Johnny King
Encyclopedia
Johnny King is an Australian former rugby league
footballer and coach. He was a winger with the St. George Dragons
for the last seven years of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was a representative in the Australian national team from 1966–1970, earning thirteen Test caps. He has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
and north western New South Wales
. His father, Cec King, was a motor mechanic who had stints working at Gulgong
, Gilgandra and Gulargambone
. Cec King, had played 19 matches for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
in reseves and first grade in 1943 and 1944. Johnny King was an apprentice jeweller at aged 16 in Gilgandra before moving to Sydney to continue his trade. In 1958 he joined the Arncliffe Scots D grade junior rugby league
side as a fullback and the following year played in the St George Dragons' Presidents Cup side. He trialled with the South Sydney Rabbitohs
in 1959 but was turned down by coach Bernie Purcell
.
King scored the only try of the 1964 Grand Final at the end of an extraordinary passage of play. The Balmain Tigers
were desperately defending their own line five minutes into the second half when they were awarded a relieving penalty. Their kicker, Bob Boland, failed to find touch by inches as the ball fell into the outstretched hands of Saints fullback Graeme Langlands
who then raced across field and sent a long cut-out pass to Billy Smith 25 yards out from the tryline. Smith off-loaded to King, who sped the remaining 20 yards down the left wing and scored a diving try.
King played 191 games for the Dragons between 1960 and 1971 scoring 143 tries - a club record at the time. He played in seven of the premiership decider victories and holds the distinctive record of scoring six tries over six consecutive winning Grand Final appearances from 1960 to 1965. He was the NSW Rugby League's leading try-scorer in the 1961 (20 tries) and 1965 (15 tries) seasons.
He retired after one match of the 1971 season following a driving accident in which he suffered three crushed vertebrae.
Reg Gasnier
and scored many of his 143 club tries by being perfectly positioned to finish off after breaks by his inside men.
Between the 1964 and 1965 seasons King showed incredible fortitude to recover from a serious lawnmower accident in which his foot was partially severed to be running and fully fit for round seven of 1965, play out the season including scoring yet another Grand Final try and then go on to top form and national selection in 1966.
against a touring Great Britain side in 1962 and then again in 1963, 1964 and 1965. He was at that time vying for the national wing position against his great club rivals Ken Irvine
, Peter Dimond
and Michael Cleary. He later represented for New South Wales in 1969 and 1970 and scored nine career tries for the Blues.
He finally made his Australian Test debut in the 1966 domestic Ashes
series against Great Britain where he appeared in all three Tests. He was selected on the 1967 Kangaroo tour
making six Test appearances and playing in twelve minor tour matches. He was the tour's second highest try scorer with a tally of nine.
He was in the Australian squad for the 1968 World Cup
and made two tournament appearances scoring two tries. He made a single Test appearance against New Zealand
in 1967 and played his three final Test matches against the touring Great Britain Lions of 1970.
Final 1974
. Returning to Sydney in 1976 he coached South Sydney. In 1984 John King coached Country Seconds to an upset win over Sydney.
In February 2008, King was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
and ARL
to
celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
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 coach. He was a winger with 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,...
for the last seven years of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was a representative in the Australian national team from 1966–1970, earning thirteen Test caps. He has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
Early life
King's early life alternated between SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and north western New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. His father, Cec King, was a motor mechanic who had stints working at Gulgong
Gulgong, New South Wales
Gulgong is a 19th century gold rush town in the Central-West of the Australian state of New South Wales. The town is located about north west of Sydney, and about 30 km north of Mudgee along the Castlereagh Highway. At the 2006 census, Gulgong had a population of 1,907 people...
, Gilgandra and Gulargambone
Gulargambone, New South Wales
Gulargambone is a village in the central west plains of New South Wales, Australia, on the banks of the Castlereagh River, in Coonamble Shire. It is 526 kilometres north west of Sydney. At the 2006 census, Gulargambone had a population of 395....
. Cec King, had played 19 matches for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
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...
in reseves and first grade in 1943 and 1944. Johnny King was an apprentice jeweller at aged 16 in Gilgandra before moving to Sydney to continue his trade. In 1958 he joined the Arncliffe Scots D grade junior 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...
side as a fullback and the following year played in the St George Dragons' Presidents Cup side. He trialled with the South Sydney Rabbitohs
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...
in 1959 but was turned down by coach Bernie Purcell
Bernie Purcell
Bernie Purcell was an Australian rugby league premiership winning footballer and coach. He was a goal-kicking second-row forward of the 1950s for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Australian national representative and New South Wales state sides....
.
