Johnny Greaves
Encyclopedia
Johnny Greaves is a former rugby league
player for the St. George Dragons
, Canterbury Bulldogs
, New South Wales
and for the Australian
national side.
Starting with the St George Dragons where he had been a local junior Greaves, like Brian James
battled for recognition in the star-studded Dragons line-up who boasted a choice of centres with Reg Gasnier
, Billy Smith and Johnny Riley in their squad. Nonetheless Greaves managed 23 first grade appearances in his two years at senior level with the club.
He shifted to Canterbury where he became a first-grade regular and from where he was chosen in 1966 for New South Wales and later that year to represent Australia
in the two Tests of the domestic Ashes
series against Great Britain
.
He was a member of the Canterbury side who knocked St George out of the 1967 final thereby ending the Dragons' record breaking run but a week later suffered the igominy as the man left to chase down Bob McCarthy
in the 1967 Grand Final after Greave's was waiting on a pass from his hooker Col Brown which McCarthy intercepted and which would change the course of the game and decide the premiership.
He selected on the 1967 Kangaroo tour
where he played in four Tests against Great Britain and France and in ten minor matches. He was a member of Australia's victorious 1968 World Cup
squad.
Greaves captained Canterbury in 1970 and after leaving the club made his final representative appearance in 1972 from second-division side Campbelltown when he turned out for Country Firsts.
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...
player for 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,...
, Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
, 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...
and for the Australian
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...
national side.
Starting with the St George Dragons where he had been a local junior Greaves, like Brian James
Brian James (rugby league)
Brian James is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1960s. A national and state representative, he played in the 1968 Rugby League World Cup-winning team for Australia as a winger. His club career was played at centre for the St...
battled for recognition in the star-studded Dragons line-up who boasted a choice of centres with 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...
, Billy Smith and Johnny Riley in their squad. Nonetheless Greaves managed 23 first grade appearances in his two years at senior level with the club.
He shifted to Canterbury where he became a first-grade regular and from where he was chosen in 1966 for New South Wales and later that year to represent 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...
in the two Tests of the 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
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
.
He was a member of the Canterbury side who knocked St George out of the 1967 final thereby ending the Dragons' record breaking run but a week later suffered the igominy as the man left to chase down Bob McCarthy
Bob McCarthy
Bob McCarthy MBE is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, New South Wales and for the Australian national side...
in the 1967 Grand Final after Greave's was waiting on a pass from his hooker Col Brown which McCarthy intercepted and which would change the course of the game and decide the premiership.
He 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...
where he played in four Tests against Great Britain and France and in ten minor matches. He was a member of Australia's victorious 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...
squad.
Greaves captained Canterbury in 1970 and after leaving the club made his final representative appearance in 1972 from second-division side Campbelltown when he turned out for Country Firsts.