Gary Richard Stevens - South Sydney Player Report

Second Row

FG Player - 539

Stevens is a 2 time South Sydney first grade Grand Final winner in 1970 and 1971. He was also a member of the South Sydney first grade premiership winning squads of 1967 and 1968. He was also a member of the South Sydney first grade squads that made the 1965 and 1969 premiership deciders. He also won the 1966 Pre-Season Cup with South Sydney. Stevens is a 1 time South Sydney 1964 U21 President Cup winner. He is also a 2 time South Sydney Reserve Grade premiership winner in 1965 and 1968, and a 3 time squad member of the South Sydney Reserve Grade team that played in the 1964, 1965 and 1967 reserve grade premiership deciders.

Stevens is the grandson of former Rabbitoh legend Arthur Oxford. Stevens is a South Sydney junior who played with Pagewood and Chelsea United, who played junior reps for South Sydney with the winning U21 Presidents Cup team in 1964. He made his South Sydney senior grade debut later that year in the 1964 Round 15 Third Grade clash against Parramatta at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Two weeks later he stepped up and made his reserve grade debut in the 1964 Round 17 Reserve Grade clash against Manly-Warringah at Brookvale Oval. He would stay with the reserve grade team for the rest of the year taking them to a grand final. Stevens made his first grade club and premiership debut for South Sydney in the 1965 Round 3 First Grade clash against Western Suburbs at the Sports Ground.

Stevens was a extremely fit player and considered one of the best hard-tackling second row forwards in the game. So good was his defence, in 1975 he set a tackling record for a club match.

Stevens played 199 first grade club games for South Sydney, which included 161 first grade premiership appearances and 34 first grade cup games and 5 first grade tour games. Overall he played 266 senior grade club games for South Sydney which included 228 senior grade premiership games. He scored 31 senior grade club tries through his career.

Stevens made his first grade club captaincy debut in the 1974 Round 7 clash against Manly-Warringah. He went on to captain South Sydney 25 first grade club games, which included 22 first grade premiership games.

Stevens made his representative debut in the 1970 Sydney Colts clash Great Britain at the Sydney Cricket Ground. 1972 was a break out representative career year for Stevens, where he made his Sydney City firsts debut, New South Wales state debut against Queensland at Lang Park and his international debut in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup preliminary round clash against New Zealand in Paris. Stevens created history by becoming the first grandson of a Test player(Arthur Oxford) to represent his country in rugby league. Stevens was a member of the 1973-74 Kangaroo Tour of England and France, playing in two Rugby League World Cups in 1972 and 1975. Stevens played 32 representative games while at South Sydney, which included 5 games for New South Wales, 11 internationals for Australia. He made his final representative appearance while at South Sydney in the 1975 World Series clash against England.

Stevens in 1970 and 1976 was considered the best South Sydney first grade player, when he won the South Sydney DRLFC Best and Fairest player. In 1975 he was awarded the South Sydney DRLFC first grade best defender award. In 1987 he was awarded South Sydney Life Membership. So good was Stevens, he was named in South Sydney Juniors Team of the Century in 2008 on the bench. In 2017 South Sydney named Stevens in the Top 5 South Sydney players of 1970s.

Stevens played his final South Sydney senior grade and first club and premiership game in the 1976 Round 22 Premiership game against Canterbury-Bankstown at Redfern Oval. Stevens is considered one of the greats of the South Sydney club.

Player Relatives
Grandfather - Oxford, Arthur
Uncle       - Oxford, Arthur Jnr (Easts)
Brother     - Stevens, Wayne

Playing - Height / Weight
        5ft 10in / 14st

Representative Qualification
NSW City

Date of Birth
Sydney - 4th January 1944 (Died - 2025)

South Sydney Junior Club
Pagewood
Chelsea United

Previous Clubs
none

Playing Career at South Sydney (1964-76)

South Sydney First Grade Debut
1965 Apr 25 Rd03  SSG  v Western Suburbs (21y 111d)

