John Mayes
Encyclopedia
Johnny Mayes is an Australian former rugby league
halfback who represented Australia in the 1975 World Series and played in three consecutive premiership-winning teams from 1973 to 1975, the first for Manly and the latter two for Eastern Suburbs
. His feat of playing in three consecutive premiership sides for different clubs is comparable only with Glenn Lazarus
in the early 1990s for Canberra
and the Brisbane Broncos
, who played in four premiership sides between 1989 and 1993.
Mayes had a slow start to his career with Eastern Suburbs owing to competition from established half Kevin Junee
. He first played first grade in 1968, but was still mostly in reserve grade for several years. When Junee was injured in the years after winning the Rothmans Medal
in 1970, Mayes spent a considerable amount of time in first grade and for part of 1972 actually relegated Junee to the reserves - though by finals time Junee had displaced him again.
Being a similar type of halfback to Junee, Mayes naturally sought another club to be sure of a first grade berth and Manly, with Dennis Ward dropping out, picked him up for the 1973 season. Mayes' growth as a player that year was remarkable. He scored sixteen tries - four in one match against Penrith
- and won Rugby League Week
s Player of the Year award. He was freely tipped to go on the Kangaroo tour
but was not chosen, and was, remarkably, swapped for Junee so he could return to Easts the following year.
This rather unusual swap was surprisingly beneficial, for with Manly Junee was the 1974 season's leading try-scorer, whilst Mayes' courageous defence and frequent darting runs helped Easts develop a powerful attack and solid defence that ensured the team dropped only seven games under Jack Gibson
in 1974 and 1975. In the 1975 grand final Mayes scored a brilliant try after an arcing run cross-field by winger Bruce Pickett and another one after running through a gaping hole, whist he scored four tries for the second time against Canterbury. At season end he was selected in to represent Australia in that years Rugby League World Series.
However, with Junee's return to Easts and especially the unexpected emergence of the unknown Kevin Hastings
, Mayes spent much of 1976 in reserve grade again. During the 1976 NSWRFL season, Hedger played in Eastern Suburbs' victory in their unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge
match against British champions St Helens RFC
in Sydney. With Junee gone for good, he fought with Hastings for a first grade spot in 1977 before returning to Newcastle where he captained a Newcastle representative side to a win over New Zealand in 1978.
In all Mayes played 134 first grade games for 71 tries and three field goals (two two-point and one one-point). In 1975 he was the leading try-scorer with sixteen.
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...
halfback who represented Australia in the 1975 World Series and played in three consecutive premiership-winning teams from 1973 to 1975, the first for Manly and the latter two for 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...
. His feat of playing in three consecutive premiership sides for different clubs is comparable only with Glenn Lazarus
Glenn Lazarus
Glenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin...
in the early 1990s for Canberra
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
and the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
, who played in four premiership sides between 1989 and 1993.
Mayes had a slow start to his career with Eastern Suburbs owing to competition from established half Kevin Junee
Kevin Junee
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...
. He first played first grade in 1968, but was still mostly in reserve grade for several years. When Junee was injured in the years after winning 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...
in 1970, Mayes spent a considerable amount of time in first grade and for part of 1972 actually relegated Junee to the reserves - though by finals time Junee had displaced him again.
Being a similar type of halfback to Junee, Mayes naturally sought another club to be sure of a first grade berth and Manly, with Dennis Ward dropping out, picked him up for the 1973 season. Mayes' growth as a player that year was remarkable. He scored sixteen tries - four in one match against Penrith
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
- and won Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week is the second highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, behind major competitor Big League...
s Player of the Year award. He was freely tipped to go on the 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...
but was not chosen, and was, remarkably, swapped for Junee so he could return to Easts the following year.
This rather unusual swap was surprisingly beneficial, for with Manly Junee was the 1974 season's leading try-scorer, whilst Mayes' courageous defence and frequent darting runs helped Easts develop a powerful attack and solid defence that ensured the team dropped only seven games under Jack Gibson
Jack Gibson (rugby league)
Jack Arthur Gibson OAM was an Australian rugby league identity – a player, commentator and most notably a coach...
in 1974 and 1975. In the 1975 grand final Mayes scored a brilliant try after an arcing run cross-field by winger Bruce Pickett and another one after running through a gaping hole, whist he scored four tries for the second time against Canterbury. At season end he was selected in to represent Australia in that years Rugby League World Series.
However, with Junee's return to Easts and especially the unexpected emergence of the unknown Kevin Hastings
Kevin Hastings
Kevin 'Horrie' Hastings is an Australian retired multi-award winning rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played in Australia's New South Wales Rugby League Football Competition...
, Mayes spent much of 1976 in reserve grade again. During the 1976 NSWRFL season, Hedger played in Eastern Suburbs' victory in their unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge
1976 World Club Challenge
The inaugural World Club Challenge was actually an unofficial trial of the concept, with 1975 NSWRFL season premiers, Eastern Suburbs playing against 1975–76 Northern Rugby Football League season Challenge Cup winners St. Helens...
match against British champions St Helens RFC
St Helens RFC
St Helens Rugby League Football Club are a professional rugby league club from St Helens, Merseyside, North West England who play in the Super League. Nicknamed Saints, they were a founder member of the Northern Rugby Football Union. They have been league champions on 12 occasions and runners up...
in Sydney. With Junee gone for good, he fought with Hastings for a first grade spot in 1977 before returning to Newcastle where he captained a Newcastle representative side to a win over New Zealand in 1978.
In all Mayes played 134 first grade games for 71 tries and three field goals (two two-point and one one-point). In 1975 he was the leading try-scorer with sixteen.