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Peter Tunks

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
Saturday, 30th August, 1958
Current Age
67 years and 285 days
Place Of Birth
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Competitions Won

World Cup
1985/88
Test Series
1985 Australia vs New Zealand, 1986 Australia vs New Zealand
State of Origin
1987, 1985, 1986
NSW City vs Country Origin
1987, 1988, 1989
NSW City vs Country Firsts
1985, 1986
NSWRL Premiership (NRL)
1984, 1985, 1988
Preseason Cup
1978
Midweek Cup
1981
UK Second Division
1990/91

Biography

Easts junior trialed with both Easts and Manly before being graded by Souths in the late 1970s. A tough, no-nonsense prop Peter Tunks toiled for seven seasons with the Rabbitohs, (overcoming bouts of hepatitis and glandular fever in 1979), before achieving success with C’bury. A member of the Bulldogs’ teams that won premierships in 1984-85 Tunks played in 6 Tests for Australia (each against NZ) but declined to tour with the 1986 Kangaroos due to business commitments. Tunks captained Leeds in 1987-88 and was Phil Gould's choice as captain following the standing down of Steve Mortimer in 1988. After leading the club to a grand final win over Balmain that year, Tunks later followed Gould to Penrith in 1990. Injuries relegated him to reserve grade with the Panthers and he decided to see out his career in English club football. Tunks played with Salford and Sheffield Eagles (both 1990) before taking on a captain-coach role with Oldham. Tunks' brief in England was clear - avoid relegation at all costs - but with the club languishing at the bottom of the league table he resigned in February 1994 and was replaced by Bob Lindner.
- 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 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 5 1 6 ----- - - - - - - - 4 2 - 66.67% List
World Cup 1 2 - 2 ----- - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List
Tour Matches AustraliaAUS - 9 1 10 ----- - - - - - 1 - 8 2 - 80.00% List
Test Series 2 4 1 5 ----- - - - - - - - 4 1 - 80.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
State of Origin 3 7 2 9 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 6 3 - 66.67% List
NSW City vs Country Origin 3 3 - 3 ----- - - - - - - - 3 - - 100.00% List
NSW City vs Country Firsts 2 2 - 2 ----- - - - - - - - 2 - - 100.00% List
NSW City vs Country 5 6 - 6 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 5 1 - 83.33% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRFL/NSWRL (NRL Premiership) 3 209 24 233 2220--42 - - - 146 2 2 - 133 90 10 57.08% List
NRL Finals - 13 - 13 -2--2 - - - 8 - 1 - 10 3 - 76.92% List
Preseason Cup 1 3 4 7 2---2 - - - 6 - - - 4 3 - 57.14% List
Midweek Cup 1 24 1 25 31--4 - - - 13 - - - 15 7 3 60.00% List
Challenge Cup AU - 6 1 7 ----- - - - - - - - 5 2 - 71.43% List
Club Career - UK   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
English Championship - 24 2 26 -3--3 - - - 12 - - - 10 12 4 38.46% List
Challenge Cup - 5 - 5 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 3 2 - 60.00% List
Regal Trophy - 5 - 5 ----- - - - - - - - 4 1 - 80.00% List
Yorkshire Cup - 3 - 3 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 2 1 - 66.67% List
Lancashire Cup - - 1 1 ----- - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
UK Top Division - 24 2 26 -3--3 - - - 12 - - - 10 12 4 38.46% List
UK Second Division 1 6 1 7 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 7 - - 100.00% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  301 36 337 2729--56 - - - 197 2 3 - 198 122 17 58.75% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1985-87   5 1 6 ----- - - - - - - - 4 2 - 66.67% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1985-86   2 - 2 ----- - - - - - - - 1 1 - 50.00% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSW 1981, 1984-87   7 2 9 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 6 3 - 66.67% List
NSW City Seconds 1984   1 - 1 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1985-86   2 - 2 ----- - - - - - - - 2 - - 100.00% List
NSW City 1987-89   3 - 3 ----- - - - - - - - 3 - - 100.00% List

NSWRFL/NSWRL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
SouthsSouth Sydney 19771977 NSWRFL   2 2 41---1 - - - 3 - - - - 4 - 0.00% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19781978 NSWRFL   14 5 192---2 - - - 6 - - - 10 8 1 52.63% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19791979 NSWRFL   4 1 51---1 - - - 3 - - - 1 4 - 20.00% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19801980 NSWRFL   16 - 165---5 - - - 15 - - - 8 8 - 50.00% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19811981 NSWRFL   21 - 218---8 - - - 24 - - - 8 12 1 38.10% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19821982 NSWRFL Winfield Cup   14 7 215---5 - - - 15 - - - 12 8 1 57.14% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19831983 NSWRFL Winfield Cup   14 2 16-5--5 - - - 20 - - - 7 8 1 43.75% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19841984 NSWRL Winfield Cup   24 - 24-5--5 - - - 20 - 1 - 20 4 - 83.33% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19851985 NSWRL Winfield Cup   18 1 19-3--3 - - - 12 - - - 13 4 2 68.42% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19861986 NSWRL Winfield Cup   16 - 16-4--4 - - - 16 - - - 9 6 1 56.25% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19871987 NSWRL Winfield Cup   17 - 17----- - - - - 1 - - 12 5 - 70.59% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19881988 NSWRL Winfield Cup   20 1 21-3--3 - - - 12 - 1 - 17 4 - 80.95% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19891989 NSWRL Winfield Cup   19 3 22----- - - - - - - - 10 10 2 45.45% List
PenrithPenrith 19901990 NSWRL Winfield Cup   10 2 12----- - - - - 1 - - 6 5 1 50.00% List

NSWRFL/NSWRL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
South Sydney 1977-83   85 17 102 225--27 - - - 86 - - - 46 52 4 45.10% List
Canterbury 1984-89   114 5 119 -15--15 - - - 60 1 2 - 81 33 5 68.07% List
Penrith 1990   10 2 12 ----- - - - - 1 - - 6 5 1 50.00% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
LeedsLeeds 1987/88   24 - 24-4--4 - - - 16 - - - 15 6 3 62.50% List
SalfordSalford 1990/91   6 2 8-1--1 - - - 4 - - - 8 - - 100.00% List
SheffieldSheffield 1990/91   13 2 15-1--1 - - - 4 - - - 4 10 1 26.67% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 4ST 3PT 4PT T G1FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Leeds 1987   24 - 24 -4--4 - - - 16 - - - 15 6 3 62.50% List
Salford 1990   6 2 8 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 8 - - 100.00% List
Sheffield 1990   13 2 15 -1--1 - - - 4 - - - 4 10 1 26.67% List

Your Say

  • Graeme Hobbs
    23 May 2011 5:59pm

    My question is not ruby league related. I remember Peter Tunks had a wine bar in Randwick. I would like to know the name of that wine bar to settle a bet please.

  • Anonymous
    29 Jun 2012 8:09pm

    Tunks had a bar in Randwick in the 1980s named Baxters.

  • Costa
    26 Oct 2017 7:47pm

    One of the best prop forwards of the 80s. Always remembered for his powerhouse performances in the great Bulldogs side who had the best forward pack of the 80s.

  • Paul Carter
    14 May 2020 6:17pm

    You can hear him on Talkinsport on 2SM between 3:00 and 6:00 pm from Monday to Wednesday.

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Alan Katzmann, Steven Russo, Max Turner, Bill Bates, CodyCruickshank, Tim Costello

Sources: David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present), Match Video, Widnes RLFC History , Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999), Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, News Reports