Players great at other Sports

[Ramit54]

A number of Australian rugby league players have represented in both League and Union. Blokes like Michael O'connor, Ray Price, Ken Kearney, Rex Mossop, Jim Lisle and Kevin Ryan to name a few.
But only a few league stars have carried Australia's colours in completely different sports. Notable ones include Kangaroo full-back Vic Bulgin who played in amateur golf series in South Africa and Canada, Lock Dennis Tutty who was a champion rower, winger Mike Cleary who won an athletics medal in the 1962 Commonwealth Games and forward Dick Thornett who made the Australian water polo side. Cleary and Thornett also played Rugby Union for Australia. One of the Hughes brothers played cricket and league for NSW. I think it was Graham.
Who else has done well at other sports that played League?
Cheers Retread

 

[Hass]

Probably the greatest Leg-spinner of all time Bill "Tiger" O'Reily, didn't quite play for Australia in League- but wearing the sky blue of New South Wales is pretty good in my book.

Cheers.

 

[imported_Rasputin]

Ray Lindwall also played fullback for St George and would have played for Austif not for the war

 

[Willow]

The Don was also the State Squash Champion for South Australia and also excelled in athetics. He wasn't a bad cricketer as well.

Herb Narvo was a household word in the 40s and 50s. He played for Newtown and St George and NSW and also was a champion boxer. Additionally, he would have represented Australiain Cycling in the Olympics but had to play footy.

Another little known sportsman is Anthony Mundine who is current Aust m/weight boxing champ and also represented NSW in Rugby League.

 

[Ramit54]

Bob Craig a Balmain 2nd rower who played 7 tests for Australia won 8 NSW freestyle championships in the pool 1899-1906as well as winning 4 water polo primierships in Sydney. He was also a soccer star helping Balmain to win the state's top event, the Gardiners Cup in 1905.
It was as a 2nd rower on the rugby field that Craig really excelled. As an amateur he was one of the successes of the 1908-09 Wallabies side which toured Britain and North America. Onthis tour he played in the Australian team which won the gold medal for Rugby at the 1908 London Olympic games.
When he returned home, Craig was one of 14 Wallabies to switch to Rugby League and soon established himself in the professional code.He played in three test series against Britain, including one during the 1911-12 Kangaroo tour. On that visit he played 31 of 36 games. He played in all three test helping Australia bring back the Ashes.
Cheers Retread

 

[imported_Bigbopper]

I'm away from home and the moment and can't look up any records. "Snowy" Baker is the tops. He played League in the early days and then went on to represent Australia at Diving and Boxing (I think won an Olympic medal) and a few other things.

He became a Hollywood stunt man. I tryto find some more.

Cheers

Bigbopper