Club career
He was graded in 1960 to the Dragons third grade side and towards of the end of the 1960 season played five games on the wing in first grade including the 1960 Grand Final victory over the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in which he scored two tries.King scored the only try of the 1964 Grand Final at the end of an extraordinary passage of play. 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...
were desperately defending their own line five minutes into the second half when they were awarded a relieving penalty. Their kicker, Bob Boland, failed to find touch by inches as the ball fell into the outstretched hands of Saints fullback Graeme Langlands
Graeme Langlands
Graeme 'Changa' Langlands, MBE, is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach of the 1960s and 70s. He retired as the most-capped player for the Australian national team with 45 from 1963 to 1975, and captained his country in 15 Test matches and World Cup games. Langlands was the...
who then raced across field and sent a long cut-out pass to Billy Smith 25 yards out from the tryline. Smith off-loaded to King, who sped the remaining 20 yards down the left wing and scored a diving try.
King played 191 games for the Dragons between 1960 and 1971 scoring 143 tries - a club record at the time. He played in seven of the premiership decider victories and holds the distinctive record of scoring six tries over six consecutive winning Grand Final appearances from 1960 to 1965. He was the NSW Rugby League's leading try-scorer in the 1961 (20 tries) and 1965 (15 tries) seasons.
He retired after one match of the 1971 season following a driving accident in which he suffered three crushed vertebrae.
The man and his playing style
King was a clever positional winger with good speed. He formed a dangerous left-centre, left-wing partnership with Australian rugby league ImmortalThe Immortals (rugby league)
A major Australian rugby league magazine Rugby League Week in 1981 selected an exclusive group of players dubbed "The Immortals". The group consisted of Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, and Johnny Raper...
Reg Gasnier
Reg Gasnier
Reg Gasnier AM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach, regarded as one of the 20th century's finest players. He played in the centres for the St. George Dragons from 1959 to 1967...
and scored many of his 143 club tries by being perfectly positioned to finish off after breaks by his inside men.
Between the 1964 and 1965 seasons King showed incredible fortitude to recover from a serious lawnmower accident in which his foot was partially severed to be running and fully fit for round seven of 1965, play out the season including scoring yet another Grand Final try and then go on to top form and national selection in 1966.
Representative career
He first played for New South WalesNew 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...
against a touring Great Britain side in 1962 and then again in 1963, 1964 and 1965. He was at that time vying for the national wing position against his great club rivals Ken Irvine
Ken Irvine
Kenneth John Irvine was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He holds the standing record for the most number of tries in a first-grade career – 212. No other player has yet managed 200 tries in their career, apart from Steve Menzies who has scored 216...
, Peter Dimond
Peter Dimond
Peter Dimond is a former Australian rugby league footballer who played his club rugby league for the Western Suburbs Magpies. Born in born in Dapto, New South Wales, he is the younger brother of Bobby Dimond...
and Michael Cleary. He later represented for New South Wales in 1969 and 1970 and scored nine career tries for the Blues.
He finally made his Australian Test debut in the 1966 domestic Ashes
Rugby League Ashes
The Ashes is the name given to the trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-three series of rugby league football test series between Great Britain and Australia...
series against Great Britain where he appeared in all three Tests. He was selected on the 1967 Kangaroo tour
Kangaroo 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...
making six Test appearances and playing in twelve minor tour matches. He was the tour's second highest try scorer with a tally of nine.
He was in the Australian squad for the 1968 World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
and made two tournament appearances scoring two tries. He made a single Test appearance against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
in 1967 and played his three final Test matches against the touring Great Britain Lions of 1970.
Post playing
After football King returned to north-western New South Wales and ran a hotel in Wellington. His career since has been in managing hotels and clubs. He coached Western Division to a surprise victory in the inaugural Amco CupAmco Cup
The Amco Cup was a mid-week rugby league competition held in Australia between 1974 and 1989. The format was usually a straight knock-out, but various group formats were used between 1979 and 1982...
Final 1974
1974 Amco Cup
The 1974 Amco Cup was won by New South Wales Country Rugby League's Western Division team. They were coached by Johnny King and included players such as Geoff Lousick, Nelson Smith and Terry Fahey.-Format:...
. Returning to Sydney in 1976 he coached South Sydney. In 1984 John King coached Country Seconds to an upset win over Sydney.
In February 2008, King was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (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.
First class matches played
| Team | Matches | Years | Tries | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. George Dragons | 191 | 1960–1971 | 143 | 443 |
| New South Wales | 8 | 1963–1970 | 9 | 27 |
| Australia (Tests) | 15 | 1966–1970 | 6 | 18 |
| Australia (World Cup) | 2 | 1968 | 2 | 6 |
Sources
- Writer, Larry (1995) Never Before, Never Again, Pan MacMillan, Sydney
- Andrews, Malcolm (2006) "The ABC of RugbY League", Australian Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
- Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
& Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney