Sign in | Register

Graham Olling

  • Playing Career

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

Born
Monday, 19th July, 1948
Current Age
77 years and 320 days
Place Of Birth
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Competitions Won

The Ashes
1978/79
Test Series
1978 Australia vs New Zealand
Interstate Series
1977, 1978
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
1974
Preseason Cup
1974, 1975
Midweek Cup
1980

Biography

Tough prop, a P’matta junior who won a Second Division premiership with Wentworthville in 1971, spent three seasons with Easts before his career took off in the mid 1970s. Moving to P’matta Olling played in the club’s maiden grand final appearance in 1976 and was selected for NSW the following year. In 1977 he represented Australia in the World Cup competition and took part in the historic grand final draw and replay against St George. Olling admitted to taking steroids during his career but this was when the code was still naive about the value of performance-enhancing drugs and his disclosure caused only a minor ripple of controversy. He was certainly a good enough prop on his own merits, appearing in four Tests during 1978. After playing in two Tests against NZ, Olling toured with the 1978 Kangaroos and was selected in the first two Tests against Great Britain. A knee injury signalled the end of his Sydney career although he later captain-coached Temora in 1981.
- 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 3PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 5 1 6 --- - - - - - - - 4 2 - 66.67% List
The Ashes 1 2 - 2 --- - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Tour Matches AustraliaAUS - 13 2 15 3-3 - - - 9 - - - 11 4 - 73.33% List
Tour Matches New South Wales FirstsNFI - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
Test Series 2 4 1 5 --- - - - - - - - 3 2 - 60.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Interstate Series 2 3 - 3 1-1 - - - 3 - - - 3 - - 100.00% List
NSW City vs Country Firsts - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
NSW City vs Country - 3 - 3 --- - - - - - - - 2 1 - 66.67% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) 1 95 7 102 14-14 - - - 42 - - 1 69 29 4 67.65% List
NRL Finals - 10 - 10 1-1 - - - 3 - - - 4 4 2 40.00% List
Preseason Cup 2 14 6 20 2-2 - - - 6 - - - 12 8 - 60.00% List
Midweek Cup 1 10 - 10 2-2 - - - 6 - - - 8 2 - 80.00% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  139 15 154 22-22 - - - 66 - - 1 106 44 4 68.83% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1978   5 1 6 --- - - - - - - - 4 2 - 66.67% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSW City Seconds 1977, 1979   2 - 2 --- - - - - - - - 2 - - 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1977-78   4 - 4 1-1 - - - 3 - - - 4 - - 100.00% List
NSW Country Firsts 1981   1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Eastern SuburbsEastern Suburbs 19721972 NSWRFL   - 2 2--- - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Eastern SuburbsEastern Suburbs 19731973 NSWRFL   - 2 2--- - - - - - - - 2 - - 100.00% List
Eastern SuburbsEastern Suburbs 19741974 NSWRFL   9 1 103-3 - - - 9 - - - 9 1 - 90.00% List
ParramattaParramatta 19751975 NSWRFL   14 - 141-1 - - - 3 - - - 8 6 - 57.14% List
ParramattaParramatta 19761976 NSWRFL   22 - 223-3 - - - 9 - - - 13 7 2 59.09% List
ParramattaParramatta 19771977 NSWRFL   20 - 203-3 - - - 9 - - - 15 4 1 75.00% List
ParramattaParramatta 19781978 NSWRFL   18 - 181-1 - - - 3 - - - 12 5 1 66.67% List
ParramattaParramatta 19791979 NSWRFL   12 - 123-3 - - - 9 - - 1 8 4 - 66.67% List
ParramattaParramatta 19801980 NSWRFL   - 2 2--- - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Eastern Suburbs 1972-74   9 5 14 3-3 - - - 9 - - - 12 2 - 85.71% List
Parramatta 1975-80   86 2 88 11-11 - - - 33 - - 1 57 27 4 64.77% List

Your Say

  • Matt
    11 Mar 2010 9:59am

    Graham Olling - "Shovels" from Wenty - was there ever a tougher Parra player? Who can forget the blood he spilt in the Grand Final of 1977 (Mk 1). A true Parramatta man and a legend of the game!

  • Gerry Mohan
    28 Apr 2019 12:59pm

    Graeme was an honest hard working player and also one of the games gentlemen

  • Anonymous
    20 Apr 2020 12:22pm

    A hard man bounceR and boxing background family

  • dennis lynch
    2 Mar 2023 9:14pm

    A very reserved and quiet man off the field but tough as nails on the field and gave his all. Good man "shovells"

  • barry gardiner
    19 Aug 2024 6:07pm

    grew up knocked around and played footy with graham.while worklng at moss vale abattoirs ln 1970,meals were 30 cents each and graham would have double ,i said you eat like a shovel.it stuck with him even nicknamed hls brother spade.great mate while growing up together ln our teens and 20s.

  • GREG
    11 Mar 2025 9:17am

    ONE OF PARRAS BEST

Want to have your say? Add a comment.

Contributions: Shawn Dollin, Alan Katzmann, Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Max Turner, Paul Carter, Wests Archives, AJ Lucantonio, Tim Costello