Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- John Neal Graves
- Nickname(s)
- Whacka
- Born
- Tuesday, 19th January, 1926
- Died
- Saturday, 23rd July, 1983 (Aged 57 years and 185 days)
- Place Of Birth
- Maitland, New South Wales, Australia
Known Family Links
- Brother
- Barry Graves
Biography
Maitland winger scored a host of points with Souths. Playing for Newcastle against England in 1946 'Whacka' Graves crossed for two tries and was quickly signed by Souths the following year. While only a part-time goal-kicker, he took over the role with the Rabbitohs and landed five goals on debut for Australia against NZ in 1948. Exceedingly quick, with the confidence to kick infield if cornered, the flashy winger toured with the 1948-49 Kangaroos and top-scored with 118pts (16t, 35g). Graves played 20 matches on tour (including the First Test against Great Britain) and represented Australia against NZ, Great Britain and France in consecutive years. Graves, who was the season's leading try-scorer in 1951 with 28 tries, was an aggressive player with an overly excitable temperament. Dropped from losing Test sides in 1950 and 1951, he is better remembered for his efforts in Souths' grand final wins which netted two tries against Wests in 1950 and a record four tries in the 1951 grand final thrashing of Manly. Graves still holds two individual records with the club – most tries in a match (5t in 1949) and most points in a match (29pts - 3t, 10g in 1952).
- 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 | Newcastle Firsts (AU) | 1 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
City vs Country Firsts | 3 | 2 | 4 | - | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
NRL | 77 | 79 | 158 | - | 553 | 49 | 25 | 3 | 63.64% | List | ||||
Interstate Matches | 10 | 9 | 22 | - | 71 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 70.00% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | New South Wales Firsts | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Tour Matches | Australia | 31 | 30 | 52 | - | 194 | 17 | 14 | 0 | 54.84% | List | |||
Test Series | 7 | 5 | 14 | - | 25 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 28.57% | List | ||||
The Ashes | 3 | 2 | 6 | - | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
NRL Finals | 8 | 12 | 10 | - | 56 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Sydney Firsts | 1 | - | 4 | - | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | List | |||
Country Carnival | 3 | 4 | 10 | - | 32 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.33% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Riverina | 1 | - | 7 | - | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Tour Matches | Southern NSW | 1 | - | 6 | - | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Tour Matches | Northern New South Wales | 1 | - | 6 | - | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
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Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1948-51 | 7 | 5 | 14 | - | 43 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 28.57% | List | |||
International Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1948-1949 | 1 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Newcastle (AU) | 1946 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
NSW Firsts | 1947-52 | 14 | 14 | 22 | - | 86 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 78.57% | List | |||
NSW Country Firsts | 1947, 1954 | 2 | - | 3 | - | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Possibles (AU) | 1948, 1950 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
NSW City Seconds | 1948, 1950 | 2 | 2 | 5 | - | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Sydney Firsts | 1951 | 1 | - | 4 | - | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | List | |||
NSW City Firsts | 1951 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Riverina | 1954 | 2 | - | 11 | - | 22 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00% | List | |||
Southern NSW | 1954 | 1 | - | 6 | - | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
North Coast | 1955 | 1 | 1 | 4 | - | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Northern NSW | 1955 | 1 | - | 6 | - | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1946-1955 | 28 | 24 | 62 | 0 | 196 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 60.71% | List | |||
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NRL/NSWRL - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Souths | NSWRFL 1947 | 8 | 7 | 3 | - | 27 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
Souths | NSWRFL 1948 | 9 | 8 | 17 | - | 58 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 44.44% | List | |||
Souths | NSWRFL 1949 | 10 | 10 | 26 | - | 82 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 50.00% | List | |||
Souths | NSWRFL 1950 | 14 | 10 | 21 | - | 72 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 71.43% | List | |||
Souths | NSWRFL 1951 | 17 | 28 | 31 | - | 146 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 82.35% | List | |||
Souths | NSWRFL 1952 | 19 | 16 | 60 | - | 168 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 63.16% | List | |||
NRL/NSWRL - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Souths | 1947-52 | 77 | 79 | 158 | - | 553 | 49 | 25 | 3 | 63.64% | List |
Contributions:
Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Gary Neale, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, Paul Carter, Michael Borg, Bill Bates, AJ Lucantonio, Tim Costello
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