The St George Nostalgia Thread

Morgan

Morgan

SGI NSW Cup
GCRV said:

Johnny Cecil King​

(born 2 July 1942, in Gilgandra, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a winger with the St. George Dragons for the last seven years of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was a representative in the Australian national team from 1966 to 1970, earning 15 Test caps. He has been named among the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Club career​

He was graded in 1960 to the St. George Dragons third grade side and towards of the end of the 1960 season played five games on the wing in first grade including the 1960 Grand Final victory over the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in which he scored two tries.

King scored the only try of the 1964 Grand Final at the end of an extraordinary passage of play. The Balmain Tigers were desperately defending their own line five minutes into the second half when they were awarded a relieving penalty. Their kicker, Bob Boland, failed to find touch by inches as the ball fell into the outstretched hands of Saints fullback Graeme Langlands who then raced across field and sent a long cut-out pass to Billy Smith 25 yards out from the tryline. Smith off-loaded to King, who sped the remaining 20 yards down the left wing and scored a diving try.

King played 191 games for the Dragons between 1960 and 1971 scoring 143 tries - a club record at the time. He played in 7 of the Dragons' consecutive premiership victories and holds the distinctive record of scoring six tries over six consecutive winning Grand Final appearances from 1960 to 1965.

Johnny King was the NSW Rugby League's leading try-scorer twice in his career: firstly in 1961 (20 tries) and again in 1965 (15 tries).

He retired after one match of the 1971 season following a motor vehicle accident in which he suffered three crushed vertebrae.
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Sounds like a good try!
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
GCRV said:

Johnny Cecil King​

(born 2 July 1942, in Gilgandra, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a winger with the St. George Dragons for the last seven years of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was a representative in the Australian national team from 1966 to 1970, earning 15 Test caps. He has been named among the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Club career​

He was graded in 1960 to the St. George Dragons third grade side and towards of the end of the 1960 season played five games on the wing in first grade including the 1960 Grand Final victory over the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in which he scored two tries.

King scored the only try of the 1964 Grand Final at the end of an extraordinary passage of play. The Balmain Tigers were desperately defending their own line five minutes into the second half when they were awarded a relieving penalty. Their kicker, Bob Boland, failed to find touch by inches as the ball fell into the outstretched hands of Saints fullback Graeme Langlands who then raced across field and sent a long cut-out pass to Billy Smith 25 yards out from the tryline. Smith off-loaded to King, who sped the remaining 20 yards down the left wing and scored a diving try.

King played 191 games for the Dragons between 1960 and 1971 scoring 143 tries - a club record at the time. He played in 7 of the Dragons' consecutive premiership victories and holds the distinctive record of scoring six tries over six consecutive winning Grand Final appearances from 1960 to 1965.

Johnny King was the NSW Rugby League's leading try-scorer twice in his career: firstly in 1961 (20 tries) and again in 1965 (15 tries).

He retired after one match of the 1971 season following a motor vehicle accident in which he suffered three crushed vertebrae.
Click to expand...
Good profile on JK GCRV GCRV.
I recall reading that JK played most of his rep career minus a big toe on left foot, think it was.The result of a lawn mower accident. Yep JK was a great finisher. I understand a try in all six premiership wins was a first and remains so. As good as JK was, I'd have Ken Irvine as my best ever Kangaroo winger. The bloke had wings on his feet. JK was slow by comparison.
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Excellent quality and ever minute covered. How have we missed finding this iconic game and many others archived and remastered from past eras.

Was thinking if the NRL has archived Tigers GFs then no reason why they have not archived the best of our Dragons GFs too. So lets have a dig. If I could see full, restored print replays of our earlier premierships wins and specially some of the matches against Souths, such as the 1965 GF with the largest ever crowd, I'd be in seventh heaven.
 
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RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
How good is this!!! Even in b&w. No Gasnier.. big blow not seeing the 'prince of centres' in our iconic Red V. Have seen him often in the Kangaroo jumper.
Our playmakers Smith & Raper orchestrating almost ever play with our forwards steamrolling the opposition, then setting up a human wall in defense and when the opposition were exhausted from tackling, throw the ball around. This was just another repeat of the St George blueprint used during the unlimited tackle era.
Led from the front in the GF by one of my all time fave Saints players.. Ian Walsh, the Dragons never took their foot from Balmain's throat once they hit the front. A great game, great crowd, great atmosphere, good commentary while the post game lap of honor sent shivers thru me. Our 11th premiership and a world record but tinged with sadness as it was the last of our golden run. I think I teared up a lot when we lost in the semi or final (from memory against the Doggies) the following year with the knowledge our dynasty was at an end.
The only downside on the day for me being a devoted Republican was hearing and cringing at the then national anthem - God Save Our Queen. It was thankfully dumped a decade or so later.
 
