Ray Stehr

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Friday, 24th January, 1913
Died
Thursday, 2nd June, 1983 (Aged 70 years and 128 days)

Awards & Accolades

National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
2008

Biography

Born in Warialda, Stehr's family was forced to move to Sydney when he developed a blood clot in his spine, threatening to leave him a cripple. Young Ray Stehr spent over a year in plaster but made a miraculous recovery to forge a reputation as one of the most feared players in international football. After coming straight from Randwick High School, he made his first grade debut for Easts at age 15 in a trial against Newcastle in 1928. He was soon a regular first grader and debuted for NSW in 1931. Stehr went on to represent NSW on a record 30 occasions during the next decade, which is still the third highest total by any player. A tough, uncompromising prop, he toured with the 1933-34 Kangaroos and played in 26 matches including 2 Tests. He took on a player-coach position with Mudgee for part of the 1934 season (also captaining Country) before returning to play in the champion Easts sides that won premierships in 1935-37. Stehr toured NZ in 1935, playing three Tests, and was sent from the field in two of the three Tests against England in 1936. He made his second Kangaroo tour the following year, playing in two Tests against NZ on the first stopover of the tour before making one Test appearance against England. The advent of World War Two ended his Test career but he captained Easts to premiership titles in 1940 and 1945 either side of his two-years of war service. Stehr retired in 1946 with a club record number of games to his credit and in his later roles as coach, administrator and commentator was renowned for his battles with officialdom - especially League president 'Jersey' Flegg. Stehr was asked to take over as coach of newly promoted club Manly in 1947-48 but in 1954, declined the opportunity to help Great Britain with scrummaging - an opponent of the 'old enemy' to the last. Stehr died in 1983, aged 70.
- 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 174 16 4   - 56 114 51 9 65.52% List
Country Carnival 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NRL Finals 20 1 -   - 3 12 8 0 60.00% List
Interstate Matches 30 2 -   - 6 22 7 1 73.33% List
Tour Matches Sydney Roosters 5 1 -   - 3 4 1 0 80.00% List
City vs Country Firsts 8 4 -   - 12 6 2 0 75.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 50 8 -   - 24 36 14 0 72.00% List
Test Series 11 2 -   - 6 4 7 0 36.36% List
The Ashes 6 - -   - - 1 5 0 16.67% List
Tour Matches Sydney Firsts 2 - -   - - 0 1 1 0.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 3 1 -   - 3 2 1 0 66.67% List
City Cup 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1933-37 14 3 -   - 9 6 8 0 42.86% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW City Seconds 1931 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1931-41 41 4 2   - 16 32 8 1 78.05% List
NSW City Possibles 1931 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1933, 1935-39, 1941 7 3 -   - 9 6 1 0 85.71% List
NSW City Probables 1933 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Country Firsts 1934 1 1 -   - 3 0 1 0 0.00% List
Comb. Southern NSW 1934 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Sydney Firsts 1936, 1938 2 - -   - - 0 1 1 0.00% List
NSW Police 1936 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
Combined City 1939 4 - -   - - 2 2 0 50.00% List
Felsh's Team 1940 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Army Firsts 1942 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Fighting Services I 1942, 1945 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1931-1945 64 10 2   0 34 45 17 2 70.31% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1929 7 1 -   - 3 2 3 2 28.57% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1930 6 2 -   - 6 4 2 0 66.67% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1931 14 1 -   - 3 10 4 0 71.43% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1932 11 1 -   - 3 6 5 0 54.55% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1933 4 1 2   - 7 1 3 0 25.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1934 6 - -   - - 4 2 0 66.67% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1935 16 2 -   - 6 15 1 0 93.75% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1936 7 2 1   - 8 6 0 1 85.71% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1937 8 - 1   - 2 6 0 2 75.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1938 14 - -   - - 7 4 3 50.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1939 13 - -   - - 7 6 0 53.85% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1940 16 1 -   - 3 11 4 1 68.75% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1941 14 2 -   - 6 9 5 0 64.29% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1942 13 - -   - - 8 5 0 61.54% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1945 13 3 -   - 9 10 3 0 76.92% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRFL 1946 12 - -   - - 8 4 0 66.67% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Eastern Suburbs 1929-42, 1945-46 174 16 4   - 56 114 51 9 65.52% List

Your Say

  • Steve Borrow
    07/09/2015

    I am too young to have seen Ray play, but remember him as a sports presenter in the really early years of television in Sydney. In those live black and white days, when still at school, I wondered what it would be like trying to get past that powerfully built man with his great barrel chest and powerful shoulders.

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

Sources: Newspapers, 2006 Official Rugby League Annual