Russel Gartner
Encyclopedia
Russel Gartner is an Australian former rugby league
footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An international representative three-quarter, He played for Manly
, Balmain
and Easts
in the NSWRFL premiership.
would later play for Manly-Warringah and represent Australia).
A tall three-quarter, Russel Gartner started playing first grade in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1975 with the Manly-Warringah
club. The following year he was part of the Sea Eagles' premiership-winning side. In 1977 Gartner was the League's top try-scorer and at the end of the season played for Australia in the 1977 World Cup. In the final against a strong Great Britain
side he scored a spectacular 65-metre solo try which was a catalyst to Australia's eventual victory.
At the end of the 1981 season, Gartner transferred to the Eastern Suburbs club where he played for two years before moving to Balmain. He played in the Tigers' losing 1988 Grand Final side and was a non-playing reserve in their dramatic extra time loss to the Canberra Raiders
in the following year's decider.
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 1970s and 80s. An international representative three-quarter, He played for Manly
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...
, Balmain
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...
and 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...
in the NSWRFL premiership.
Biography
Gartner came from a family with a strong rugby league background with his father Jim and uncle Clive playing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (and his nephew Daniel GartnerDaniel Gartner
Daniel Gartner is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. His position was second row and he played in Australia with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and in England with the Bradford Bulls, winning championships with both clubs...
would later play for Manly-Warringah and represent Australia).
A tall three-quarter, Russel Gartner started playing first grade in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1975 with the 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...
club. The following year he was part of the Sea Eagles' premiership-winning side. In 1977 Gartner was the League's top try-scorer and at the end of the season played for Australia in the 1977 World Cup. In the final against a strong 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"....
side he scored a spectacular 65-metre solo try which was a catalyst to Australia's eventual victory.
At the end of the 1981 season, Gartner transferred to the Eastern Suburbs club where he played for two years before moving to Balmain. He played in the Tigers' losing 1988 Grand Final side and was a non-playing reserve in their dramatic extra time loss to the Canberra Raiders
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...
in the following year's decider.