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Harry Wells

  • 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

Full Name
Harry James Wells
Nickname(s)
Dealer, Bomber
Born
Sunday, 8th May, 1932
Current Age
94 years and 33 days
Place Of Birth
Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Brother
Colin Wells

Competitions Won

The Ashes
1954
World Cup
1957
Test Series
1959 Australia vs New Zealand, 1959/60 France vs Australia, 1960 Australia vs France
Interstate Series
1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1961
NSW City vs Country Firsts
1953, 1957, 1958, 1960
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
1951

Honours & Awards

National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
2007
NSWRL Hall Of Fame
2022

Biography

Harry Wells (real name Wills) came from a long line of boxers (both his father and grandfather fought under the name 'Dealer' Wills) and brought many of the ring's attributes to his league career. A robust, weaving centre, Wells came from Wollongong to play for Souths in 1951, winning the premiership in his first season in Sydney, before returning home. In 1952 he represented NSW and toured with the Kangaroos, where he made the first of 22 Test appearances. Wells played against NZ (1953 and 1959), Great Britain (1954 and 1958), France (1955 and 1960), in three World Cup campaigns (1954, 1957 and 1960) and a second Kangaroo tour (1959-60). In the latter part of his career, he formed a great partnership with a young Reg Gasnier, and the pair played in 12 Test matches together. In 1956 Wells came to Wests as part of the club's premiership build-up but the Magpies lost the grand final to St George, 20-9. Wells played out the remainder of his career in the country and made one last appearance against Great Britain while playing for Monaro in 1966.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Additional Notes

His real surname was Wills. With the passing of Dick Poole in June 2025 Harry is currently the oldest living Kangaroo.

Playing Career Statistics

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Representative Career - International   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 30 - 30 14-14 -     - - 42 - - - 18 12 - 60.00% List
Other International Matches - 3 - 3 4-4 -     - - 12 - - - 3 - - 100.00% List
The Ashes 1 7 - 7 2-2 -     - - 6 - - - 3 4 - 42.86% List
World Cup 1 8 - 8 5-5 -     - - 15 - - - 6 2 - 75.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales FirstsNFI - 9 - 9 2-2 -     - - 6 - - - 6 3 - 66.67% List
Tour Matches Monaro/Southern Division XIIIMON - 1 - 1 --- -     - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Tour Matches AustraliaAUS - 58 - 58 27-27 -     - - 81 - - - 39 18 1 67.24% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Country FirstsNTF - 1 - 1 --- -     - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
Tour Matches Southern DivisionSOD - 1 - 1 1-1 -     - - 3 - - - - - 1 0.00% List
Tour Matches Sydney FirstsSDF - 2 - 2 1-1 -     - - 3 - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Tour Matches MonaroMON - 1 - 1 --- -     - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Test Series 4 21 - 21 8-8 -     - - 24 - - - 11 10 - 52.38% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Interstate Series 8 27 - 27 6-6 -     - - 18 - - - 18 9 - 66.67% List
NSW City vs Country Firsts 4 7 - 7 3-3 0 / 1 0.00% - - 9 - - - 4 3 - 57.14% List
NSW City vs Country 4 8 - 8 3-3 0 / 1 0.00% - - 9 - - - 4 3 1 50.00% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Country Carnival - 6 1 7 8-8 -     - - 24 - - - 3 3 1 42.86% List
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) 1 91 - 91 36-36 -     - - 108 - - - 62 27 2 68.13% List
NRL Finals - 8 - 8 1-1 -     - - 3 - - - 2 6 - 25.00% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  204 - 204 80-80 0 / 1 0.00% - - 240 - - - 135 64 5 66.18% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1952-55, 1957-60   30 - 30 14-14 -     - - 42 - - - 18 12 - 60.00% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1952-1957   3 - 3 4-4 -     - - 12 - - - 3 - - 100.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1952-1960   8 - 8 5-5 -     - - 15 - - - 6 2 - 75.00% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Southern Division 1952-55   5 - 5 4-4 -     - - 12 - - - - 3 2 0.00% List
Monaro/S.Division 1952   1 - 1 --- -     - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
NSW Firsts 1952-61   36 - 36 8-8 -     - - 24 - - - 24 12 - 66.67% List
NSW Country Firsts 1952-55   5 - 5 1-1 - / 1 0.00% - - 3 - - - 2 3 - 40.00% List
Sydney Firsts 1956, 1958   2 - 2 1-1 -     - - 3 - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Possibles (AU) 1956   1 - 1 1-1 -     - - 3 - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1957-58, 1960   3 - 3 2-2 -     - - 6 - - - 3 - - 100.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1961   1 - 1 --- -     - - - - - - - - 1 0.00% List
Monaro 1966   1 - 1 --- -     - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
SouthsSouth Sydney 19511951 NSWRFL   6 - 63-3 -     - - 9 - - - 6 - - 100.00% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19561956 NSWRFL   15 - 152-2 -     - - 6 - - - 11 4 - 73.33% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19571957 NSWRFL   17 - 179-9 -     - - 27 - - - 9 7 1 52.94% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19581958 NSWRFL   11 - 116-6 -     - - 18 - - - 7 4 - 63.64% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19591959 NSWRFL   13 - 135-5 -     - - 15 - - - 9 3 1 69.23% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19601960 NSWRFL   16 - 165-5 -     - - 15 - - - 9 7 - 56.25% List
Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs 19611961 NSWRFL   13 - 136-6 -     - - 18 - - - 11 2 - 84.62% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
South Sydney 1951   6 - 6 3-3 -     - - 9 - - - 6 - - 100.00% List
Western Suburbs 1956-61   85 - 85 33-33 -     - - 99 - - - 56 27 2 65.88% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    16 May 2014 9:26pm

    Amazing career considering they held down a full time job looked after their family and paid for their own uniform to play in. Maybe the young players of today should meet Harry and find out what pride is about and how they should appreciate their forefathers!

  • Mark Kenny
    22 Apr 2017 11:16pm

    I met Harry when I was a kid in the seventies in Port Macquarie.
    My Father was a friend of his & he was doing some work for Harry & I tagged along.I was always a big Rugby League fan & over the years as I grew older I had the pleasure of being coached by Harry in School teams & watching him play for Port in the local comp when he Captain Coached the club.He must have been well into his forties then but still commanded lots of respect & his ability was still there to be seen.
    There is no doubt Harry was one of the greatest footballers of all time but I think his greatest attributes are his personality & humbleness.It has always been a pleasure talking to Harry & he has always been a true gentleman & I & Im sure many other local footballers in Port Macquarie are glad we had the pleasure of meeting him

  • Len Callaghan
    14 Apr 2019 10:22am

    Harry made Gasnier, if not for harry Gasnier would not have been as good as he became.

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Contributions: Greg Fiveash, Shawn Dollin, Rugby League Tables, Jason Ganter, Andrew Ferguson, Max Turner, Paul Carter, Tony McCarron, Alan Katzmann, Wests Archives, AJ Lucantonio, Bill Bates, Pierre Chapius, Tim Costello

Sources: RFL Player Registers