Henry Tatana

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Henry Nardy Tatana
Born
Saturday, 31st March, 1945
Died
Sunday, 14th June, 1998 (Aged 53 years and 75 days)
Place Of Birth
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Biography

Kiwi Test prop who made his international debut against Australia in 1967 landed six goals in NZ's shock 24-3 win over Australia at Carlaw Park in 1971. Tatana came to C’bury in the early 1970s but his relegation to reserve before the club's grand final loss to Easts in 1974 was indicative of his problems in cementing a first grade spot. Shifting to St George he kicked the Dragons into the 1975 grand final after narrow semi-finals wins over Manly and Easts. Tatana took his place in the St George team thrashed by the Roosters in the grand final but later took on a captain-coach position with Cessnock. A former president of the Cessnock club (1984-86) Tatana passed away suddenly in Brisbane in June 1998, at the age of 53.
- 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 %  
Tour Matches New Zealand 18 3 28   - 65 12 5 1 66.67% List
Test Series 7 1 17   - 37 4 2 1 57.14% List
World Cup 2 - -   - - 0 2 0 0.00% List
Tour Matches Northern XIII 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tour Matches Auckland 1 - 3   - 6 1 0 0 100.00% List
Craven Mild Cup 9 - 11   - 22 4 5 0 44.44% List
NRL 96 7 265   - 551 52 41 3 54.17% List
NRL Finals 7 - 8   - 16 2 5 0 28.57% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
New Zealand 1967-68, 1971 10 1 23   - 49 5 4 1 50.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
New Zealand 1967-1968 2 - -   - - 0 2 0 0.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Northern XIII 1970 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Auckland 1971 1 - 3   - 6 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1970-1971 2 0 3   0 6 1 1 0 50.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Canterbury NSWRFL 1972 13 1 19   - 41 5 8 0 38.46% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1973 20 1 81   - 165 11 8 1 55.00% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1974 20 1 60   - 123 12 8 0 60.00% List
St George NSWRFL 1975 23 3 54   - 117 12 9 2 52.17% List
St George NSWRFL 1976 20 1 51   - 105 12 8 0 60.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Canterbury 1972-74 53 3 160   - 329 28 24 1 52.83% List
St George 1975-76 43 4 105   - 222 24 17 2 55.81% List
Overall1972-1976 96 7 265   0 551 52 41 3 54.17% List

Your Say

  • Garrick Hale
    04/05/2016

    Prior to the Third test in Sydney (1966, 1967?) the NZ players were staying at the Cecil Hotel, Cronulla. Henry, along with 2 other players, attended Sylvania Hts Primary School for a coaching clinic. Our choir teacher sent a message to Henry asking if he would teach the pupils a song. I said to him that she (the Teacher) was only joking, but he asked did we have a guitar. The result was every pupil at the school could sing Hoki Mai (spelling?), the whole 300 of them. What a man!

  • Hone Ngawaka
    17/08/2021

    Henry or Nardi as he was known then a close cousin of mine grew up in the very small settlement of Manukau in the far north of NZ. I played schoolboy rugby with him there in the mid 1950s. A combined maori schools team from Whangape/ Herekino/ Manukau on the west coast out from Kaitaia. Nardi was captain and goalkicker and had a largish dark mole on his forehead that we all pressed for luck when he had a shot at goal. His Father Lisen Tatana was the coach. Later on he moved to Auckland and was a star player with Glenora and Mt Albert Lions, then Auckland and the NZ Kiwis. A big strong prop and prodigous goalkicker. Moved to Australia early 70s to play professionally with Cant Bankstown and then St George. Finished footy as player Coach at Cessnock. I believe he had a trucking business in later years and know that he did have a slice of luck with an Opera House Lottery win. A gentle giant off the field very well liked and respected who passed away too early.

  • Mark
    07/01/2024

    Henry is part of Australian slang usually associated with golf “whose your Henry Tatana” as in playing partner

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