Harry James "Bomber" Wills (ala Wells) - South Sydney Player Report

Wing

FG Player - 404

Son and grandson of boxers "Dealer" Wills. A Melbourne newspaper misspelt his grandfathers name as boxer "Dealer" Wells, and it remained that way in the papers. Harry says, “I had a talent scout take me to South Sydney at 18 – in 1951 – he knew my father as ‘Dealer’ Wells, so he introduced me to the club with that name, but I put my name down as Harry Wills for the trials. They sent me off to the grandstand to wait until my name was called and after about two or three games I was asked when I was playing. My recruiter went and asked 'when does young Harry Wells play?' And they looked up the names and said there’s no Harry Wells. He looked at the book and said you’ve got his name wrong its Harry Wells not Harry Wills – and from then on that was how it was.” Harry had been selected for New South Wales on the bench after a few good performances mid year while Graves and Woolfe were on representative duties, but returned to reserve grade upon their return. On the eve of the Grand Final Harry was called back into the 1951 Grand Final team after Cliff Smailles dislocated his elbow late in the season. Playing in his only Grand Final winning team. Harry went to represent Australia after leaving Souths and was named in the 100 ARL Rugby League players of the century.

Representative Qualification
NSW Country

Previous Clubs
NSW Schoolboys (1946)
Wollongong

Playing Career at South Sydney (1951)

South Sydney First Grade Debut
1951 Rd05 v Western Suburbs (18y 355d)

First Grade
                           Premiership :         Australian Championship :                            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
1951     6   6   -   3   -      -    9 :   1   1   -   2   -      -    6 :   3   2  (1)  2   -      -    6

TOTAL    6   6   -   3   -      -    9 :   1   1   -   2   -      -    6 :   3   2  (1)  2   -      -    6

SS FG   10   9  (1)  7   -      -   21

Lower Grades
                         Second  Grade :                     Third Grade : 
Year     M   S   I   T   G/A   FG  Pts :   M   S   I   T   G/A   FG  Pts : 
1951    10  10   -   3   1      -   11 :   -   -   -   -  -       -    -

TOTAL   10  10   -   3   1      -   11 :   -   -   -   -  -       -    -


South Sydney Senior(FG/RG/3G) Grade Career
                           Premiership :                     All Matches
         M   S   R   T   G/A   FG  Pts :   M   S   R   T   G/A   FG  Pts
CAREER  16  16   -   6   1      -   20 :  20  19  (1) 10   1      -   32

Captaincy Record at South Sydney

never

Suspension Record at South Sydney

Year       Grade v        Wk CHARGE
never

Player Awards

Year  Award
1992 - Rugby League Week Top 100 (#57)
2007 - ARL Hall of Fame
2007 - ARL Team of the Decade (1950s - Wing)
2007 - ARL 100 Greatest Players
2016 - Sport Australia Hall of Fame
2022 - NSWRL Hall of Fame

Representative Honours at South Sydney

Year Pos  Team                 Versus               Match      T  G/A  FG
1951 Res  New South Wales      v France             1st Match             (Selected but DNP)

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