First Grade
                           Premiership :         ANZ & Aust Championship :             Midweek / State 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
1965     3   3   -   -   -      -    - :                                 :   1   1   -   -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   3   3   -   1   -      -    3
1966     6   5  (1)  1   -      -    3 :                                 :                                 :   1   1   -   -   -      -    - :   1   1   -   -   -      -    -
1967     8   7  (1)  -   -      -    - :                                 :                                 :   3   1  (2)  -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    -
1968     6   3  (3)  -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :                                 :   3   -  (3)  -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    -
1969     5   4  (1)  1   -      -    3 :                                 :                                 :   -   -   -   -   -      -    -
1970    23  23   -   3   -      -    9 :                                 :                                 :   3   2  (1)  -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    -
1971    18  18   -   3   -      -    9 :                                 :                                 :   4   4   -   2   -      -    6
1972    18  18   -   3   -      -    9 :                                 :                                 :   4   4   -   1   -      -    3
1973    16  16   -   -   -      -    - :                                 :                                 :   3   3   -   -   -      -    -
1974    20  20   -   -   -      -    - :                                 :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   6   6   -   -   -      -    -
1975    17  17   -   1   -      -    3 :                                 :   2   2   -   -   -      -    - :   1   1   -   -   -      -    -
1976     5   3  (2)  -   -      -    - :                                 :   2   2   -   2   -      -    6 :   1   1   -   -   -      -    -
 
TOTAL  161 155  (6) 12   -      -   36 :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   5   5   -   2   -      -    6 :  29  23  (6)  3   -      -    9 :   4   4   -   1   -      -    3

SS Cup  34  28  (6)  5   -      -   15
SS FG  199 187 (12) 18   -      -   54 

South Sydney Senior Grade Debut
1964 Aug  1 Rd15  SCG   v Parramatta      (Third Grade)
1964 Aug 15 Rd17  Brok  v Manly-Warringah (Reserve Grade)

Lower Grades                                                             : Juniors
                        Reserve  Grade :                     Third Grade :            (U21) Presidents Cup
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
1964     5   5   -   -   -      -    - :   3   2  (1)  1   -      -    3 :   4   4   -   -   -      -    -
1965    10  10   -   1   -      -    3 :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1966    12  12   -   2   -      -    6 :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1967     8   7  (1)  -   -      -    - :   1   1   -   -   -      -    - :
1968    14  14   -   4   -      -   12 :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1969    14  14   -   5   -      -   15 :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1970     -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1971     -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1972     -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1973     -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1974     -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1975     -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :
1976     -   -   -   -   -      -    - :   -   -   -   -   -      -    - :

TOTAL   63  62  (1) 12   -      -   36 :   4   3  (1)  1   -      -    3 :   4   4   -   -   -      -    -

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 228 220  (8) 25   -      -   75 :  34  28  (6)  5   -      -   15 : 266 252 (14) 31   -      -   93

Captaincy Record

South Sydney First Grade Captaincy Debut
1974 Rd07  Brok v Manly-Warringah

     First Grade                                                : Lower Grades
Year Premiership(  W- D-L      %) : Cup & Tour(  W- D-L      %) : Reserve Grade(  W- D-L      %) : Third Grade(  W- D-L      %)
1974           1(  0- 0-1     0%) :                             :                                :
1976          21(  7- 0-14   33%) :          3(  1- 0-2    50%) :

TOTAL         22(  7- 0-15   32%) :          3(  1- 0-2    50%) :                                :

SS   CAREER   25(  8- 0-17   32%)

Suspensions

Year       Grade v           Fine Wk CHARGE
1973 Rd01  FG    Parramatta   $50  - High Tackle

Player Awards

Year  Award
1970 - South Sydney First Grade Best & Fairest
1975 - South Sydney First Grade Best Defender
1976 - South Sydney First Grade Best & Fairest
1987 - South Sydney DRLFC Life Membership
2008 - South Sydney Juniors Team of the Century (Reserve)
2017 - South Sydney DRLFC Top 5 Players of the 1970s

