Brian Johnston (rugby league)

Brian Johnston
Personal information
Full name Brian Stuart Johnston
Born 13 November 1958 (1958-11-13) (age 53)[1]
Dunedoo, Australia
Playing information
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight 82.5 kg (13 st 0 lb)[1]
Position Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1980–1989 St. George Dragons 167 61 0 0 233
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1984–1989 New South Wales 8 2 0 0 8
1987 Australia 1 0 0 0 0
Source: Rugby League Project and Yesterday's Hero

Brian Stuart Johnston (born 13 Nov 1958, Dunedoo, New South Wales) is a former Australian rugby league player and administrator. He played with the St George Dragons and represented for the Australian national rugby league team on one occasion.

An athletic speedster, Johnston signed with St George in 1980 and played for New South Wales in the State of Origin series on eight occasions between 1984-1989. He represented in the centres or at wing for the Blues in all four games of the 1987 series and in one game in each series of 1984-86, with a one match recall in 1989.

His highest representative honour came with selection as a reserve back for Australia in the one-off Test against New Zealand in 1987.

Johnston assumed the St George captaincy in 1989 but retired at the beginning of the 1990 season because of injury.

After football he became St George's Chief Executive Officer in 1996. He was named Australian Test manager for the 1999 Anzac Test. Johnston drew criticism of his handling of the sacking of Craig Gower for misbehaviour in the week before the Test. He resigned in 1999 because of ill health.

Currently he is on the Club's Board of Directors.

References

  1. ^ a b c Gary Lester (editor) (1986). Rugby League Action '85. Sydney, New South Wales: John Fairfax Marketing. pp. page 57. ISBN 0909558299. 

Sources

Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, St George/Illawarra edition, Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson