Johnny Hunter

Johnny Hunter
Personal information
Born 21 July 1925
Kogarah, New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Died 1980
England
Playing information
Position Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1945–46 Easts (Sydney) 21 5 0 0 15
1947–57 Huddersfield 332 74 3 228
Total 353 79 3 0 243
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1949–52 Other Nationalities 8 0 1 0 2
Source: [1]

Johnny Hunter was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s. He played in Sydney's NSWRFL Premiership for the Eastern Suburbs club. The 1945 NSWRFL season was his first, and at the end of it he played at centre in Easts' Grand Final victory.

In January 1947 Hunter, along with Eastern Suburbs teammate Lionel Cooper signed to play with English club Huddersfield.[2]

Hunter scored 16-tries during the 1948-49 Northern Rugby Football League season, breaking the record for a fullback set by Jim Sullivan.[3]

Hunter played a fullback in Huddersfield's 2–20 defeat by Wigan in the Rugby Football League Championship final during the 1949–50 season at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 13 May 1950.[4]

Johnny Hunter played Fullback in Huddersfield's 15-10 victory over St. Helens in the 1953 Challenge Cup final during the 1952-53 season at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 25 April 1953,[5] having been stretchered from the field in the 63rd minute after a "stiff-arm" from St. Helens' winger Steve Llewellyn, he later returned to the field.[6]

Also while in England, Hunter played eight matches for the Other Nationalities rugby league team, and one match for the British Empire.

Johnny Hunter played Fullback in Huddersfield's 18-8 victory over Batley in the 1952 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1952–53 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 15 November 1952.

Hunter played for Huddersfield until 1955.

He died in 1980.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Johnny Hunter". Huddersfield Rugby League Heritage. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "League stars for England". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 January 1947. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  3. ↑ "Player Profile - Johnny Hunter". yesterdayshero.com.au. SmartPack International Pty Ltd. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  4. ↑ "1949-1950 Championship Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. ↑ McCorquodale, London S.E (25 April 1953). The Rugby League Challenge Cup Competition - Final Tie - Huddersfield v St. Helens - Match Programme. Wembley Stadium Ltd. ISBN n/a
  6. ↑ Goodman, Tom (27 April 1953). "St. Helen's hooted in R.L. Cup final". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  7. ↑ "The Huddersfield Daily Examiner".

External links