Johnny Bliss
Encyclopedia
John Charles Bliss was a professional rugby league player who played for the Balmain Tigers
, North Sydney Bears
and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the NSWRL between 1942 and 1951.
with the North Narabeen Surf Club. He was shifted to the wing
as a 16 year old after showing incredible pace in general play. As the Manly club wouldn't have a first grade team until 1947, he was graded with Balmain in 1939. He went to North Sydney in 1941 but the Tigers claimed him on residence grounds for the 1942 and 1943 seasons. In 1947 he moved to Manly and played in their first ever premiership match against Western Suburbs
at Brookvale Oval
.
Bliss topped the try scoring for the North Sydney Bears in 1944 scoring seven tries and 1945 scoring nine tries. He would also top Manly's try scoring list in 1947 and 1950, scoring 10 tries in each season. In total Johnny Bliss played 121 games and scored 78 tries during his NSWRL career.
in the annual City vs Country match. He would go on to play four games for City (1945, 1947, 1948 and 1951), scoring three tries. In 1947 he played the first of six games for New South Wales
, scoring a total of nine tries between 1947 and his last game in 1951.
In 1951 Johnny Bliss was selected on the wing for Australia
for the first Test against the Puig Aubert
led France
at the Sydney Cricket Ground
. France ran out easy 26-15 winners in front of 60,160 fans. Following a poor game in which he, along with several team mates were criticized for 'timid tackling', Bliss was one of six players dropped for the second test held in Brisbane
. This was to be the only international match Bliss was selected for in his career.
Unfortunately for Bliss, his form dropped off after his one off test appearance in 1951 against France
and he was dropped from first grade before the semi-finals and missed Manly's first ever grand final appearance against South Sydney that year. After his retirement, Bliss was the speed guru to several Manly players such as Bob Fulton
, Nick Yakich
, Graham Eadie
and Russell Gartner.
Bliss was an exceptionally fast runner. During the 1947 season, decked out in full football gear including heavy leather football boots and carrying a football, Bliss clocked an amazing 11.1 seconds over 110 yards and also recorded 9.9 seconds over 100 yards. Compare this time with that run by American Harrison Dillard
who won the 100 m
gold medal at the 1948 London Olympics in 10.3 seconds and it shows just how fast Bliss really was.
and Christian Dior
.
Johnny Bliss died from the effects of a brain tumor on 9 August 1974, at the age of 52.
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...
, 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...
and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the NSWRL between 1942 and 1951.
Rugby League career
Johnny Bliss, nicknamed Blistering for his natural speed, was a Manly district junior who started out as a hookerRugby 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"....
with the North Narabeen Surf Club. He was shifted to the wing
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"....
as a 16 year old after showing incredible pace in general play. As the Manly club wouldn't have a first grade team until 1947, he was graded with Balmain in 1939. He went to North Sydney in 1941 but the Tigers claimed him on residence grounds for the 1942 and 1943 seasons. In 1947 he moved to Manly and played in their first ever premiership match against Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
at Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...
.
Bliss topped the try scoring for the North Sydney Bears in 1944 scoring seven tries and 1945 scoring nine tries. He would also top Manly's try scoring list in 1947 and 1950, scoring 10 tries in each season. In total Johnny Bliss played 121 games and scored 78 tries during his NSWRL career.
Representative career
Johnny Bliss's general play, speed and try scoring ability was first recognised in 1945 when he was chosen for City firstsCity vs Country Origin
City vs Country is an annual Australian rugby league football match that takes place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represents the Sydney metropolitan area...
in the annual City vs Country match. He would go on to play four games for City (1945, 1947, 1948 and 1951), scoring three tries. In 1947 he played the first of six games for New South Wales
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...
, scoring a total of nine tries between 1947 and his last game in 1951.
In 1951 Johnny Bliss was selected on the wing for Australia
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...
for the first Test against the Puig Aubert
Puig Aubert
Puig Aubert , was debatably the greatest French rugby league footballer of all-time Over a sixteen year professional career he would play for Carcassonne, XIII Catalan, Celtic de Paris and Castelnaudary winning five French championships and four French cups along with representing the French...
led France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
. France ran out easy 26-15 winners in front of 60,160 fans. Following a poor game in which he, along with several team mates were criticized for 'timid tackling', Bliss was one of six players dropped for the second test held in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. This was to be the only international match Bliss was selected for in his career.
Unfortunately for Bliss, his form dropped off after his one off test appearance in 1951 against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
and he was dropped from first grade before the semi-finals and missed Manly's first ever grand final appearance against South Sydney that year. After his retirement, Bliss was the speed guru to several Manly players such as Bob Fulton
Bob Fulton
Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
, Nick Yakich
Nick Yakich
Nick Yakich was an Australian rugby league player for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership competition. His position of choice was on the wing....
, Graham Eadie
Graham Eadie
Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century...
and Russell Gartner.
Beach Sprinting
Johnny Bliss wasn't just a rugby league player though. He was also a highly successful beach sprint champion. He won an amazing 12 Australian championships in a row from 1939 to 1952. A record that may never be equaled or broken and he even attempted a comeback at the age of 38 to win the 1960 NSW title.Bliss was an exceptionally fast runner. During the 1947 season, decked out in full football gear including heavy leather football boots and carrying a football, Bliss clocked an amazing 11.1 seconds over 110 yards and also recorded 9.9 seconds over 100 yards. Compare this time with that run by American Harrison Dillard
Harrison Dillard
William Harrison Dillard is an American track and field athlete, only the second male so far to win Olympic titles in both sprinting and hurdling events. Dillard was born in Cleveland, Ohio, attended East Technical High School...
who won the 100 m
Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics
At the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, 33 athletics events were contested, 24 for men and 9 for women. Three events made their Olympic debut at these Games: women's 200 metres, women's long jump and women's shot put...
gold medal at the 1948 London Olympics in 10.3 seconds and it shows just how fast Bliss really was.
Personal Life and Death
Johnny Bliss was also a success in the world of mens toiletries and women's perfumery, working for two of the biggest names in the business, FabergeFabergé
Fabergé may refer to:*House of Fabergé, a Russian jewelry firm founded by Gustav Faberge in 1842*Fabergé workmaster, goldsmiths who produced jewelry for the House of Fabergé*Fabergé eggs, the most famous works of the House of Faberge...
and Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
.
Johnny Bliss died from the effects of a brain tumor on 9 August 1974, at the age of 52.