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 Colts         1970                                   :  1   1   -   -   -      -    - :  
Sydney City II       1971                                   :                                :  1   1   -   -   -      -    -
Sydney City          1972-75  3   3   -   1   -      -    3 :                                :
New South Wales      1972-75  5   4  (1)  -   -      -    - :  1   1   -   -   -      -    - :
NSW Colts            1972                                   :                                :  1   1   -   -   -      -    -

TOTAL                        12  11  (1)  1   -      -    3

Internationals                                        Tests :                          Other
                              M   S   R   T   G/A   FG  Pts :  M   S   R   T   G/A   FG  Pts
Australia            1972-75 11  10  (1)  -   -      -    - :  9   9   -   2   -      -    6

TOTAL                        20  19  (1)  2   -      -    6

ALL REPS                     32  30  (2)  3   -      -    9

Year Pos  Team                 Versus               Match         T  G/A  FG

1970 SRow Sydney Colts         v Great Britain      Tour Match    -  -     -

1971 SRow Sydney City II       v NSW Country II                   -  -     -

1972 SRow Sydney City          v NSW Country                      -  -     -
1972      New South Wales      (Queensland Tour Squad)
1972 SRow New South Wales      v Queensland         2nd Match     -  -     -
1972 SRow NSW Colts            v Queensland                       -  -     -
1972      Australia            (RL World Cup Squad)
1972 Res  Australia            v New Zealand        RLWC1972      -  -     -
1972 SRow Australia            v France             RLWC1972      -  -     -
1972 SRow Australia            v Great Britain      RLWC1972 F    -  -     -
1972 SRow Australia            v St Helens          Tour Match    -  -     -
1972 SRow Australia            v Wigan              Tour Match    -  -     -
1972 SRow Australia            v Bradford Northern  Tour Match    1  -     -

1973 SRow New South Wales      v Queensland         3rd Match                       (Withdrew due to injury)
1973      Australia            (Kangaroo Tour of England & France Squad) 
1973 SRow Australia            v Castleford         Tour Match    -  -     -
1973 SRow Australia            v Widnes             Tour Match    1  -     -
1973 SRow Australia            v Cumbria            Tour Match    -  -     -
1973 SRow Australia            v Huddersfield       Tour Match    -  -     -
1973 SRow Australia            v Leigh              Tour Match    -  -     -
1973 SRow Australia            v Great Britain      2nd Test      -  -     -
1973 SRow Australia            v Great Britain      3rd Test      -  -     -
1973 SRow Australia            v France             2nd Test      -  -     -

1974 SRow Australia            v The Rest           Tour Match    -  -     -
1974 SRow Sydney City          v NSW Country                      1  -     -
1974 SRow New South Wales      v Queensland         1st Match     -  -     -
1974      New South Wales      (Queensland Tour Squad)
1974 SRow New South Wales      v Queensland         3rd Match     -  -     -
1974 SRow New South Wales      v Great Britain      Tour Match    -  -     -
1974 SRow Australia            v Great Britain      1st Test                       (DNP - Withdrew due to injury)
1974 SRow Australia            v Great Britain      2nd Test      -  -     -
1974 SRow Australia            v Great Britain      3rd Test      -  -     -

1975 SRow Sydney City          v NSW Country                      -  -     -
1975 Res  New South Wales      v Queensland         1st Match     -  -     -
1975 SRow New South Wales      v Queensland         2nd Match     -  -     -
1975 SRow Australia            v New Zealand        RLWS1975 Rd1  -  -     -
1975 SRow Australia            v Wales              RLWS1975 Rd1  -  -     -      [injured his hip]
1975 SRow Australia            v France             RLWS1975 Rd1                  (Selected but DNP)
1975 SRow Australia            v England            RLWS1975 Rd1  -  -     -

After Leaving South Sydney


Subsequent Clubs                     First Grade
                                           Premiership :        Cup & Tour
                                       M  T   G FG  Pt :   M  T   G FG  Pt
Canterbury-Bankstown     (1977-78)    25  -   -  -   - :   8  -   -  -   -

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