Dave Brown

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
David Michael Brown
Born
Friday, 4th April, 1913
Died
Saturday, 23rd February, 1974 (Aged 60 years and 325 days)
Place Of Birth
Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

International Hall Of Fame
2003
National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
2003
Immortal
2018

Biography

The deeds of Dave Brown, ‘the Bradman of League’ have stood the test of time. A product of Christian Brothers Waverley, Brown joined Easts as a 16-year-old schoolboy in 1930 and played first grade later that year. A dashing centre, Brown's loss of hair through illness in the summer of 1931-32 resulted in his wearing trademark headgear. He made his debut for NSW in 1931and was named State captain the following year at age 19! Selected to tour with the 1933-34 Kangaroos, he played in 32 matches (equal highest with the great Newcastle lock Wally Prigg) and scored a tour record 285 pts (19t, 114g), which may never be bettered. Brown was not a recognised goal-kicker before the tour but returned to Australia to post records that stood for decades. Brown played in three Tests against England in 1933-34 before becoming Australia’s youngest Test captain (22 years, 177 days) on the 1935 tour of NZ. That season proved to be a remarkable year for the champion centre. Brown scored 244 pts with Easts - a record that was not broken until Eric Simms in 1969 – and 385 pts in all matches. Brown's tally included 38 tries for the season and 45pts in one match (5t, 15g against C’bury) both of which remain records to this day! The following year, Brown became the youngest Test captain in an Anglo-Australian Test series (bettered by Reg Gasnier in1962). Brown also captained the champion Easts club to premiership titles in 1935-36 before being signed by English club Warrington at the end of 1936 on a lucrative contract. Brown cut short his four years in England to return to Easts at the end of 1939 and captain-coached the club to win the 1940 premiership. The following year, at age 28, he announced his retirement after the club's loss to St George in the 1941 grand final. Brown was the NSWRL’s School Liaison Officer in 1959 and was 'unofficial' coach of the South African team that played two Tests in Australia in 1963. He continued to work tirelessly for the code before his death from cancer in 1974. An interesting note: prior to the Clive Churchill Medal being struck in 1986, players in the grand final used to vie for the 'Dave Brown’ Medallion'.
- 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 94 93 193   - 665 69 23 2 73.40% List
NRL Finals 11 9 11   - 49 5 6 0 45.45% List
Interstate Matches 19 9 49   - 125 12 6 1 63.16% List
Tour Matches Sydney Roosters 5 6 3   - 24 4 1 0 80.00% List
City vs Country Firsts 4 1 6   - 15 4 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Metropolis 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 2 1 -   - 3 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 40 31 143   - 379 28 12 0 70.00% List
Test Series 9 7 26   - 38 3 6 0 33.33% List
The Ashes 6 3 13   - 70 1 5 0 16.67% List
Tour Matches Sydney Firsts 1 1 1   - 5 0 1 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1933-36 12 11 48   - 129 5 7 0 41.67% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Dominion XIII 1937 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW Firsts 1931-36 28 19 62   - 181 20 7 1 71.43% List
NSW City Probables 1931-32 2 1 2   - 7 2 0 0 100.00% List
Metropolis 1932 2 - -   - - 0 2 0 0.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1932, 1934-36 4 1 6   - 15 4 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1933 1 - 1   - 2 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City Possibles 1933 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Sydney Firsts 1936 1 1 1   - 5 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW Police 1936 1 1 1   - 5 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1931-1936 40 23 73   0 215 28 11 1 70.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1930 7 6 -   - 18 5 2 0 71.43% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1931 13 7 20   - 61 9 4 0 69.23% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1932 11 7 5   - 31 7 4 0 63.64% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1933 6 6 4   - 26 3 3 0 50.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1934 15 11 44   - 121 11 4 0 73.33% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1935 15 38 65   - 244 14 1 0 93.33% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1936 11 15 23   - 91 10 0 1 90.91% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1939 2 1 7   - 17 2 0 0 100.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1940 7 - 3   - 6 4 2 1 57.14% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1941 7 2 22   - 50 4 3 0 57.14% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs 1930-36, 1939-41 94 93 193   - 665 69 23 2 73.40% List

Your Say

  • League Fan
    14/05/2015

    Dave Brown certainly was the "Bradman of League"

  • Costas
    07/08/2018

    Wonderful player. Dave overcame a number of physical ailments to be the dominant superstar player of the 1930s and recently being crowned an Immortal. Thoroughly deserves all the accolades

  • Brian Sanderson
    10/12/2018

    He played 93 matches for Warrington and scored 48 tries

    and 91 goals.

  • Want to have your say about this player? Add a comment.

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

Sources: 2006 Official Rugby League Annual