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Gary Stevens

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

All information provided below is based only on data available in the RLP database and should be used as a guide only.

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Gary Richard Stevens
Born
Tuesday, 4th January, 1944
Died
Wednesday, 29th January, 2025 (Aged 81 years and 25 days)
Place Of Birth
Randwick, New South Wales, Australia

Known Family Links

Grandfather
Arthur Oxford
Brother
Wayne Stevens

Competitions Won

The Ashes
1973/74, 1974
World Cup
1975
Test Series
1973/74 France vs Australia
Interstate Series
1972, 1974, 1975
NSW City vs Country Firsts
1972, 1974
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
1967, 1968, 1970, 1971
Preseason Cup
1966, 1972

Biography

Extremely fit, hard-tackling Souths forward played in two grand final victories (1970-71). Souths' club historian, the late Tom Brock, stated that Stevens' career demonstrates that not all international stars are instant successes. Promoted to grade from Souths Juniors in 1964, he played in just 22 first grade matches in the next five seasons. The grandson of club great Arthur Oxford, Stevens cemented his place in Souths top team in 1970 and went on to play in Australia's 1972 World Cup campaign before touring with the 1973 Kangaroos. When Australia lost the First Test to Great Britain, Stevens was chosen to tighten defences and played in the last two Test victories. He played against France in the Second Test followed by two Tests against Great Britain in 1974. While Souths experienced a dreadful season in 1975, Stevens' efforts in a beaten side were rewarded with a place in Australia's World Series squad. He later joined C’bury under former Souths teammate Bob McCarthy.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Representative Career - International   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 10 1 11 --- - - - - - - - - 8 1 2 72.73% List
The Ashes 2 4 - 4 --- - - - - - - - - 3 1 - 75.00% List
World Cup 1 5 1 6 --- - - - - - - - - 4 - 2 66.67% List
Tour Matches Sydney ColtsSDC - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
Tour Matches AustraliaAUS - 18 1 19 1-1 - - - - 3 - - 1 15 1 3 78.95% List
Tour Matches New South Wales FirstsNFI - 1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
Test Series 3 5 - 5 --- - - - - - - - - 4 1 - 80.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Interstate Series 3 4 1 5 --- - - - - - - - - 3 1 1 60.00% List
NSW City vs Country Firsts 2 3 - 3 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 2 1 - 66.67% List
NSW City vs Country 2 4 - 4 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 3 1 - 75.00% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) 4 180 6 186 11-11 - - - - 33 - - 1 105 75 6 56.45% List
NRL Finals - 8 - 8 --- - - - - - - - - 5 3 - 62.50% List
Preseason Cup 2 29 6 35 3-3 - - - - 9 - - - 21 13 1 60.00% List
Midweek Cup - 6 - 6 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 2 4 - 33.33% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  243 14 257 18-18 - - - - 54 - - 2 150 96 11 58.37% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1972-75   10 1 11 --- - - - - - - - - 8 1 2 72.73% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Australia 1972, 1975   5 1 6 --- - - - - - - - - 4 - 2 66.67% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Sydney Colts 1970   1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - - 1 - 0.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1971   1 - 1 --- - - - - - - - - 1 - - 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1972, 1974-75   6 1 7 --- - - - - - - - - 4 2 1 57.14% List
NSW City Firsts 1972, 1974-75   3 - 3 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 2 1 - 66.67% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
SouthsSouth Sydney 19651965 NSWRFL   3 - 3--- - - - - - - - - 2 1 - 66.67% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19661966 NSWRFL   5 1 61-1 - - - - 3 - - - 3 3 - 50.00% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19671967 NSWRFL   7 1 8--- - - - - - - - - 5 3 - 62.50% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19681968 NSWRFL   3 3 6--- - - - - - - - - 4 2 - 66.67% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19691969 NSWRFL   4 1 51-1 - - - - 3 - - - 5 - - 100.00% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19701970 NSWRFL   23 - 233-3 - - - - 9 - - - 18 4 1 78.26% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19711971 NSWRFL   18 - 183-3 - - - - 9 - - - 15 3 - 83.33% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19721972 NSWRFL   18 - 182-2 - - - - 6 - - - 11 7 - 61.11% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19731973 NSWRFL   16 - 16--- - - - - - - - 1 7 8 1 43.75% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19741974 NSWRFL   20 - 20--- - - - - - - - - 11 8 1 55.00% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19751975 NSWRFL   17 - 171-1 - - - - 3 - - - 3 14 - 17.65% List
SouthsSouth Sydney 19761976 NSWRFL   21 - 21--- - - - - - - - - 7 14 - 33.33% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19771977 NSWRFL   7 - 7--- - - - - - - - - 3 3 1 42.86% List
CanterburyCanterbury 19781978 NSWRFL   18 - 18--- - - - - - - - - 11 5 2 61.11% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
South Sydney 1965-76   155 6 161 11-11 - - - - 33 - - 1 91 67 3 56.52% List
Canterbury 1977-78   25 - 25 --- - - - - - - - - 14 8 3 56.00% List

Your Say

  • Uncle Al
    25 Sep 2013 10:40pm

    The best and hardest tackler I have seen in my 50 years of watching league

  • Leigh
    6 Sep 2024 8:28pm

    The toughest tackler I’ve ever seen.

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Contributions: Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Max Turner, Shawn Dollin, Rugby League Tables, Paul Carter, Alan Katzmann, Tony McCarron, Derek Farrar, Wests Archives, Bill Bates, AJ Lucantonio

Sources: Widnes RLFC History , RFL Player Registers, News Reports