Johnny Greaves (rugby league)

Not to be confused with John Graves (rugby league).

Johnny Greaves

Personal information
Full name	Johnny William Greaves
Born	(1943-05-08) 8 May 1943 (age 80) Portland, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Position	Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1962–63 St. George Dragons 28 16 0 0 48 1964–72 Canterbury-Bankstown 105 38 27 0 168 Total 133 54 27 0 216 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1966–68 New South Wales 7 5 0 0 15 1966–68 Australia 16 7 0 0 21 1968 NSW City 1 0 0 0 0 1973 NSW Country 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1] As of 25 October 2019

Johnny Greaves (born 8 May 1943) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played for St. George, Canterbury-Bankstown, ^[2] New South Wales and for Australia.

Playing career

Greaves' junior club was Renown United. ^[3] Starting with the St George Dragons where he had been a local junior Greaves, like Brian James battled for recognition in the star-studded Dragons line-up who boasted a choice of centres with Reg Gasnier, Billy Smith and Johnny Riley in their squad. Nonetheless Greaves managed 23 first grade appearances in his two years at senior level with the club. ^{[2] [4]}

He shifted to Canterbury where he became a first-grade regular ^[2] and from where he was chosen in 1966 for New South Wales and later that year to represent Australia in the two Tests of the domestic Ashes series against Great Britain.

He was a member of the Canterbury side which knocked St George out of the 1967 final thereby ending the Dragons' record breaking run but a week later suffered the ignominy as the man left to chase down Bob McCarthy in the 1967 Grand Final after Greaves was waiting on a pass from his hooker Col Brown which McCarthy intercepted and changed the course of the game and decided the premiership.

He selected on the 1967 Kangaroo tour where he played in four Tests against Great Britain and France and in ten minor matches. He was a member of Australia's victorious 1968 World Cup squad. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 406. ^[5]

Greaves captained Canterbury in 1970 and after leaving the club made his final representative appearance in 1973 from CRL Group 6 club Campbelltown City Kangaroos RLFC, when he turned out for Country Firsts. Greaves finished his career as captain- coach of the Campbelltown City Kangaroos, leading them to the 1973, 1974 & 1975 CRL Group 6 1st Grade titles.

References

1. "Johnny Greaves - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
3. "John Greaves". bulldogs.com.au. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
4. Whiticker/Hudson "The Encyclopedia Of Rugby League Players (1995 Edition) ( ISBN   1875169571)
5. ARL Annual Report 2005, page 54