BEARS BANTER – The Official Bears Podcast
JOHN GRAY
- Born; Friday, 9th October, 1953
Awards & Accolades
Biography
Great Britain RU international also played County cricket for Warwickshire and the MCC before changing codes to play for Wigan in 1973. Gray came to Australia on Great Britain’s 1974 tour and made his Test debut in the Lions’16-11 Second Test win, while his 6 goals in the Third Test almost won his country the Ashes. A tough hooker and a brilliant around-the-corner goal-kicker, Gray brought his considerable talents to Norths in the mid-1970s. In 1976 he was awarded the Amco Cup ‘superstar’ prize for player of the competition but only after an embarrassing mix-up after promoters first gave the award to Balmain’s Allan McMahon. Gray signed with Manly in 1978 on a reduced contract for the chance to play in a competitive side. Unfortunately he was sent off and suspended in the major semi-final replay against P’matta and Manly went on to win a dramatic 1978 grand final replay without him. Gray later returned to Norths but a series of broken forearms and constant back pain ended his career in 1983.
Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player’s career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the icon.
International |
||||||||||||||
Test Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Great Britain | 1974 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 40 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.50% | ![]() |
|||
England | 1975 | 1 | – | 4 | – | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1974-1975 | 9 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 48 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 66.67% | ![]() |
|||
International Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
England | 1975 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1975 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | ![]() |
||||
World Cup Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
England | 1975 | 1 | – | 4 | – | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1975 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | ![]() |
|||
Club Career |
||||||||||||||
Australian League Matches – By Year |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1975 | ? | – | 23 | – | 46 | ||||||||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1976 | 15 | 2 | 33 | – | 72 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 26.67% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1977 | 19 | 3 | 66 | – | 141 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 52.63% | ![]() |
|||
Manly Warringah | NSWRFL 1978 | 24 | 4 | 61 | – | 134 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 62.50% | ![]() |
|||
Manly Warringah | NSWRFL 1979 | 16 | – | 7 | – | 14 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 43.75% | ![]() |
|||
Manly Warringah | NSWRFL 1980 | 7 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 3 | 0 | 57.14% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1981 | 16 | – | 40 | – | 80 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 43.75% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1982 | 21 | 3 | 51 | 1 | 112 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 66.67% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1983 | 8 | 1 | 4 | – | 12 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37.50% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1975-1983 | ? | 13 | 285 | 1 | 611 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||||
Australian League Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | 1975-77, 1981-83 | ? | 9 | 217 | 1 | 463 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||||
North Sydney | 1976-77, 1981-83 | 79 | 9 | 194 | 1 | 417 | 38 | 38 | 3 | 48.10% | ![]() |
|||
Manly Warringah | 1978-80 | 47 | 4 | 68 | – | 148 | 26 | 19 | 2 | 55.32% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1975-1983 | ? | 13 | 285 | 1 | 611 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||||
Australian Finals Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | 1976-1982 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | ![]() |
|||
Manly Warringah | 1978 | 3 | – | 2 | – | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.33% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1978-1982 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 25.00% | ![]() |
DON MCKINNON
- Born: Friday, 29th April, 1955
- Place Of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Awards & Accolades
Biography
Giant prop forward, the youngest son of Norths’ president Harry McKinnon, eclipsed Norm Strong’s club record number of grade games (260) in 1987. A local junior who played RU with Willoughby until the age of 16, Don McKinnon was graded by the Bears in 1975. He reached his peak in 1982, winning a place in NSW’s State of Origin side before playing in ten minor matches on the unbeaten Kangaroo Tour. McKinnon did not have his contract renewed with Norths for the 1988 season but feeling that he still had something to offer, played his final season with Manly. In the opening match of the season against Brisbane, McKinnon suffered the embarrassment of being fined for relieving himself while still on the field – certainly not the first player to do so but the first to be caught on TV. He spent most of the remainder of the season on the sidelines after dislocating his shoulder when scoring a try in a later match.
Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player’s career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the icon.
International |
||||||||||||||
International Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1982 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1982 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | ![]() |
|||
Representative |
||||||||||||||
Australia – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
New South Wales | 1982 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1982 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | ![]() |
||||
Club Career |
||||||||||||||
Australian League Matches – By Year |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1977 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1978 | 18 | 6 | – | – | 18 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 22.22% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1979 | 17 | 3 | – | – | 9 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 5.88% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1980 | 19 | 3 | – | – | 9 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 21.05% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1981 | 18 | 1 | – | – | 3 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 44.44% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1982 | 26 | 6 | – | – | 18 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 57.69% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1983 | 25 | 2 | – | – | 8 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 48.00% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRL 1984 | 24 | 4 | – | – | 16 | 9 | 14 | 1 | 37.50% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRL 1985 | 14 | 2 | – | – | 8 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 21.43% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRL 1986 | 14 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 7 | 0 | 50.00% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRL 1987 | 9 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 44.44% | ![]() |
|||
Manly Warringah | NSWRL 1988 | 6 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.67% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1977-1988 | 192 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 97 | 72 | 115 | 5 | 37.50% | ![]() |
|||
Australian League Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | 1977-87 | 186 | 28 | – | – | 93 | 68 | 113 | 5 | 36.56% | ![]() |
|||
Manly Warringah | 1988 | 6 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.67% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1977-1988 | 192 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 97 | 72 | 115 | 5 | 37.50% | ![]() |
|||
Australian Finals Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | 1977-1982 | 2 | 2 | – | – | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1982 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | ![]() |
JOHN ADAM
- Born: Monday, 22nd October, 1956
Biography
Norths junior, a captain of NSW U’19s and NSW Colts (Cricket), trialled with the Bears as a winger before establishing a long career as a resourceful centre. A graduate in law and commerce from the University of NSW, Adam was to put his solicitor’s skills to good use after his retirement as a player when he became the inaugural president of the Players Association, the forerunner of the Players Union.
Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player’s career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the icon.
Club Career |
||||||||||||||
Australian League Matches – By Year |
||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1977 | 17 | 7 | – | – | 21 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 58.82% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1978 | 22 | 9 | – | – | 27 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 18.18% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1979 | 21 | 4 | – | – | 12 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 9.52% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1980 | 21 | 4 | – | – | 12 | 6 | 14 | 1 | 28.57% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1981 | 16 | 7 | – | – | 21 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 43.75% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1982 | 25 | 6 | – | – | 18 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 56.00% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRFL 1983 | 26 | 5 | – | – | 20 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 50.00% | ![]() |
|||
North Sydney | NSWRL 1984 | 6 | 2 | – | – | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 50.00% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1977-1984 | 154 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 139 | 59 | 92 | 3 | 38.31% | ![]() |
|||
Australian League Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | 1977-84 | 154 | 44 | – | – | 139 | 59 | 92 | 3 | 38.31% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1977-1984 | 154 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 139 | 59 | 92 | 3 | 38.31% | ![]() |
|||
Australian Finals Matches – By Team |
||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
North Sydney | 1977-1982 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | ![]() |
|||
Overall | 1982 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | ![]() |