Awards & Accolades

International Hall Of Fame
2005
National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
2005

Biography

One of the most versatile and influential players in the history of the game, Jim Craig represented NSW, Queensland and Australia at fullback, centre, five-eighth and halfback. In club matches he regularly filled in as winger and lock and even promoted himself to hooker in one match for Wests and won an even share of the ball! Jimmy Craig emerged from the Balmain juniors and joined in the champion club teams that won premierships in 1915-17 and 1919-20. He toured with the 1921-22 Kangaroos and made his Test debut as a centre against England in the First Test. On his return to Australia in 1922 he spent a season with the fledgling University Club – even enrolling in a course to satisfy the strict eligibility rules of the time. Craig went to Ipswich in 1923 and captained Queensland to an historic series victory over NSW. In 1924 he led the Maroons to wins over NSW and England and was chosen to captain Australia in the Ashes series. Craig represented Australia again when the Lions returned in 1928, taking his career tally to 7 Tests. The following year he accepted the captain-coach role at Wests. Under Craig's leadership Wests won its maiden premiership in 1930. Again, it was his coaching that transformed Canterbury into a premier club in 1938. Jim Craig, ‘Mr Versatile’ passed away in 1959 at the age of 65. Craig was inducted into the ARL Hall of Fame in 2005.
- 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 95 29 107   - 301 71 21 3 74.74% List
City Cup 18 5 14   1 45 9 8 1 50.00% List
NRL Finals 5 1 9   - 21 3 2 0 60.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 4 4 32   - 76 4 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 30 10 19   - 68 20 10 0 66.67% List
Test Series 7 - 6   - - 2 5 0 28.57% List
The Ashes 7 - 6   - 24 2 5 0 28.57% List
Interstate Matches 20 8 32   - 88 15 5 0 75.00% List
Tour Matches Ipswich Firsts 3 - 2   - 4 1 2 0 33.33% List
Tour Matches Queensland Firsts 12 3 63   - 135 10 1 1 83.33% List
Tour Matches Maryborough 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Bulimba Cup 16 3 31   1 73 6 8 2 37.50% List
Country Carnival 2 1 7   - 17 2 0 0 100.00% List
City vs Country Firsts 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1921, 1924, 1928 9 1 6   - 15 3 6 0 33.33% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Metropolis 1920 1 2 -   - 6 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1921-22, 1929 8 7 39   - 99 8 0 0 100.00% List
Universities XIII 1922 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Ipswich 1923-28 23 6 43   1 106 9 12 2 39.13% List
QLD Firsts 1923-28 32 13 96   - 231 25 6 1 78.13% List
Maryborough 1924 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1929 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1920-1929 67 28 178   1 442 44 20 3 65.67% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Balmain NSWRFL 1915 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1916 14 2 5   - 16 12 2 0 85.71% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1917 10 2 -   - 6 9 1 0 90.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1919 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1920 13 11 8   - 49 11 1 1 84.62% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1921 8 5 9   - 33 5 3 0 62.50% List
University NSWRFL 1922 12 3 8   - 25 5 7 0 41.67% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1929 15 2 40   - 86 10 3 2 66.67% List
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1930 17 4 37   - 86 14 3 0 82.35% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Balmain 1915-17, 1919-21 51 20 22   - 104 42 8 1 82.35% List
University 1922 12 3 8   - 25 5 7 0 41.67% List
Western Suburbs 1929-30 32 6 77   - 172 24 6 2 75.00% List
Overall1915-1930 95 29 107   0 301 71 21 3 74.74% List

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