Career Stats & Summary
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Noel Harvey Cleal
- Nickname(s)
- Crusher
- Born
- Wednesday, 16th October, 1957
- Current Age
- 64 years and 264 days
Awards & Accolades
- Dally M Second Rower Of The Year
- 1984, 1986
Known Family Links
- Son
- Kane Cleal
- Brother
- Les Cleal
Biography
Powerhouse centre/second row forward, originally from Warialda, first came to prominence playing on the wing for Northern Division against Great Britain in 1979. With his much-travelled, look-alike brother Les, Noel Cleal had already captain-coached Wondai to a premiership in Queensland, represented Wide Bay and then NSW Country while playing for Scone. ‘Crusher’ Cleal came to Easts from Sawtell in 1980 and was a centre in the club’s grand final loss to Canterbury. He later followed coach Bob Fulton to Manly in 1983, after Fulton had moved him to the second row. Following another grand final loss (against P’matta) his rep career took off in the mid-1980s. Cleal represented NSW in 1984 and was runner-up in that year's Rothmans Medal competition. He made his Test debut against NZ the following year and after a stint with Widens (1985-86) played in three Tests against Papua New Guinea and Great Britain on the 1986 Kangaroo tour before breaking his arm and returning home. While not as effective in defence, Cleal was given latitude by his coaches to use his strength and size in attack. He played in Manly's grand final success in 1987 before seeing out the remainder of his career with English club Hull. Cleal was the English club's choice as replacement coach in 1990 but despite winning the British premiership trophy in 1991, he was sacked when the club faltered the following year. Returning to Australia, Cleal was snapped up by P’matta as a junior development and recruitment officer. In 2004 he took on a similar role with Manly – a season which saw his son Kane make his first grade debut with the club.
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 | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NRL | 198 | 69 | 11 | - | 272 | 128 | 65 | 5 | 64.65% | List | ||||
NRL Finals | 15 | 2 | 3 | - | 13 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 40.00% | List | ||||
Interstate Matches | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
National Panasonic Cup | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
City vs Country Firsts | 3 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
State of Origin | 12 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
Test Series | 7 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
English Championship | 38 | 13 | - | - | 52 | 28 | 8 | 2 | 73.68% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Widnes Vikings | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Regal Trophy | 3 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
Challenge Cup | 4 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Australia | 11 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
World Cup | 2 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
The Ashes | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
City vs Country | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
Yorkshire Cup | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Hull FC | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Premiership Trophy | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 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 | 1985-86 | 8 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1985-1986 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
International Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Rest Of The World | 1988 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1988 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1985-1986 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1986 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 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 % | |||
NSW Firsts | 1981 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
New South Wales | 1984-88 | 12 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
NSW City Firsts | 1984 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
NSW Country Firsts | 1985-86 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
NSW Country | 1987 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1981-1988 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 58.82% | List | |||
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Australian League Matches - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1980 | 25 | 8 | 1 | - | 26 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 60.00% | List | |||
Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1981 | 18 | 10 | - | - | 30 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 61.11% | List | |||
Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1982 | 27 | 8 | - | - | 24 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 62.96% | List | |||
Manly | NSWRFL 1983 | 24 | 11 | - | - | 44 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 83.33% | List | |||
Manly | NSWRL 1984 | 23 | 10 | - | - | 40 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 60.87% | List | |||
Manly | NSWRL 1985 | 20 | 7 | 1 | - | 30 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 55.00% | List | |||
Manly | NSWRL 1986 | 21 | 5 | 9 | / | 13 | 69.23% | - | 38 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 57.14% | List |
Manly | NSWRL 1987 | 15 | 7 | - | - | 28 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 86.67% | List | |||
Manly | NSWRL 1988 | 21 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
Manly | NSWRL 1989 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1980-1989 | 198 | 69 | 11 | 0 | 272 | 128 | 65 | 5 | 64.65% | List | |||
Australian League Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Eastern Suburbs | 1980-82 | 70 | 26 | 1 | - | 80 | 43 | 23 | 4 | 61.43% | List | |||
Manly | 1983-89 | 128 | 43 | 10 | - | 192 | 85 | 42 | 1 | 66.41% | List | |||
Overall | 1980-1989 | 198 | 69 | 11 | 0 | 272 | 128 | 65 | 5 | 64.65% | List | |||
Australian Finals Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Eastern Suburbs | 1980-82 | 8 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37.50% | List | |||
Manly | 1983-84, 1986-88 | 7 | 1 | 3 | - | 10 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 42.86% | List | |||
Overall | 1980-1988 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 40.00% | List | |||
English League Career - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Widnes | Championship 1985/86 | 15 | - | - | - | - | 10 | 3 | 2 | 66.67% | List | |||
Hull FC | Championship 1989/90 | 24 | - | - | - | - | 16 | 8 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
Hull FC | Championship 1990/91 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 7 | 1 | 0 | 87.50% | List | |||
Overall | 1985-1991 | 47 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 33 | 12 | 2 | 70.21% | List | |||
English League Career - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Widnes | 1985 | 15 | 8 | - | - | 32 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 66.67% | List | |||
Hull FC | 1989-90 | 32 | 9 | - | - | 36 | 23 | 9 | 0 | 71.88% | List | |||
Overall | 1985-1991 | 47 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 33 | 12 | 2 | 70.21% | List |
Your Say
scott says: noel had a brilliant career and in my eyes he should have played more tests and origins. He alway went forward and never afraid of any player it was a prilivege watching noel play football (22/09/2012)
Graham Walsh says: I worked with Crusher at Hull FC, he was a first class coach with excellent analytic ability. He put together and coached Premiership winning team. Following the Cup win the Club Board sold key players vastly weakening the team. Crusher took the blame for poor decisions by the Club Board that were beyond his control.
An exciting and dangerous runner with the ball as a player, this guy was a huge character in every sense. (11/08/2015)
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