The Parramatta National Rugby League club is pleased to announce the induction of Ian Johnston into the Parramatta Eels Hall of Fame.
Johnston was the Parramatta Clubs first Australian representative and also served the Club with distinction as a coach, committee man and Board member.
The Newcastle product, who joined the Eels in 1948, narrowly missed selection in the original Parramatta Team of Legends when it was picked in 2002. He polled the most votes from the hall of fame judges to win admission this year.
Johnstons induction which was officially accepted on his behalf by son David was announced at the Eels annual First Grade Players and Officials Reunion, held today at Parramatta Leagues Club.
Johnstons photograph has been placed in the Hall of Fame outside the Wentworth Room at Parramatta Leagues Club, sitting alongside other members Ken Thornett, Neville Glover, Steve Ella, Michael Cronin, Eric Grothe, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Ray Price, Dick Thornett, Peter Wynn, Dean Pay, Steven Edge, Bob OReilly, Jack Gibson, Ron Lynch, Billy Rayner, Brian Hambly, Ron Hilditch, Barry Rushworth and Denis Fitzgerald.
Current Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh also received recognition at todays reunion ahead of his 250th First Grade game for the Club, to be played on Monday night against the Melbourne Storm at Parramatta Stadium.
IAN JOHNSTON PROFILE
Biographical information provided by Neil Cadigan, author of Quest For Glory, history of Parramatta Eels updated version to be released in 2010-11.
Ian Johnston was Parramattas first international, in his second season with the Eels after joining them from Newcastle. He was originally a fullback and was picked in front of the great Clive Churchill in 1946 for a representative Newcastle team but had to pull out because of injury.
He later switched to five-eighth or centre and joined the Eels in 1948 where he formed a tremendous partnership with ageing but crafty captain-coach and five-eighth Vic Hey.
Johnston was chosen to play for Australia in a Test against New Zealand in 1949, kicking three goals in Australias 26-14 loss. Ironically, Churchill then with South Sydney was the Aussie fullback.
Johnston played five seasons at Parramatta but in 1953, like several players of the era, took a lucrative offer of £300 in the country, playing for Young in western NSW. He returned for the 1954 season but after just five games departed again, for Coonamble, after a dispute with club president Jack Scullin. He returned to the Sydney scene, with Western Suburbs, in 1956 and seven seasons after his only international appearance, made the 1956-57 Kangaroos. He scored seven tries in nine games on tour but missed out on Test selection.
Johnston returned to coach in the lower grades in the 1960s, taking the reserve grade to the semi-finals in six of his seven seasons in charge, before taking on first grade for the 1968-69 seasons, between captain-coaches Brian Hambly (1967) and Ron Lynch (1970).
He later served for many years on the clubs advisory committee and as reserve grade manager before, from 1986 to 1996, spending ten years on the board of directors.
