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HallOfFame

Vic Hey

Five-eighth

Inductee
35

Player Bio

Inducted:
2008
Date of Birth:
17 November 1912
Birthplace:
Liverpool, NSW
Nickname:
-
Debut Team:
Western Suburbs
Date:
25 April 1933
Opposition:
University
Venue:
Pratten Park, Sydney
Representative:
City, New South Wales, Queensland, Australia
Clubs:
Western Suburbs, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Leeds, Dewsbury, Hunslet, Parramatta

Career

Milestones

  • Premiership: 1934
  • Kangaroo Tour 1933-34
  • Challenge Cups: 1941, 1942
  • Rated No. 8 in Rugby League Week’s Top 100 players: 1992

Playing

First Class Games
319
Points
442
Tries
144

Biography

In the mid-1980s, veteran league journalists Tom Goodman and George Crawford declared Vic Hey to be Australia's greatest ever five-eighth. Playing at 86kg, Hey was both a mighty defender and a devastating attacking player. He could employ a sidestep or a swerve to evade the defence or, if necessary, use a crashing shoulder or hip to burst straight through it.

Born in Liverpool (NSW) in 1912, Hey played his first football on the SCG as a schoolboy in 1927.

He was graded with Wests in 1932 and a year later, in his initial season in first grade, was a late inclusion in the fourth Kangaroo squad, following an injury to Ernie Norman.

Just 21, Hey was a sensation on tour, playing in 26 of the 37 matches, including all three Tests.

Hey helped Wests to a premiership victory and then accepted an offer to join Toowoomba.

He played in the three Tests against England in 1936 and then, after half a season at Ipswich in 1937, accepted an offer of £1250 to join Leeds.

He stayed there for eight seasons, played also for Dewsbury and Hunslet, and earned a reputation as the most devastating five-eighth ever seen in England. He returned to Australia in 1948, joining the fledgling Parramatta club as captain-coach.

Hey coached Australia to Ashes victory over Great Britain in 1950 and 1954, and had later coaching stints at Canterbury and Wests.

“As a five-eighth Vic Hey is the greatest of them all. The man who can master Hey at all-round Rugby science is yet to be found.”

H.Davis English critic

35. Vic Hey - Hall of Fame

Career Stats

Club Career

Club
Team Name Competition Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
Western Suburbs Premiership 1933 1935 27 18 1 - 56
Newtown Toowoomba Toowoomba Club Competition 1935 1936 - - - - -
Tivolis Ipswich Ipswich Club Competition 1937 1937 - - - - -
Leeds England First Class Games 1937 1944 145 73 2 - 223
Dewsbury England First Class Games 1944 1947 69 16 2 - 52
Hunslet England First Class Games 1947 1947 9 4 - - 12
Parramatta Premiership 1948 1949 10 3 - - 9

Representative Career

City - Country

City - Country
Team Name Opponent Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
City Firsts Country Firsts 1933 1935 3 1 - - 3
City Country 1934 1934 1 - - - -

Intercity

Intercity
Team Name Competition Opponent Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
Toowoomba 1935 1936 7 3 - - 9
Ipswich 1937 1937 2 - - - -

State

State
Team Name Competition Opponent Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
New South Wales Interstate Series Queensland 1933 1935 11 9 - - 27
New South Wales Tour Matches 1935 1935 2 1 - - 3
Queensland Interstate Series New South Wales 1936 1936 3 - - - -
Queensland Touring Teams 1936 1936 1 - - - -

International

International
Team Name Competition Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
Australia Tests
1933
1936
1933
1936 		6 2 - - 6
Australia Tour Matches 1933 1934 23 14 - - 42

Other Representative

Other Representative
Team Name Opponent Year Start Year End Played Tries Goals Field Goals Points
Kangaroos The Rest 1934 1934 1 - - - -
British Empire 1937 1937 1 1 - - 3

Hall of Fame Members

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Acknowledgement of Country

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