McCarthy is a 3 time first grade premiership grand final winner with South Sydney in 1967, 1970 and 1971. He was also a member of the 1968 South Sydney premiership wining squad. He also was a member of two additional premiership deciders for South Sydney in 1965 and 1969. In 1968 he was 1 time winner of the Australasian Club Championship winning team for South Sydney. McCarthy is a 4 time Pre-Season Cup winner with South Sydney in 1966, 1969, 1972 and 1978. He is a 1 time reserve grade premiership with South Sydney in 1968. And a 1 time U21 President Cup winner with South Sydney in 1962.
McCarthy is a South Sydney junior from Moore Park who played with the junior reps for South Sydney between 1961 and 1962. McCarthy impressed in the 1963 trials, being called into the first grade in the second season trial against Manly at Redfern Oval. He was then called up to make his into first grade cup debut in the 1963 Round 3 clash against Eastern Suburbs at Redfern Oval as a 18 year old, when John Sattler had been sent off midweek in the pre-season cup match against Manly. He made his senior grade and first grade premiership club debut in the 1963 Round 1 clash against Canterbury-Bankstown at Belmore Oval.
McCarthy is a barrel-chested wide running second rower, who revolutioned the second row position. With the speed of back but the power of a forward, his terrific running game made him one of the most dangerous second rowers in the history of the game. Rated by John Sattler as one of the greatest blind-side forwards in the world, who is one of the rare forwards to score over 100 first grade tries. In 1970 McCarthy was the NSWRL season top try scorer. He is most remembered for his intercept in the 1967 grand final where he ran 75 yards to score.
McCarthy played 14 seasons with South Sydney between 1963 and 1978. He played 283 first grade club games for South Sydney which included 211 first grade premiership games and 65 first grade cup games. McCarthy became the most capped South Sydney first grade premiership player in 1975 a record he would hold until 2014. McCarthy played 299 senior grade club games for South Sydney which included 228 senior grade premiership games. He scored 451 senior grade points for South Sydney, which included 148 tries 3 goals and 1 fieldgoal. In first grade he scored 301 premiership points, which is made up of 100 first grade premiership tries and 1 field goal.
McCarthy made his first grade captaincy debut in 1971 Round 4 clash against Western Suburbs at Lidcombe Oval. McCarthy captained South Sydney on 55 occasions in first grade, which included 47 first grade premiership games. McCarthy wh had stepped down as captain in 1975 Round 13, McCarthy returned in Round 18 to captain-coach South Sydney for the final 5 games of the season after Clive Churchill stepped down. The last South Sydney captain-coach to date.
At representative level, McCarthy made he representative debut while at South Sydney in the 1964 Sydney City Seconds lash against New South Wales Country Seconds. In 1968 McCarthy was controversially left out of the 1968-69 Kangaroo Tour of England. In 1969 he stepped up to play Sydney City Firsts against NSW Country Firsts at the Sydney Cricket Ground, before making his interstate debut against Queensland in the 1st Interstate match of 1969 at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground. 1969 saw McCarthy selected for the Kangaroo tour of New Zealand where he made his international debut in the 1969 1st Test against New Zealand at Carlaw Park. In 1971 McCarthy made his representative captaincy debut for Sydney City I against NSW Country at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In 1971 he was the vice-captain of the New South Wales team and stepped up to captain New South Wales in the 1971 1st interstate match against Queensland at Lang Park. Once again vice-captain of the Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand he made his green and gold capataincy debut in the tour match against a New Zealand XIII at Huntley. Vice-captain of the 1973-74 Kangaroo Tour squad to England and France, he made his internation captaincy debut in the 1974 2nd Test against Gread Britain at Leeds. McCarthy would continue playing representative matches until 1975, where he played his final representative match while at South Sydney in the 1975 3rd interstate match against Queensland at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Overall McCarthy played 50 representative games while at South Sydney, which included 13 matches for New South Wales, 28 games for Australia which included 15 internationals.
