Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Johnny Edward Riley
- Born
- Thursday, 22nd June, 1939
- Current Age
- 84 years and 303 days
Biography
St George junior came into first grade to partner the equally youthful Reg Gasnier during the club's unbeaten year in 1959. The two teenagers formed a great combination in the centres during their first year, playing for NSW and touring with the 1959-60 Kangaroos. (Incredibly, injury ruled both players out of the club's grand final win over Manly). Riley, who had been a non-playing reserve in the series against the Kiwis in 1959, made his sole Test appearance in the First Test against Great Britain as well as playing in 13 other matches. The remainder of his career did not reach those heights and his only other grand final appearance with the champion club was in 1962. Riley later played for Moorabbin in the Victorian RL competition during the mid-1960s
- 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 | 61 | 22 | - | - | 66 | 51 | 9 | 1 | 83.61% | List | ||||
| City vs Country Firsts | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Interstate Matches | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| NRL Finals | 3 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Australia | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Test Series | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| The Ashes | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Craven Mild Cup | 11 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 72.73% | List | ||||
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Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 1959-60 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Probables (AU) | 1959 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| NSW Firsts | 1959 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| NSW City Firsts | 1959 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Overall | 1959 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
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NRL/NSWRL - By Year | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| St George | NSWRFL 1959 | 13 | 10 | - | - | 30 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| St George | NSWRFL 1960 | 10 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 60.00% | List | |||
| St George | NSWRFL 1961 | 16 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 81.25% | List | |||
| St George | NSWRFL 1962 | 13 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 76.92% | List | |||
| St George | NSWRFL 1963 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| St George | NSWRFL 1964 | 7 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
NRL/NSWRL - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| St George | 1959-64 | 61 | 22 | - | - | 66 | 51 | 9 | 1 | 83.61% | List | |||
Contributions:
Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Rugby League Tables, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, Paul Carter
Your Say
22/05/2012
Riley's RL top-grade career came to an abrupt halt at 25 in 1964 when he took an executive position in Melbourne, then still very much a League no-go city.
28/01/2016
I was privileged to see John Riley play alongside Reg Gasnier many times for St.George Rugby League club. They complemented each other perfectly and it was easy to see the great mutual respect that existed between them. The best centre pairing that has ever been. Reg Gasnier was a scoring machine and John Riley was a great tackler and always there in support. These are memories that will last until I die. Both were wonderful one club players....
29/06/2017
I played with Moorabbin the first year Johnny came to Victoria. I can recall him coaching the side but not as a playing coach. The side that year was the first civilian side to win the Vic RL premiership. The comp was made up of teams from each of the RAAF bases in victoria.
14/04/2020
In my memory Riley had a meteoric rise from Reserves to Kangaroo in that 59 season. Dont know if thats ever been done before or since.
09/05/2020
John &Gwen had two sons Andrew and Mark.
Is Mark Rielly the son of John & Gwen ?
11/08/2020
I also played under John Riley at Moorabbin in about 1966. My name is Terry Kelly, related to Frank Kirkwood, and Barry Briggs, both also Moorrabbin players. Just wondering who you are?
21/09/2020
I was in Year 6 with John at Kogarah P.S. He was proficient at football, cricket and athletics. It was competing in athletics where the friendly rivalry between John and Gas began. John played with Ramsgate United (Reg was with Renown United but showed his talent by playing with St George from the age of 15. Three grades, no age restrictions brought him up against many tough players until he made first grade in 1959. He was a supreme tackler.
20/03/2023
I saw Johnny play live from 1959 many times for the fabulous Dragons of those years. He was wonderful in the centres with the incomparable Reg Gasnier
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