Sign in | Register

Gordon Clifford

  • 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
Gordon Lionel Clifford
Nickname(s)
Punchy
Born
Wednesday, 4th April, 1928
Died
Saturday, 22nd November, 2008 (Aged 80 years and 232 days)
Place Of Birth
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Competitions Won

Test Series
1956 Australia vs New Zealand, 1956/57 France vs Australia
Interstate Series
1957

Biography

Goal-kicking fullback had a long career with the Newtown club, including two grand final losses to Souths in 1954-55, before breaking into Test football in 1956. Clifford was a popular choice on the 1956-57 Kangaroo tour after playing against NZ that year and appeared in 14 matches on tour, top-scoring with 94pts (2t, 44g). When Clive Churchill was injured in the First Test against Great Britain, Clifford was selected in the remaining Tests against Great Britain and France. He appeared in only one match for NSW, in 1957, and played final Test series the following year against Great Britain.
- 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 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 8 - 8 --- 24     - - 48 - - - 5 3 - 62.50% List
The Ashes - 5 - 5 --- 17     - - 34 - - - 2 3 - 40.00% List
Tour Matches AustraliaAUS - 16 - 16 2-2 57     - - 120 - - - 11 5 - 68.75% List
Tour Matches Sydney FirstsSDF - 2 - 2 --- 11     - - 22 - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales FirstsNFI - 1 - 1 --- 5 / 8 62.50% - - 10 - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Test Series 2 8 - 8 --- 24     - - 48 - - - 5 3 - 62.50% 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 1 1 - 1 --- 9 / 12 75.00% - - 18 - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
NSW City vs Country - 2 - 2 --- 10     - - 20 - - - 1 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 - 4 - 4 --- 20     - - 40 - - - 4 - - 100.00% List
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - 120 - 120 7-7 461     4 4 951 - - - 66 49 5 55.00% List
NRL Finals - 5 - 5 --- 21     3 3 48 - - - 2 3 - 40.00% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G   A GK % 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  142 - 142 9-9 553     4 4 1,141 - - - 80 57 5 56.34% 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 1956-58   8 - 8 --- 24     - - 48 - - - 5 3 - 62.50% 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%  
NSW City Seconds 1954, 1956   2 - 2 --- 10     - - 20 - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Probables (AU) 1955   1 - 1 --- 3     - - 6 - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Sydney Firsts 1956, 1958   2 - 2 --- 11     - - 22 - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
NSW Firsts 1957-58   2 - 2 --- 14 / 20 70.00% - - 28 - - - 1 1 - 50.00% 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%  
NewtownNewtown 19511951 NSWRFL   16 - 162-2 40     - - 86 - - - 5 11 - 31.25% List
NewtownNewtown 19521952 NSWRFL   17 - 17--- 53     - - 106 - - - 6 11 - 35.29% List
NewtownNewtown 19531953 NSWRFL   12 - 12--- 44     - - 88 - - - 7 3 2 58.33% List
NewtownNewtown 19541954 NSWRFL   16 - 161-1 77     3 3 163 - - - 12 2 2 75.00% List
NewtownNewtown 19551955 NSWRFL   19 - 19--- 91     1 1 184 - - - 14 4 1 73.68% List
NewtownNewtown 19561956 NSWRFL   10 - 103-3 45     - - 99 - - - 7 3 - 70.00% List
NewtownNewtown 19571957 NSWRFL   10 - 101-1 32     - - 67 - - - 4 6 - 40.00% List
NewtownNewtown 19581958 NSWRFL   14 - 14--- 62     - - 124 - - - 9 5 - 64.29% List
Eastern SuburbsEastern Suburbs 19601960 NSWRFL   6 - 6--- 17     - - 34 - - - 2 4 - 33.33% 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%  
Newtown 1951-58   114 - 114 7-7 444     4 4 917 - - - 64 45 5 56.14% List
Eastern Suburbs 1960   6 - 6 --- 17     - - 34 - - - 2 4 - 33.33% List

Your Say

  • Richard Cornford
    16 Apr 2017 12:37pm

    Gordon was a brilliant fullback for Newtown.He would have played many more games for NSW and Australia had he not been competing against the great Clive Churchill.I can remember my school days walking past the service station on Canterbury Road Marrickville that was owned by Dick Poole and Gordon Clifford.I would always be looking for a chance to have a chat to one of them.Great memories.

  • brian cuke
    18 May 2018 11:33am

    Gordon also played in the waterside workers rugby league tour of nz
    in 1951 as did my uncle herb Cuke who was the hooker

  • Anonymous
    27 May 2020 12:13am

    Gordon Clifford was a hard but fair man and also one of the nicest people you could meet but most of all he was my Dad and my wall and there’s no one quite like him
    He was nature’s gentleman
    He loved me and I miss him ????

  • Ken Abrahams
    17 Oct 2020 2:51pm

    Gordon also played A Grade cricket in the CYMCA
    competition held at Wentworth Park in 1960s.
    A competent left hand batsman (if my memory serves me correctly)

Want to have your say? Add a comment.

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