Kevin Junee
Encyclopedia
Kevin Junee is an Australian former rugby league
footballer of the 1960s and 70s. An Australian international
and New South Wales interstate
representative back, he played club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership for the Eastern Suburbs
and Manly-Warringah
clubs. Kevin is the father of Australian rugby union
player Darren Junee
who also played rugby league for the Eastern Suburbs club.
Junee played all his junior football with Eastern Suburbs
, breaking into the top grade in 1964 - the bleakest period in the clubs history, winning just 2 matches that year and just 3 more in the following two, However this didn’t stop Junee from breaking into the representative scene, in 1965, the speedy halfback
was chosen for NSW and in 1967 was first selected to play for his country on a Kangaroo Tour
, becoming Kangaroo No. 422. In the 1970 season Junee was awarded the Rothmans Medal
– rugby league's leading player award presented annually to the year's best player. While playing for the Manly Warringah rugby league club in 1974 Junee topped the season's try-scoring list with 23 tries, a club record at the time. He rejoined Easts for his final season in 1976.
Premiership success was one of the few things that eluded Junee throughout his career. The closest he came was in 1972 when he was a member of the Eastern Suburbs side that was defeated by Manly Warringah in that year's Grand Final - 19 points to 14. The international halfback left Easts
to join Manly in 1974 after a player swap brought his former halfback rival at Easts, Johnny Mayes back to the club. Ironically, that year Eastern Suburbs won their first premiership since 1945 and won again in 1975, losing only three games all season. To rub salt into these wounds, Mayes had just won a premiership with Manly in 1973 and was part of these two premiership winning sides.
Junee returned to Easts for his final season in 1976, displacing Mayes at halfback before the emergence of an up-and-coming Kevin Hastings.
Junee, who played 159 matches for Eastern Suburbs has been made a life member of that club.
He currently works in management in rugby union.
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 1960s and 70s. An Australian international
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...
and New South Wales interstate
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...
representative back, he played club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership for the Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
and Manly-Warringah
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...
clubs. Kevin is the father of Australian rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player Darren Junee
Darren Junee
Darren Junee is an Australian former rugby league footballer in the Australian Rugby League / National Rugby League.Junee, a fullback - occasional wing/centre, played for the Sydney Roosters in the years 1995-98. He is the son of Roosters international Kevin Junee.Darren currently teaches at St....
who also played rugby league for the Eastern Suburbs club.
Junee played all his junior football with Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
, breaking into the top grade in 1964 - the bleakest period in the clubs history, winning just 2 matches that year and just 3 more in the following two, However this didn’t stop Junee from breaking into the representative scene, in 1965, the speedy halfback
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
was chosen for NSW and in 1967 was first selected to play for his country on a 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...
, becoming Kangaroo No. 422. In the 1970 season Junee was awarded the Rothmans Medal
Rothmans Medal
The Rothmans Medal was the premier individual award in both the New South Wales Rugby League and Brisbane Rugby League competitions, and later in the Australian Rugby League, which was given to the player voted by referees as the best and fairest in those competitions for that year.The award was...
– rugby league's leading player award presented annually to the year's best player. While playing for the Manly Warringah rugby league club in 1974 Junee topped the season's try-scoring list with 23 tries, a club record at the time. He rejoined Easts for his final season in 1976.
Premiership success was one of the few things that eluded Junee throughout his career. The closest he came was in 1972 when he was a member of the Eastern Suburbs side that was defeated by Manly Warringah in that year's Grand Final - 19 points to 14. The international halfback left Easts
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
to join Manly in 1974 after a player swap brought his former halfback rival at Easts, Johnny Mayes back to the club. Ironically, that year Eastern Suburbs won their first premiership since 1945 and won again in 1975, losing only three games all season. To rub salt into these wounds, Mayes had just won a premiership with Manly in 1973 and was part of these two premiership winning sides.
Junee returned to Easts for his final season in 1976, displacing Mayes at halfback before the emergence of an up-and-coming Kevin Hastings.
Junee, who played 159 matches for Eastern Suburbs has been made a life member of that club.
He currently works in management in rugby union.