John Gleeson (28 December 1938 – 25 December 2021), also known by the nickname of "Dookie", was an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. An Australian international and Queensland interstate representative half, he played club football in the country for Chinchilla's team, in the Toowoomba Rugby League for the All Whites club, and in the Brisbane Rugby League for the Wynnum-Manly and Brothers clubs, winning the 1967 BRL premiership with the latter.
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| Born | 28 December 1938 Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 25 December 2021 (aged 82) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Halfback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing career
editGleeson was first player selected to represent Queensland in 1961 against New South Wales.[2] In 1963, Brisbane Rugby League club Wynnum signed a host of big-name players, including Gleeson. At the end of the season, he was selected to represent his country on the 1963-64 Kangaroo tour[3] of Britain and France, making him the first Wynnum-Manly player to achieve Kangaroo tour honours, and in doing so became part of the first Kangaroos squad to win the Ashes in England. Gleeson himself did not play in any of the Test matches on this tour, but the following year he became the club's second international after Lionel Morgan, being selected to play in two Test matches against France.[4]
Gleeson spent 1965 playing in Toowoomba[5] for the Souths club.[6] He also went on the 1965 tour of New Zealand. After helping Brothers to the 1967 Brisbane Rugby League premiership,[7] he went on the 1967-68 Kangaroo tour. With Gleeson filling in for the injured Billy Smith at halfback, fellow Queenslander Peter Gallagher led a depleted Australian team to an upset series victory.[8]
Post playing
editIn 2008, rugby league in Australia's centenary year, Gleeson was named on the bench of the Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century.[9]
In 2013, Gleeson was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.[10] He died on 25 December 2021, three days short of his 83rd birthday.[11]
References
edit- ^ John Gleeson at rugbyleagueproject.org
- ^ "Representative Players". qrl.com.au. Queensland Rugby League. Archived from the original on 1 December 2011.
- ^ nla.gov.au. "Rugby League player,John Gleeson, running with the ball". Picture Australia. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
- ^ "Club History". wynnumseagulls.com. Wynnum Manly Seagulls RLFC Ltd.
- ^ "Team of the Century" (PDF). brothers.org.au. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
- ^ "Honour Boards". southstigers.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
- ^ "1967 Brisbane Rugby League Grand Final". queensland.rleague.com. World of Rugby League. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
- ^ qsport.org.au. "John Gleeson". Queensland Sport Hall of Fame. QSport. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
- ^ Leslie, Cameron (21 August 2008). "Rugby League Team of the Century named". The Chronicle. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ^ Malone, Paul (3 December 2013). "Adam Scott becomes first golfer to claim the top prize in Queensland sport after stellar 2013". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
- ^ Former Kangaroos five-eighth John Gleeson passes away