McCarthy left to play with Canterbury-Bankstown in 1976 and 1977 before returning in 1978. McCarthy played his final first grade club and premiership game in the 1978 Round 20 clash against Western Suburbs at Lidcombe Oval. Two weeks later he played his final senior grade game for South Sydney in the 1978 Reserve Grade clash against North Sydney at North Sydney Oval.
McCarthy is considered as one of the legends of the game. In 1963 he was awarded the "Find of Season" by the Sunday Telegraph. He was awarded South Sydney LIfe Membership in 1973, and in 1977 he was awarded a MBE for services to the game of Rugby League. One the ARL's greatest 100 players, he is a member of 2004 South Sydney Dream team and 2008 South Sydey Juniors Team of the century. In 2003 he was made a life member of the SCG and honoured in the SCG Trust Walk of honour. He is a meber of the 2003 Greatest Kangaroo Tourist and ARL Team of the 1970s. He was inducted into the NSWRL Hall of Fame in 2017 and NRL Hall of Fame in 2018.
Bob McCarthy is one of the greatest South Sydney players.
Playing - Height / Weight
6ft 1in(185cm) / 14st 8lb(93kg)
Player Relatives
Brother - McCarthy, Bill
Brother - McCarthy, Rick
Son - McCarthy, Darren
Son - McCarthy, Troy
Representative Qualification
NSW City
Date of Birth
Surry Hills - 5th August 1944
South Sydney Junior Club
Moore Park
Previous Clubs First Grade
Premiership : Cup
M T G FG Pt : M T G FG Pt
Canterbury-Bankstown (1976-77) 40 19 - - 57 : 11 4 - - 12
Playing Career at South Sydney (1963-75,78)
South Sydney First Grade Debut
1963 Mar 10 Trial Redf v Manly-Warringah
1963 Mar 17 Pre03 Redf v Eastern Suburbs (18y 224d)
1963 Apr 6 Rd01 Belm v Canterbury-Bankstown (Premiership - 18y 244d)
First Grade
Premiership : ANZ & Aust Championship : Midweek / State / Ampol Cup : Pre-Season Comp : Tour
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
1963 18 18 - 2 - - 6 : : 2 2 - - - - - : 2 2 - - - - -
1964 14 14 - 4 - - 12 : : - - - - - - - : 5 5 - 3 - - 9 : 2 2 - - - - -
1965 11 11 - - - - - : : 2 1 (1) - - - - : 5 5 - - - - - : 3 3 - 3 3 - 15
1966 11 11 - 4 - - 12 : : : 6 6 - 4 - - 12 : - - - - - - -
1967 18 18 - 13 - - 39 : : : 6 6 - 1 - - 3 : - - - - - - -
1968 12 12 - 6 - - 18 : 2 1 (1) 3 - - 9 : : 3 3 - - - - - : 2 2 - 5 - - 15
1969 16 16 - 11 - - 33 : : : 6 6 - 8 - - 24
1970 21 21 - 15 - - 45 : : : 6 6 - 3 - - 9 : - - - - - - -
1971 19 19 - 17 - - 51 : : : 4 4 - 2 - - 6
1972 19 19 - 10 - - 30 : : : 6 6 - 3 - - 9
1973 17 17 - 7 - 1 22 : : : 4 4 - 3 - - 9
1974 10 10 - 5 - - 15 : : - - - - - - - : 1 1 - 1 - - 3
1975 20 20 - 6 - - 18 : : 2 2 - 1 - - 3 : 1 1 - - - - -
1978 5 5 - - - - - : : - - - - - - - : 2 2 - - - - -
TOTAL 211 211 - 100 - 1 301 : 2 1 (1) 3 - - 9 : 6 5 (1) 1 - - 3 : 57 57 - 28 - - 84 : 7 7 - 8 3 - 30
SS Cup 65 63 (2) 32 - - 96
SS FG 283 281 (2)140 3 1 427
Lower Grades : Juniors
Reserve Grade : Third Grade : Presidents Cup : Jersey Flegg
Year M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
1961 : : : - - - -
1962 : : 3 3 - 2 - - 6 :
1963 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1964 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1965 4 4 - 1 - - 3 : - - - - - - -
1966 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1967 1 1 - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1968 5 5 - 4 - - 12 : - - - - - - -
