Wally Lewis
Five-eighth
Player Bio
- Honoured:
- 1999
- Date of Birth:
- 01 December 1959
- Birthplace:
- Brisbane, QLD
- Nickname:
- The King
- Debut Team:
- Valleys
- Date:
- 09 April 1978
- Opposition:
- Northern Suburbs
- Venue:
- Neumann Oval, Albion
- Representative:
- Combined Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Clubs:
- Brisbane Valleys, Wakefield Trinity, Wynumm Manly, Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Seagulls
Career
Milestones
- Premierships: 1979, 1984, 1986
- Kangaroo Tours: 1982, 1986
- Australian captain: 24 Tests
- Kangaroo Tour captain :1986
- Golden Boot award: 1984
- Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year: 1988
- Harry Sunderland Medal: 1988
- Australian Rugby League Team of the Century: 2008
- Queensland Team of the Century: 2008
- Immortal: 1999
- Rated No. 7 in Rugby League Week’s Top 100 players: 1992
- Named in NRL Team of the 1980s: 2004
Playing
- First Class Games
- 441
- Points
- 854
- Tries
- 197
Biography
Wally Lewis came to embody State of Origin football. A young lock forward in the inaugural Origin game in 1980, he made 30 appearances as five-eighth and captain between 1981 and 1991, winning eight man-of-the match awards.
Lewis made his Test debut in 1981, against France, the only Queensland-based player in the side.
He lost the starting five-eighth job to Brett Kenny on the 1982 Kangaroo tour, but regained the No. 6 jumper in 1983 and was unchallenged as Australian captain from 1984 to 1989.
Lewis was tough, brave and passionate, with a magnificent kicking game and a brilliant pass. In the second Test at Wigan in 1982 he came on in the second half and threw a 25–metre bullet that set up a try for Mal Meninga.
His kicking display on a muddy SCG in game two of the 1984 Origin series was phenomenal, as he kept turning the Blues around to help seal the series.
At the Sydney Football Stadium in 1989, with Queensland shattered by injury, he inspired one of the most courageous victories seen in modern rugby league.
Lewis dominated Brisbane club football in the '80s, with Valleys and then Wynnum-Manly. He was a good but rarely great player with the Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Seagulls, but his legendary status was already sealed.
Following his retirement, a bronze statue was erected at Lang Park, and in 1999 he was named an ''Immortal''.
“The high priest of the spectacular.”
Ron McAuliffe Former QRL boss
83. Wally Lewis - Hall of Fame
Career Stats
Club Career
| Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valleys Brisbane | Brisbane Club Competition | 1978 | 1983 | 109 | 70 | 10 | 4 | 244 |
| Valleys Brisbane | Official Pre-Season | 1979 | 1983 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 65 |
| Valleys Brisbane | President's Cup | 1980 | 1980 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| Valleys Brisbane | State League | 1982 | 1983 | 11 | 5 | - | 3 | 22 |
| Wakefield Trinity | England First Class Games | 1983 | 1984 | 10 | 6 | - | - | 24 |
| Wynnum Manly | Brisbane Club Competition | 1984 | 1987 | 52 | 26 | 10 | 3 | 127 |
| Wynnum Manly | Official Pre-Season |
1984
1986 |
1984
1987 |
7 | 1 | - | 3 | 7 |
| Wynnum Manly | State League | 1984 | 1987 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 23 |
| Brisbane Broncos | Premiership | 1988 | 1990 | 46 | 20 | 11 | - | 102 |
| Brisbane Broncos | Mid-Week Competitions | 1988 | 1989 | 4 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| Gold Coast Seagulls | Premiership | 1991 | 1992 | 34 | 6 | 3 | - | 30 |
| Gold Coast Seagulls | Official Pre-Season | 1991 | 1992 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
Representative Career
Intercity
| Team Name | Competition | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combined Brisbane | Mid-Week Competitions | 1978 | 1987 | 21 | 5 | 7 | - | 31 | |
| Combined Brisbane | Touring Teams | 1979 | 1979 | 1 | - | - | - | - | |
| Brisbane City | Queensland Country | 1981 | 1981 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
State
| Team Name | Competition | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland | Interstate Series | New South Wales | 1979 | 1981 | 4 | - | - | - | - |
| Queensland | State of Origin | New South Wales | 1980 | 1991 | 31 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 30 |
| Queensland | Touring Sides |
1982
1987 |
1982
1987 |
2 | 2 | - | - | 6 | |
| Queensland | Tour Matches | 1983 | 1983 | 5 | 3 | 3 | - | 18 |
International
| Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Tests and World Cup | 1981 | 1991 | 34 | 11 | - | 2 | 45 |
| Australia | Tour Matches |
1982
1985
1988 |
1982
1986
1989 |
20 | 9 | 9 | - | 51 |
| Australia | Rest of the World | 1988 | 1988 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
Other Representative
| Team Name | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Queensland | Papua New Guinea | 1981 | 1981 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| Oceania | Europe | 1984 | 1984 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Queensland Maroons | NSW Maroons | 1987 | 1987 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Latest
Immortals
National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
