Roy Bull

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Roy Bull
fullname = Edwin Royden Bull

---

caption =
dateofbirth = birth date|1929|6|12|df=yes
placeofbirth = Orange
countryofbirth = Australia
dateofdeath = death year and age|2004|1929
countryofdeath =
height =
weight =
position = rlp|PR
club1 = leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16 Manly-Warringah
year1start = 1947
year1end = 1959
appearances1 = 177
tries1 = 25
goals1 = 0
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 75
teamA = leagueicon|New South Wales|16 New South Wales
yearAstart = 1949
yearAend = 1956
appearancesA = 26
triesA = 1
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 3
teamB = leagueicon|Australia|16 Australia
yearBstart = 1949
yearBend = 1957
appearancesB = 23
triesB = 1
goalsB = 0
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 3
coachteam1 = leagueicon|Manly Sea Eagles|16 Manly Sea Eagles
coachyear1start = 1953
coachyear1end =
coachgames1 = 18
coachwins1 = 6
coachdraws1 = 0
coachlosses1 = 12
source = [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Roy_Bull.html Rugby League Project] and [http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Roy-Bull_1421.aspx Yesterday's Hero]

Roy Bull (1929-2004), was an Australian first grade rugby league player for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and a representative for the Australian national side. He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century. [ [http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players Century's Top 100 Players] ]

Club career

Bull made his first grade debut for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles as a 17 year old in Manly's inaugural top-grade season in 1947 after having played Manly's winning 1946 President's Cup team. The club's junior success played some part in their selection for promotion to the first grade in 1947.

Bull was a key member in the great Manly sides of the fifties and played in all three unsuccessful Grand Final attempts during that decade - 1951, 1957 and 1959.

He played 182 games for Manly, a record at that time, in which he scored 25 tries. He was captain-coach in 1953 and was made a life member of the club in 1962.

After retiring in 1959, Roy Bull served as Club President from 1978 to 1987 and continued his close association with the Sea Eagles.

Representative career

Roy Bull was Manly's first international representative and played 22 tests and close to 100 total representative games. He made two Australian Kangaroo tours. In 1952-53 he played in four Tests and thirteen minor tour matches and 1956-57 he appeared in all six Tests and fifteen tour matches. He made two tours of New Zealand appearing in all three Tests of 1953 and 1956. He was in the 1954 World Cup squad and made three appearances.

Accolades

He was named as New South Wales Player of the Year in 1955.

In 2007 Bull was named in Manly-Warringah's greatest team on the club's 60th anniversary at prop with fellow teammate Ken Arthurson as coach.

In February 2008, Bull was named in a list of Australia's "100 Greatest Players" (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. [cite web|publisher="NRL & ARL"|title=Centenary of Rugby League - The Players |url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true |accessdate=2008-02-23|date=2008-02-23]

In May 2008 during State of Origin I, Bull was named in Centenary NSW Blues Origin team.

References

ources

* Andrews, Malcolm (2006) "The ABC of Rugby League" Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
* Whiticker, Alan & Hudson, Glen (2005) "The Encyclopedia of Australian Rugby League Players: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles" Gary Allen Pty Ltd

External links

* http://soaringseaeagles.tripod.com/players/bull.htm Soaring Sea-Eagles Unofficial Manly Player Site