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Gary Larson (rugby league footballer)
Encyclopedia
Gary Larson is an Australia
n former rugby league
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He represented Australia internationally and Queensland in State of Origin
and played his club football with the North Sydney Bears
and finished his career with a brief stint at the Parramatta Eels
. Larson took the record for most consecutive State of Origin appearances with 24.
Nicknamed "Sven Svennson" due to his Nordic
appearance, he made his name playing for the North Sydney Bears
during a distinguished club career. As a player he was renowned for his reliability as a "workhorse" due to his staggering workload in matches, taking the record of most consecutive State of Origin appearances of any player (24). He was named man-of-the-match in the second game of the 1995 series and the third game of the 1997 series. Roy and HG
, when commentating State of Origin matches, would refer to Larson as being "on the far side
" of the playing arena - a joke aimed at his name being shared with famous cartoonist Gary Larson
("and the ball is passed to Gary Larson... on the far side...").
After the North Sydney club exited the NRL
, Larson played out the final years of his career for the Parramatta Eels
. He currently lives at Tannum Sands, Queensland
with his wife Kate who is a former supermodel, and his two children Jack, who does outrigging and swimming and Poppy whos a well known netball player, where he coaches and trains the local team, the Seagulls. He is also the brother in law of fellow former Norths player Greg Florimo
.
In August 2006, Larson was named at prop in the North Sydney Bears' Team of the Century.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n former rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He represented Australia internationally and Queensland in State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
and played his club football with the North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
and finished his career with a brief stint at the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
. Larson took the record for most consecutive State of Origin appearances with 24.
Nicknamed "Sven Svennson" due to his Nordic
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
appearance, he made his name playing for the North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
during a distinguished club career. As a player he was renowned for his reliability as a "workhorse" due to his staggering workload in matches, taking the record of most consecutive State of Origin appearances of any player (24). He was named man-of-the-match in the second game of the 1995 series and the third game of the 1997 series. Roy and HG
Roy and HG
Roy & HG is an Australian comedy duo, comprising Greig Pickhaver in the role of "H [Harry] G Nelson" and John Doyle as "'Rampaging' Roy Slaven". Their act is an affectionate but irreverent parody of Australia's obsession with sport. Their characters based on archetypes in sports journalism: Nelson...
, when commentating State of Origin matches, would refer to Larson as being "on the far side
The Far Side
The Far Side is a popular single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from January 1, 1980, to January 1, 1995. Its surrealistic humor is often based on uncomfortable social situations, improbable events, an anthropomorphic view of the world,...
" of the playing arena - a joke aimed at his name being shared with famous cartoonist Gary Larson
Gary Larson
Gary Larson is the creator of The Far Side, a single-panel cartoon series that was syndicated internationally to newspapers for 15 years. The series ended with Larson's retirement on January 1, 1995. His 23 books of collected cartoons have combined sales of more than 45 million...
("and the ball is passed to Gary Larson... on the far side...").
After the North Sydney club exited the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
, Larson played out the final years of his career for the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
. He currently lives at Tannum Sands, Queensland
Tannum Sands, Queensland
Tannum Sands is a coastal town on the Central East Coast of Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Tannum Sands had a population of 4,139. The population of Tannum Sands and neighbouring twin town Boyne Island is approaching 10,000...
with his wife Kate who is a former supermodel, and his two children Jack, who does outrigging and swimming and Poppy whos a well known netball player, where he coaches and trains the local team, the Seagulls. He is also the brother in law of fellow former Norths player Greg Florimo
Greg Florimo
Greg Florimo is a retired Australian Rugby League player and administrator known for his lifelong association with the North Sydney Bears both as a player and a manager....
.
In August 2006, Larson was named at prop in the North Sydney Bears' Team of the Century.