1969 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1970 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1971 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1972 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1973 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1974 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1975 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1978 6 4 (2) 3 - - 9 : - - - - - - -
TOTAL 16 14 (2) 8 - - 24 : - - - - - - - : 3 3 - 2 - - 6 : - - - -
South Sydney Senior(FG/RG/3G) Grade Career
Premiership : Cup : All Matches
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
CAREER 228 225 (2)108 - 1 325 : 65 63 (2) 32 - - 96 : 299 295 (4)148 3 1 451
Captaincy Record at South Sydney
South Sydney First Grade Captaincy Debut
1971 Apr 18 Rd04 Lidc v Western Suburbs (27y)
First Grade
Year Premiership( W- D-L %) : Other( W- D-L %)
1971 5( 4- 0-1 80%) :
1972 : 1( 1- 0-0 100%)
1973 17( 7- 1-9 41%) : 4( 2- 1-1 50%)
1974 10( 5- 1-4 50%) : 1( 1- 0-0 100%)
1975 15( 4- 0-11 27%) : 2( 1- 0-1 50%)
TOTAL 47( 20- 2-25 43%) : 8( 5- 1-2 63%)
SS FG 55( 25- 3-27 45%)
Suspension Record at South Sydney
Year Grade v Fine Wk CHARGE 1967 Rd15 FG Canterbury - 2 Punching 1969 Rd17 FG Parramatta - 3 Stiff Arm Tackle 1974 Rd15 FG Balmain - 2 Abusing the referee
Player Awards
Year Award 1963 - Sunday Telegraph Find of the Season 1964 - Sunday Telegraph Most Improved 1973 - South Sydney DRLFC Life Membership 1977 - MBE for services to rugby league 1978 - ARL Top 40 Greatest Players 1992 - Rugby League Week Top 100 (#37) 1996 - ARL Annual - Best Team 1967-95(Second Row) 2003 - ARL Greatest Kangaroo Tourist 2003 - SCG Trust Walk of Honour 2003 - SCG Life Member 2003 - Bob McCarthy Award (South Sydney Clubman of the Year) named in his honour 2004 - South Sydney Dream Team 2005 - ARL Team of the 1970s (Second Row) 2007 - ARL 100 Greatest Players 2008 - South Sydney Juniors Team of the Century 2017 - NSWRL Hall of Fame 2018 - NRL Hall of Fame
Representative Honours at South Sydney
Domestic CvC / Interstate : Tourists : Other
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
Sydney City II 1964-68 : : 2 1 (1) 1 - - 3
NSW Colts 1964 : 1 1 - - - - - :
Sydney City 1969-75 6 6 - 3 - - 9 : :
New South Wales 1969-75 12 10 (2) 5 - - 15 : 1 1 - - - - - :
TOTAL 22 19 (3) 9 - - 27
International Internationals : Other
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
Australia 1969-74 15 14 (1) 7 - 1 22 : 13 12 (1) 6 - - 18
TOTAL 28 26 (2) 13 - 1 40
ALL REPS 50 45 (5) 22 - 1 67
Captaincy CvC/Interstate/Internationals : Tourists : Other
M( W- D-L %) : M( W- D-L %) : M( W- D-L %)
Sydney City 1971 1( 1- 0-0 100%) : :
New South Wales 1971 1( 1- 0-0 100%) : :
Australia 1971-73 1( 1- 0-0 100%) : : 5( 4- 0-1 80%)
ALL REPS 8( 7- 0-1 88%)
Year Pos Team Versus Match T G/A FG
1964 SRow Sydney City II v NSW Country II - - -
1964 SRow NSW Colts v France Tour Match - - -
1968 Res Sydney City II v NSW Country II 1 - -
1969 SRow Sydney City v NSW Country 1 - -
1969 New South Wales (Queensland Tour Squad)
1969 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 1st Match - - -
1969 Australia (New Zealand Tour Squad)
1969 SRow Australia v New Zealand 1st Test - - -
1969 SRow Australia v NZ South Island Tour Match - - -
1969 Res Australia v Wellington NZ Tour Match - - -
1969 SRow Australia v New Zealand 2nd Test 1 - -
1969 SRow Australia v Auckland Tour Match - - -
