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David Topliss

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
David John Topliss
Nickname(s)
Toppo
Born
Thursday, 29th December, 1949
Died
Monday, 16th June, 2008 (Aged 58 years and 169 days)
Place Of Birth
Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England

Competitions Won

European Championship
1974/75
English Championship
1982/83
Challenge Cup
1981/82
Yorkshire Cup
1982/83, 1983/84

Honours & Awards

Lance Todd Trophy
1979

Biography

Wakefield Trinity five-eighth (1968-80) appeared in four Tests for Great Britain but his talents were under-utilised at Penrith in the mid-1970s. At Balmain however, Topliss was one of the star players of the 1977 season. Topliss, who scored a club record-equalling five tries in a match against Newtown that year, produced a one-man demolition act on Manly in the minor preliminary semi-final that year. He later returned to Australia as a member of the 1979 Lions before joining Hull (1980-85) and Oldham (1986-87).
- 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 G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 5 - 5 ----- - - - - - - - 2 3 - 40.00% List
Other International Matches - 1 - 1 ----- - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
The Ashes - 4 - 4 ----- - - - - - - - 1 3 - 25.00% List
Tour Matches Wakefield TrinityWAK - 1 - 1 1---1 - - - 3 - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Tour Matches Great BritainGBR - 10 - 10 2---2 - - - 6 - - - 7 3 - 70.00% List
Tour Matches Hull FCHUL - 1 - 1 1---1 - - - 3 - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Tour Matches OldhamOLD - 1 - 1 ----- - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Test Series - 4 - 4 ----- - - - - - - - 1 3 - 25.00% List
European Championship 1 1 - 1 ----- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - 28 2 30 10---10 - 1 1 31 - - - 12 17 1 40.00% List
NRL Finals - 2 - 2 1---1 - 1 1 4 - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Club Career - UK   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
English Championship 1 137 6 143 3223--55 - 1 1 189 - - - 91 46 6 63.64% List
Premiership Trophy - 9 - 9 12--3 - - - 11 - - - 4 5 - 44.44% List
Challenge Cup 1 18 2 20 51--6 - 2 2 21 - - - 13 5 2 65.00% List
Regal Trophy - 11 1 12 4---4 - - - 12 - - - 6 5 1 50.00% List
Yorkshire Cup 2 13 - 13 12--3 - - - 11 - - - 10 3 - 76.92% List
Lancashire Cup - 5 - 5 ----- - - - - - - - 3 2 - 60.00% List
UK Top Division 1 137 6 143 3223--55 - 1 1 189 - - - 91 46 6 63.64% List
UK Second Division - 5 2 7 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 4 3 - 57.14% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  241 14 255 5729--86 - 4 4 291 - - - 152 93 10 59.61% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Great Britain 1973, 1979, 1982   4 - 4 ----- - - - - - - - 1 3 - 25.00% List
England 1975   1 - 1 ----- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Great Britain 1973-1982   1 - 1 ----- - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
PenrithPenrith 19761976 NSWRFL   10 2 12----- - - - - - - - 2 10 - 16.67% List
BalmainBalmain 19771977 NSWRFL   18 - 1810---10 - 1 1 31 - - - 10 7 1 55.56% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Penrith 1976   10 2 12 ----- - - - - - - - 2 10 - 16.67% List
Balmain 1977   18 - 18 10---10 - 1 1 31 - - - 10 7 1 55.56% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Wakefield T.Wakefield 1977/78   - - 0----- - - - - - - - - - - - List
Wakefield T.Wakefield 1979/80   - - 0----- - - - - - - - - - - - List
Wakefield T.Wakefield 1980/81   32 - 328---8 - 1 1 25 - - - 17 14 1 53.13% List
HullHull 1981/82   25 2 2713---13 - 2 2 41 - - - 21 5 1 77.78% List
HullHull 1982/83   36 - 3622---22 - - - 66 - - - 27 7 2 75.00% List
HullHull 1983/84   29 1 30-15--15 - - - 60 - - - 21 8 1 70.00% List
HullHull 1984/85   22 4 26-4--4 - - - 16 - - - 15 9 2 57.69% List
OldhamOldham 1985/86   15 - 15-3--3 - - - 12 - - - 9 4 2 60.00% List
OldhamOldham 1986/87   32 1 33-6--6 - - - 24 - - - 16 17 - 48.48% List
Wakefield T.Wakefield 1987/88   8 4 12-1--1 - - - 4 - - - 6 6 - 50.00% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Wakefield 1980, 1987   40 4 44 81--9 - 1 1 29 - - - 23 20 1 52.27% List
Hull 1981-84   112 7 119 3519--54 - 2 2 183 - - - 84 29 6 70.59% List
Oldham 1985-86   47 1 48 -9--9 - - - 36 - - - 25 21 2 52.08% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    27 Mar 2016 3:50pm

    Best fiveight that I have ever seen. Some footballers should find some old footage and see how to get a backline moving properly

  • Anonymous
    18 Apr 2017 11:12pm

    Best attacking footballer I have ever seen

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Contributions: Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Paul Carter, Derek Farrar, Alan Katzmann, Tony McCarron, Bill Bates, Max Turner, Tim Costello

Sources: Wakefield Trinity Heritage , RFL Player Registers, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999), Match Video