Jimmy Lisle

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Ronald James Lisle
Born
Saturday, 9th September, 1939
Died
Friday, 28th February, 2003 (Aged 63 years and 172 days)
Place Of Birth
Grafton, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Jimmy Lisle's rise to Australian Test status was the quickest by any player in the history of the game. A product of Grafton High School where he was a champion athlete, Lisle joined Drummoyne RU Club in 1959, forming a great partnership with halfback Ken Catchpole at state level the following year. Lisle made his Australian debut against Fiji in 1961 before touring South Africa. After four Test appearances as a centre or five-eighth, he joined Souths in 1962. Lisle had damaged his hamstring on tour in South Africa and although his professional debut was delayed some months, he played in just one match for his new club before he was selected for NSW, City and then Australia in consecutive weeks. Lisle made his Test debut at five-eighth in the Third Test against Great Britain and although his League career was plagued by injury, he toured with the 1963-64 Kangaroos (13 matches, no Tests) and played in series against France (1964) and NZ (1965). Lisle had the misfortune to drop the ball over the tryline as he attempted to improve his position for the conversion in Australia’s 7-5 loss to NZ in the Second Test of the tour. A brilliant cover defender he captained Souths in the historic grand final against St George in 1965 but was replaced by John Sattler in 1967. Souths won the premiership that year and with the newly signed Denis Pittard being the preferred pivot during 1968, Lisle retired the following year after a recurrence of a leg injury.
- 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 100 7 -   - 21 56 43 1 56.00% List
Interstate Matches 9 1 -   - 3 8 0 1 88.89% List
Tour Matches Sydney Firsts 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 2 1 -   - 3 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 10 5 -   - 15 9 1 0 90.00% List
Test Series 6 - -   - - 5 1 0 83.33% List
The Ashes 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Craven Mild Cup 23 2 -   - 6 13 8 2 56.52% List
City vs Country Firsts 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
NRL Finals 6 1 -   - 3 4 2 0 66.67% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1962, 1964-65 6 - -   - - 5 1 0 83.33% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Sydney Firsts 1962-64 3 - -   - - 2 1 0 66.67% List
NSW City Seconds 1962 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1962-65 11 2 -   - 6 9 1 1 81.82% List
NSW City Firsts 1964-65 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1962-1965 17 2 0   0 6 14 2 1 82.35% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Souths NSWRFL 1962 11 1 -   - 3 2 8 1 18.18% List
Souths NSWRFL 1963 7 - -   - - 2 5 0 28.57% List
Souths NSWRFL 1964 14 - -   - - 8 6 0 57.14% List
Souths NSWRFL 1965 14 2 -   - 6 8 6 0 57.14% List
Souths NSWRFL 1966 11 - -   - - 5 6 0 45.45% List
Souths NSWRFL 1967 22 3 -   - 9 16 6 0 72.73% List
Souths NSWRFL 1968 21 1 -   - 3 15 6 0 71.43% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Souths 1962-68 100 7 -   - 21 56 43 1 56.00% List

Your Say

  • Hugh Fletcher
    13/07/2011

    Jimmy and I were school mates at Grafton High School in the 1950s, We were both in the same year at school, and played school boy football, together in the School 1st thirteen, we also played for the local Grafton All Black Junior team which won premerships in 1956 & 57. If my memory serves me correct we both also played first grade for the All Blacks whilst we were still at School. I lost contact with him after we left school, and only caught up with him at South Sydney Leagues Club in 1968 when he rertired.I had also retired than,after playing for Ryde Eastwood.

  • Ken Goodall
    12/04/2012

    I too am proud to have known Jim while doing the Physical Education Diploma Course at Sydney Teachers' College (where students were "expected" to play Rugby Union instead of League)

    An immensely likeable character, the only social difficulties he had were how to keep the girls at bay and how to better hold his beer but on the football field I've never seen better!

    I'll never forget the day at Drummoyne Oval circa 1959/60 when, as 5/8 in the 1st Grade side, he caught a ball in his own touch-in-goal and then, demonstrating his marvellous stepping and acceleration, proceeded to slip through and around the entire opposing team to score under the dot.

    Furthermore, I believe he has been known to do this on more than one occasion.

  • Graham Faux
    21/07/2015

    I wish to say a few words about a true champion of a man Mr Jim Lisle I met Jim at the age of 13 where he was the PE teacher at Bass Hill High he just was a great man he would go out of his way to help and guide you through difficult times he took a group of students to redfern oval and when the game finished took us into the dressing rooms where he introduced us to the greats of rugby league I still think of that day 47yrs latter jim inspired me to go on and play league .You will never be forgotten Mr Lisle

  • Manny gerasimou
    12/07/2017

    Hi I was my PE teacher att Bass High School. Wonderful teacher and the reason I started plying rugby league.
    I can see he was a larikan and a gentleman also.
    He would come to school on Mondays after the game and would have so much bark off him and always limping.
    I guess no ice bThs back then. Thank you Jimi Lilse

  • lenprice
    15/12/2018

    thought it was against the french in the third test than jim dropped the ball almost on full time.ist test aust 56-6 , 8-8 tie in the second and france 7-5 in the third. very disappointing as i thought aust was the better team in the series. jim was crucified in the press because of his french name and some said he dropped the ball on purpose. some negatve people out there. toowomba had beaten the french touring team that year i believe. jim was a solid back and but for injury and a surge in ausralian rl talent he would have done better. lot of good halves in those years. jimmy was a good one though. cannot deny his achievements of two codes. very young international . len price formerly ipswich /png now canada.

  • Paul
    03/12/2019

    I taught with Jim at Randwick BHS in the early 1970’s. A champion bloke and a champion bloke.
    Another Rabbitoh and Kangaroo Darrell Chapman als o taught PE there in the 1970’s.

  • Paul Carter
    13/05/2020

    Also provided special comments on Television for the ABC in 1974.

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