Herb Narvo

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Hermann Olaf Frances Narvo
Born
Monday, 19th August, 1912
Died
Monday, 28th July, 1958 (Aged 45 years and 343 days)
Place Of Birth
Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
2008

Biography

Rugged Test forward, a fine cricketer and a promising cyclist, also held the Australian heavyweight boxing championship during his rugby league career. In 1945, in only his 13th professional fight, Herb Narvo defeated Billy 'Wocko' Britt in just 23 seconds to win the Australian heavyweight boxing championship. Born in Sydney in 1912 but raised in Newcastle, Narvo signed with Newtown in 1937 and was one of the form forwards in the premiership. Although originally omitted from the 1937-38 Kangaroos he joined the squad when Joe Pearce broke his leg in NZ on the first stop of the tour. Narvo was a major success in England and France and appeared in four Tests. He played for Newcastle Norths on his return in 1938 and although he represented NSW during 1938-41 his Test career was curtailed because of World War II. During the war Narvo served with the RAAF as a physical training, boxing and paratroop instructor. While stationed at Richmond NSW in 1943 he returned to the Newtown club and produced a powerhouse display to help subdue Norths in the grand final. NSW captain in 1945, he joined St George the following year but lost his boxing title to Jack Johnson early in the year (Narvo still led St George in a club match the following day). As captain-coach in 1946, the Dragons were club champions but were pipped in the grand final by Balmain, 13-12. Narvo captain-coached Cootamundra (1947) and Camden (1948) before returning to Newtown. He played in just five more games with the club before quitting Sydney to see out the remainder of his career in Newcastle. Herb Narvo, whose son Frank played for St George and Newtown during the 1950s, passed away from cancer in 1958 at the early age of 45 - a cruel fate for arguably the fittest and toughest player of his era.
- 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 %  
City vs Country Firsts 8 3 1   - 11 2 6 0 25.00% List
Tour Matches Newcastle Firsts (AU) 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NRL 62 18 15   - 84 41 19 2 66.13% List
City Cup 7 5 -   - 15 5 1 1 71.43% List
Tour Matches Australia 20 10 -   - 30 10 9 1 50.00% List
Test Series 4 2 -   - 3 3 1 0 75.00% List
The Ashes 2 1 -   - 6 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 2 3 -   - 9 1 1 0 50.00% List
Interstate Matches 11 9 -   - 27 9 2 0 81.82% List
NRL Finals 6 3 4   - 17 2 4 0 33.33% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1937-38 4 2 -   - 6 3 1 0 75.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newcastle (AU) 1934-36, 1947 5 4 -   - 12 4 1 0 80.00% List
Northern Division 1934 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Northern NSW 1934 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Country Seconds 1935 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Probables (AU) 1936-37 2 1 -   - 3 1 0 1 50.00% List
NSW Country Firsts 1936, 1938-41 6 3 1   - 11 0 6 0 0.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1937 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1937, 1944-45 3 - -   - - 2 1 0 66.67% List
NSW Firsts 1938-39, 1941, 1945 13 12 -   - 36 10 3 0 76.92% List
Metropolis 1944 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1934-1947 34 21 1   0 65 21 12 1 61.76% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newtown NSWRFL 1937 8 1 -   - 3 4 4 0 50.00% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1943 14 6 2   - 22 9 4 1 64.29% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1944 9 3 1   - 11 7 2 0 77.78% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1945 12 3 4   - 17 8 3 1 66.67% List
St George NSWRFL 1946 13 3 8   - 25 8 5 0 61.54% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1949 6 2 -   - 6 5 1 0 83.33% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newtown 1937, 1943-45, 1949 49 15 7   - 59 33 14 2 67.35% List
St George 1946 13 3 8   - 25 8 5 0 61.54% List
Overall1937-1949 62 18 15   0 84 41 19 2 66.13% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    18/07/2016

    Played for north Newcastle before going to Sydney. Still holds the record for scoring the most tries for Newcastle in country rep fixtures even to this present day. I also knew his son Frank who played for North prior to playing for St George and Newtown, losing the 1954 GF to sth Sydney by a pt. Frank was publican in Newcastle and a good fellow. From a former North Bluebag.

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

Sources: 2006 Official Rugby League Annual