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RedV01

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
RedVHeartbeat said:
Not for 1964 but I found this GF replay. Saints v Balmain 1966. Will that do GCRV GCRV
www.weststigers.com.au

Match Replay: 1966 Grand Final | Wests Tigers

St. George Dragons vs. Balmain Tigers
www.weststigers.com.au www.weststigers.com.au
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This is awesome! First time I've seen video of Raper, Langlands among others. I noticed a few things which I don't really like.
  1. No tackle counts = almost no kicking in general play.
  2. They way the markers used to kick out at the ball in almost every tackle is infuriating.
  3. Clay and Ryan were really good forwards. Doing just that. Going forward again and again.
  4. Players never talked to the ref. No matter the decision, they just got on with it.
  5. Raper beat tackles with power, evasion and footwork. And excellent defence. The entire package. Pretty quick as well.
  6. Beetson was good for Balmain.
  7. Langlands at fullback hardly sighted in general play. St George forwards were dominating! He wasn't needed.
  8. the longer the game goes on, the better Raper gets. Add a good offload to #5.
 
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Chris M

Chris M

SGI NSW Cup
RedV01 said:
This is awesome! First time I've seen video of Raper, Langlands among others. I noticed a few things which I don't really like.
  • No tackle counts = almost no kicking in general play.
  • They way the markers used to kick out at the ball in almost every tackle is infuriating.
  • Clay and Ryan were really good forwards. Doing just that. Going forward again and again.
  • Players never talked to the ref. No matter the decision, they just got on with it.
  • Raper beat tackles with power, evasion and footwork. And excellent defence. The entire package. Pretty quick as well.
  • Beetson was good for Balmain.
Click to expand...
Some brutal high shots!
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
RedV01 said:
This is awesome! First time I've seen video of Raper, Langlands among others. I noticed a few things which I don't really like.
  1. No tackle counts = almost no kicking in general play.- changed it the next season to stop our Red V
  2. They way the markers used to kick out at the ball in almost every tackle is infuriating.- Agree. Needed solid shin pads.
  3. Clay and Ryan were really good forwards. Doing just that. Going forward again and again. Clay was a 5/8. Played like a forward with Raper often doing his job at receiver.
  4. Players never talked to the ref. No matter the decision, they just got on with it. Yes not the back chat we see today
  5. Raper beat tackles with power, evasion and footwork. And excellent defence. The entire package. Pretty quick as well. Chook had an astute footy brain and was a clever ballplayer. His defense was second to none. JDB reminds me of Chook in defense.
  6. Beetson was good for Balmain. A juvenile Big Artie along with Dennis Tutty and Peter Provan were the Tiger's best forwards. Boland was their dirtiest player.
  7. Langlands at fullback hardly sighted in general play. St George forwards were dominating! He wasn't needed... Changas' goal kicking was pretty ordinary too. One of the best side steps in the business tho.
  8. the longer the game goes on, the better Raper gets. Add a good offload to #5. Any wonder he was one of our first Immortals. He did not just play the game.. he owned it.
Click to expand...
 
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jodragon40

jodragon40

SGI NSW Cup
GCRV said:

Johnny Cecil King​

(born 2 July 1942, in Gilgandra, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a winger with the St. George Dragons for the last seven years of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was a representative in the Australian national team from 1966 to 1970, earning 15 Test caps. He has been named among the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Club career​

He was graded in 1960 to the St. George Dragons third grade side and towards of the end of the 1960 season played five games on the wing in first grade including the 1960 Grand Final victory over the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in which he scored two tries.

King scored the only try of the 1964 Grand Final at the end of an extraordinary passage of play. The Balmain Tigers were desperately defending their own line five minutes into the second half when they were awarded a relieving penalty. Their kicker, Bob Boland, failed to find touch by inches as the ball fell into the outstretched hands of Saints fullback Graeme Langlands who then raced across field and sent a long cut-out pass to Billy Smith 25 yards out from the tryline. Smith off-loaded to King, who sped the remaining 20 yards down the left wing and scored a diving try.

King played 191 games for the Dragons between 1960 and 1971 scoring 143 tries - a club record at the time. He played in 7 of the Dragons' consecutive premiership victories and holds the distinctive record of scoring six tries over six consecutive winning Grand Final appearances from 1960 to 1965.

Johnny King was the NSW Rugby League's leading try-scorer twice in his career: firstly in 1961 (20 tries) and again in 1965 (15 tries).

He retired after one match of the 1971 season following a motor vehicle accident in which he suffered three crushed vertebrae.
Click to expand...
I had the pleasure to watch him play
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Saints report card:
Langlands -6
King - 6
Pollard - 6
Maddison - 7
Lumsden - 5
Clay -6
Smith - 9
Raper - 9
Walsh - 8
Ryan - 7
Huddart - 8
Rasmussen - 6
Gouley - 5
 
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