Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Robert Marjoribanks
- Born
- Sunday, 22nd June, 1930
- Current Age
- 93 years and 97 days
- Place Of Birth
- Tumut, New South Wales, Australia
Known Family Links
- Father
- R Marjoribanks
Biography
Brilliant on-field organiser at five-eighth or centre, Banks was born in Tumut but began his career in the Newcastle competition where he came from a noted footballing family (his family name had been shortened from 'Marjoribanks'). After a season with Easts, Banks moved to Charters Towers where he first represented North Queensland against France. He made his state debut the following year and distinguished himself as a consummate team player during the next decade. In 1953 Banks toured NZ with the Australian team before playing in the first of three Ashes series (1954, 1956-57 and 1962). After playing in the inaugural World Cup competition in 1954, he toured with the 1956-57 Kangaroos and appeared in all six Tests on tour. Despite continued good performances captaining Queensland whilst playing in Cairns and Tully, Banks’ Test career seemed to be winding down until he was recalled against France in 1960. He was the oldest player on the field in Australia’s Second Test loss against Great Britain in 1962 in what was to be his final rep match. Banks retired in 1963 after captain-coaching North Queensland to victory in the state competition.
- 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 | 18 | 5 | - | - | 15 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 38.89% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | North Queensland Firsts | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Interstate Matches | 27 | 4 | 3 | - | 18 | 7 | 19 | 1 | 25.93% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Queensland Firsts | 5 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | 0 | 20.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Toowoomba | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Australia | 29 | 9 | 3 | - | 33 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 72.41% | List | |||
| Test Series | 13 | 2 | 1 | - | 5 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 61.54% | List | ||||
| The Ashes | 6 | 1 | - | - | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| World Cup | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Country Carnival | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Newcastle Firsts (AU) | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Central Queensland | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
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Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 1953-54, 1956-57, 1960, 1962 | 15 | 2 | 1 | - | 8 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 60.00% | List | |||
International Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 1953-1954 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 1953-1954 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| North QLD | 1951 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Toowoomba | 1952, 1954 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
| QLD Firsts | 1952-54, 1956-57, 1959-60, 1962 | 32 | 4 | 3 | - | 18 | 8 | 23 | 1 | 25.00% | List | |||
| Newcastle (AU) | 1955 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
| Central QLD | 1956 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Overall | 1951-1962 | 38 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 10 | 27 | 1 | 26.32% | List | |||
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NRL/NSWRL - By Year | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1950 | 18 | 5 | - | - | 15 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 38.89% | List | |||
NRL/NSWRL - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Eastern Suburbs | 1950 | 18 | 5 | - | - | 15 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 38.89% | List | |||
Contributions:
Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Bill Bates
Your Say
Dave Smith says: Bob Banks is my best mate John's father, he now lives in Newcastle with John. John put extensions onto his house to care for the old fellow. I get great pleasure out of the stories he tells me about his career. He is now confined to using a motorised buggy to get around. He loves watching the TV - any sport - and has the occasional flutter on the horses. His record for playing Rugby League is not bettered by many: 15 Tests, 2 World Cup games, 33 games for Queensland (most of them as captain). He is in the top 100 players for Queensland over the last 100 years and is in the top team for Newcastle as 5/8th over the last hundred years. He is a person that has had no regret with what he has done in his life and is a top person, never complains about his situation. He says the best players he has seen and played with are Clive Churchill, Wally Lewis and Andrew Johns. (14/03/2010)
len price says: bobby was a great player who could adapt to any gven situation during he game. qld had some lean times then because of nsw clubs offerng better contracts [pokies ] during bobbys career. bob rose above it all.. in passng i played in bulolo with a dave smith from woollongong. just wondering is ths you.-------len price. (15/12/2018)
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