Career Stats & Summary
Vital Statistics
- Born
- Wednesday, 12th June, 1929
- Died
- Wednesday, 30th June, 2004 (Aged 75 years and 18 days)
- Place Of Birth
- Orange, New South Wales, Australia
Awards & Accolades
Known Family Links
- Son
- Martin Bull
Biography
Powerful, tight-head prop was a non-stop worker for Manly and NSW before becoming the club's first international player. After making his first grade debut as a 17-year-old in 1947, Bull stood down from the 1948 season in order to mature physically. One-paced but an experienced scrummager, Bull’s Test career commenced with his selection on the Australian tour of NZ in 1949. A dual Kangaroo (1952-53 and 1956-57), he also played against NZ in 1953 and was a member of Australia's 1954 World Cup side. A keen surfer Bull was also a member of the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club and was captain of the club’s boat crew. The raw-boned, bald-headed prop proved to be a key member of the great Manly sides of the 1950s but had the misfortune to play in three losing grand final sides (1951, 1957 & 1959) during his career. Captain-coach of Manly in 1953, he was judged to be NSW Player of the Year in 1955. On his retirement as a player after the then record number of matches for the club, he served as Manly club president (1978-87).
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 | 177 | 25 | - | - | 75 | 89 | 82 | 6 | 50.28% | List | ||||
| Interstate Matches | 18 | - | - | - | - | 13 | 5 | 0 | 72.22% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Australia | 58 | 7 | - | - | 21 | 44 | 14 | 0 | 75.86% | List | |||
| Test Series | 22 | 1 | - | - | - | 13 | 9 | 0 | 59.09% | List | ||||
| City vs Country Firsts | 6 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 83.33% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | New South Wales Firsts | 9 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.78% | List | |||
| NRL Finals | 10 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Country Carnival | 5 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| The Ashes | 6 | 1 | - | - | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Sydney Firsts | 3 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| World Cup | 3 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
| City Cup | 1 | - | - | - | - | 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 | 1949, 1952-57 | 25 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 56.00% | List | |||
International Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 1949, 1954 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Australia | 1949-1954 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | |||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| NSW City Seconds | 1949, 1951 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| NSW Firsts | 1949-50, 1952-56 | 28 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 75.00% | List | |||
| NSW City Firsts | 1950, 1952-56 | 6 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 83.33% | List | |||
| Sydney Firsts | 1952-55 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Possibles (AU) | 1952 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Metropolis | 1957 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Overall | 1949-1957 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 35 | 8 | 0 | 81.40% | List | |||
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NRL/NSWRL - By Year | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1947 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1949 | 16 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 37.50% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1950 | 17 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 29.41% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1951 | 21 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 61.90% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1952 | 10 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 90.00% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1953 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 8 | 0 | 38.46% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1954 | 7 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 42.86% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1955 | 16 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 56.25% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1956 | 15 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 40.00% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1957 | 21 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 57.14% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1958 | 16 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 6 | 1 | 56.25% | List | |||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1959 | 20 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 60.00% | List | |||
| Overall | 1947-1959 | 177 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 89 | 82 | 6 | 50.28% | List | |||
NRL/NSWRL - By Team | ||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
| Manly | 1947, 1949-59 | 177 | 25 | - | - | 75 | 89 | 82 | 6 | 50.28% | List | |||
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Your Say
Gordon Bull says: I remember a game at Jubillee Oval 1957 Manly played St. George(they won)
I was playing in St .George JRLFC at the time, he saw me after the match and gave me some coaching about my game , he was my cousin but we lived oppasite sides of the harbour and didnt catch up much but I always remember desert head as was affectionly called, he was a gentleman and the best sportsman I ever new always had time for my mates, even though we were Dragons RIP Gordon Bull (02/04/2015)
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