George Hunter (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
George Hunter was an Australia
n rugby league
player of the 1940s, 50's and 60's, who also coached the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
first grade team. Hunter played in two New South Wales Rugby League
First Grade Grand Finals as well as coaching Manly-Warringah in a Grand Final.
Reds Rugby League club. In 1945, he began his senior career with the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs. Over the next 15 years, Hunters career took him to several New South Wales Rugby League premiership
teams. In 1959, he announced his retirement due to injuries suffered that year, but in 1960, North Sydney
enticed him out of retirement for one last season to capitalize on his experience in their competition against cross-town rivals South Sydney
.
selection games.
After retiring from playing, he went on to coach Manly-Warringah's third-grade team from 1965 to 1967 and then their first-grade team in 1968 and 1969, including their entry into the 1968 Grand Final.
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 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...
player of the 1940s, 50's and 60's, who also coached the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
first grade team. Hunter played in two New South Wales Rugby League
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
First Grade Grand Finals as well as coaching Manly-Warringah in a Grand Final.
Club career
Hunter began his rugby career playing as a junior player with the AbermainAbermain, New South Wales
Abermain is a town located 8 km ENE of Cessnock and 3 km west of Weston, in New South Wales, Australia. Abermain is adjacent to Werakata National Park.-Schools and Education:...
Reds Rugby League club. In 1945, he began his senior career with the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs. Over the next 15 years, Hunters career took him to several New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
teams. In 1959, he announced his retirement due to injuries suffered that year, but in 1960, North Sydney
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...
enticed him out of retirement for one last season to capitalize on his experience in their competition against cross-town rivals South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
.
Year | Team | Position |
---|---|---|
1945 | Abermain Abermain, New South Wales Abermain is a town located 8 km ENE of Cessnock and 3 km west of Weston, in New South Wales, Australia. Abermain is adjacent to Werakata National Park.-Schools and Education:... Reds |
|
1946 | Kurri Kurri Bulldogs | |
1947 | Yass United | |
1948 | Kurri Kurri Bulldogs | |
1949 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... |
Captain Captain (sports) In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field... |
1950 | Warialda | Captain-Coach |
1951 1952 |
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | |
1953 | Jindabayne | Captain-Coach |
1954 to 1959 |
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Captain |
1960 | 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... |
Representative career
Hunter represented NSW Country v City in 1948. He represented NSW V Queensland in 1954 scoring a try in their 18-13 victory. Hunter also played for City against Country and for Possibles v Probables Kangaroo TourKangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
selection games.
Coaching career
Hunter was captain-coach of Warialda Premiereship winning team in 1950, and of Jindabyne in 1953.After retiring from playing, he went on to coach Manly-Warringah's third-grade team from 1965 to 1967 and then their first-grade team in 1968 and 1969, including their entry into the 1968 Grand Final.