Herb Narvo
Encyclopedia
Herbert Narvo was an Australian rugby league
footballer and boxer of the 1930s and 40s. He was a national representative
rugby league player and national heavyweight boxing champion. He has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
in 1937 and soon shone as one of the form forwards of the competition. Following an injury to Joe Pearce
, Narvo was a late call up to 1937 Kangaroo tour where he starred, playing in four Tests, eighteen minor matches and scoring ten tour tries.
He played for Norths Newcastle in 1938 and made state representative appearances for New South Wales
from 1938-41 but his national Test career was limited due to the war. Whilst in the RAAF Narvo helped the Newtown club
win the 1943 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership but along with Len Smith
missed the final the following year due to his war service.
In 1945 he joined the St. George Dragons
and the following year as captain-coach steered the club to a Grand final
appearance in which they were defeated by the Balmain Tigers
.
He captain-coached sides in Cootamundra in 1947 and Camden
in 1948 before finishing his career in 1949 with Newtown.
Narvo died of cancer in 1958. His son Frank Narvo played for Newtown and St George in the 1950s.
He lost his boxing title to Jack Johnson in 1946 and captained St George in a club match the very next day.
during World War II
. He was stationed at Richmond, New South Wales
and served as a physical training, boxing and paratroop instructor.
(1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
and ARL
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
Also in 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Narvo was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.
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 and boxer of the 1930s and 40s. He was a national representative
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
rugby league player and national heavyweight boxing champion. He has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
Rugby league career
Born in Sydney, but raised in Newcastle, Herb Narvo signed with NewtownNewtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
in 1937 and soon shone as one of the form forwards of the competition. Following an injury to Joe Pearce
Joe Pearce
Sid 'Joe' Pearce was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1930s and 40s. An Australian international and New South Wales representative second-row forward, he played his club football for Eastern Suburbs with whom he won the NSWRFL Premiership in 1935, '36, 37 'and '40...
, Narvo was a late call up to 1937 Kangaroo tour where he starred, playing in four Tests, eighteen minor matches and scoring ten tour tries.
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
from 1938-41 but his national Test career was limited due to the war. Whilst in the RAAF Narvo helped the Newtown club
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
win the 1943 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership but along with Len Smith
Len Smith
Len Smith was an Australian representative rugby union and rugby league footballer of the 1930s and 40s. He captained the Kangaroos in two Tests 1948 and was controversially omitted from the 1948-49 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain....
missed the final the following year due to his war service.
In 1945 he joined the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
and the following year as captain-coach steered the club to a Grand final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
appearance in which they were defeated by the Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
.
He captain-coached sides in Cootamundra in 1947 and Camden
Camden, New South Wales
-Education:Camden is the location of research facilities for the veterinary and agricultural schools of the University of Sydney. The local government area has two public high schools, Camden High School and Elderslie High School, as well as eight Catholic and three Anglican schools.-Culture:The...
in 1948 before finishing his career in 1949 with Newtown.
Narvo died of cancer in 1958. His son Frank Narvo played for Newtown and St George in the 1950s.
Boxing career
Narvo was also a boxer of note, winning the Australian Heavyweight Championship in 1945. In only his 13th professional fight Narvo defeated Billy "Wocko" Britt in just 23 seconds to claim the Australian title.He lost his boxing title to Jack Johnson in 1946 and captained St George in a club match the very next day.
War service
He was in the Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was stationed at Richmond, New South Wales
Richmond, New South Wales
Richmond is a town in New South Wales, north-west of Sydney, in the Local Government Area of the City of Hawkesbury. It is located at a latitude of 33° 35' 54" South and a longitude of 150°45' 04" east, 19 metres above sea level on the alluvial Hawkesbury River flats, at the foot of the Blue...
and served as a physical training, boxing and paratroop instructor.
Accolades
In February 2008, Narvo was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest PlayersAustralian Rugby League's 100 Greatest Players
In late 2007, the Australian Rugby League and National Rugby League commissioned 130 experts to select the 100 best rugby league players in the game's 100-year history in Australia. From this list , a limited panel of experts picked a the "Team of the Century" - a team of 17 players considered to...
(1908–2007) which was commissioned by 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...
and ARL
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
Also in 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Narvo was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.