Bob O'Reilly

Bob O'Reilly
Personal information
Full name Robert Edward O'Reilly
Nickname Bear
Born 16 February 1949
Rocklea, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Position Front row forward
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1967–75 Parramatta Eels 167 26 0 0 78
1976–77 Penrith Panthers 30 2 0 0 6
1978–79 Easts (Sydney) 38 6 0 0 18
1980–82 Parramatta Eels 49 3 0 0 9
Total 284 37 0 0 111
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1970–74 New South Wales 9 0 0 0 0
1971–74 City NSW 4 0 0 0 0
1970–74 Australia 16 0 0 0 0

Bob O'Reilly is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative prop forward, he played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, mainly for the Parramatta Eels, but also for the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and Penrith Panthers.

Nicknamed 'The Bear', O'Reilly enjoyed a fifteen year Sydney first grade career debuting for Parramatta at aged eighteen in 1967 and returning to the club in 1981 to first taste premiership success. He represented Australia in nine Tests and seven World Cup matches, including the Kangaroos' victory in the 1970 World Cup. He was the first Parramatta junior to represent Australia, having played his junior football with suburban Guildford.[1] O'Reilly is named on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 450.[2]

A decade after his first representative appearance, O'Reilly was part of Parramatta's first ever premiership-winning team of 1981. He held the record for highest number of first grade games at 284[3] until overtaken by Geoff Gerard.

Bob O'Reilly was awarded Life Membership of the Parramatta Eels Club in 1981.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Apter The Coaches: The Men Who Changed Rugby League ISBN 9781743465660
  2. ↑ ARL Annual Report 2005, page 56
  3. ↑ Bob O'Reilly at yesterdayshero.com.au
  4. ↑ Sydney Morning Herald : 24 September 1981 (page 56)

Published sources