1969 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 3rd Match - - -
1969 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 4th Match - - -
1970 SRow Sydney City v NSW Country 1st Match - - -
1970 New South Wales (Queensland Tour Squad)
1970 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 1st Match 1 - -
1970 SRow Australia v Great Britain 3rd Test 1 - -
1970 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 3rd Match 2 - -
1970 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 4th Match - - -
1970 Australia (1970 RL World Cup Squad)
1970 SRow Australia v New Zealand RLWC1970 1 - -
1970 SRow Australia v Great Britain RLWC1970 - - -
1970 SRow Australia v France RLWC1970 - - -
1970 SRow Australia v Great Britain RLWC1970 F - - -
1970 SRow Australia v St Helens Tour Match - - -
1970 SRow Australia v France B Tour Match 1 - -
1971 SRow Sydney City v NSW Country 1 - - (c) W
1971 New South Wales (Queensland Tour Squad) (vc)
1971 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 1st Match - - - (c) W
1971 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 2nd Match - - -
1971 Australia (New Zealand Tour Squad) (vc)
1971 SRow Australia v New Zealand XIII Tour Match 2 - - (c) W
1971 SRow Australia v New Zealand Test - - -
1971 SRow Australia v Auckland Tour Match - - - (c) L
1971 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 3rd Match (Selected but withdrew due to training injury)
1972 SRow Sydney City v NSW Country - - -
1972 New South Wales (Queensland Tour Squad)
1972 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 1st Match - - -
1972 SRow New South Wales v Queensland 2nd Match 2 - -
1972 SRow Australia v New Zealand 1st Test 2 - -
1972 SRow Australia v New Zealand 2nd Test
1972 Australia (RL World Cup Squad)
1972 SRow Australia v Great Britain RLWC1972 - - 1
1973 SRow Sydney City v NSW Country 1 - -
1973 New South Wales (Queensland Tour Squad) (Withdrew due to injury)
1973 Australia (Kangaroo Tour of England & France Squad) (vc)
1973 SRow Australia v Salford Tour Match - - -
1973 SRow Australia v Wakefield Trinity Tour Match - - - (c) W
1973 SRow Australia v Widnes Tour Match 1 - -
1973 SRow Australia v Oldham Tour Match 1 - -
1973 Prop Australia v Cumbria Tour Match - - - (c) W
1973 SRow Australia v Great Britain 1st Test - - -
1973 SRow Australia v Hull KR Tour Match 1 - - (c) W
1973 SRow Australia v Great Britain 2nd Test 1 - - (c) W
1974 Prop New South Wales v Great Britain Tour Match - - -
1974 Res Australia v Great Britain 2nd Test - - -
1974 SRow Australia v Great Britain 3rd Test 1 - -
1975 Prop Sydney City v NSW Country - - -
1975 New South Wales v Queensland 1st Match (Selected but withdrew due to eye injury)
1975 Res New South Wales v Queensland 2nd Match - - -
1975 Res New South Wales v Queensland 3rd Match - - -
After Leaving South Sydney
Subsequent Clubs First Grade
M T G FG Pt
Eastern Suburbs (1979) (Trialed in reserve grade only before retiring)
After retiring as a player McCarthy moved into a successful coaching career, and representative selection panels.
First Class Career (1963-78)
M T G FG Pts
Total FG Premiership 251 119 - 1 358
Total FG Cup 76 36 - - 108
Total FG Club Tour 7 8 3 - 30
Total State 13 5 - - 15
Total Internationals 15 7 - 1 22
Total Other Representative 22 10 - - 30
TOTAL FIRST CLASS 384 185 3 2 563
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