Ray Norman

Ray Norman

Personal information
Full name	Hugh Valentine Raymond Norman
Born	(1888-11-30)30 November 1888 Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia
Died	29 April 1971(1971-04-29) (aged 82) Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Position	Five-eighth
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1910–13 Annandale 46 12 26 0 88 1914–16 South Sydney 38 5 1 0 17 1917–21 Eastern Suburbs 51 3 30 0 39 Total 135 20 57 0 144 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1912–20 New South Wales 22 8 22 0 68 1914–19 Australia 4 1 0 0 3 1912–20 Metropolis 3 5 1 0 17
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1923 Eastern Suburbs 17 14 0 3 82 1954 Manly-Warringah 18 10 1 7 56 Total 35 24 1 10 69 Representative Years Team Gms W D L W% NSW Country
Source: As of 30 June 2009

Ray Norman (1889–1971) was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. A New South Wales state and Australia national representative, his club career was played with Annandale, the South Sydney and the Eastern Suburbs clubs in the NSWRFL.

Playing career

After playing rugby union for Annadale and Glebe, Norman switched to rugby league in 1910 featuring in their inaugural season.

He was one of four brothers, along with Bernard, Roy and Rex Norman, who played in the NSW Rugby Football League first-grade competition. Both Rex and Ray represented the Australia national rugby league team, becoming only the second set of brothers to do so behind Viv and Bill Farnsworth. In 1914, Norman played 12 games as South Sydney won the premiership that season by virtue of the first past the post rule.

Norman was first selected for Australia in 1914 and after the war he toured New Zealand in 1919. He retired from playing in 1921, and immediately joined the coaching ranks at Eastern Suburbs.

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Norman coached the Eastern Suburbs which included a premiership in 1923. He later coached the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles for one year, in 1954, and the NSW Country representative side.

Death

The Sydney Morning Herald said of Norman: "He was one of Rugby League's greatest tacticians". His funeral was held at St Peter's Church, Watsons Bay on 3 May 1971 and later at Northern Suburbs Crematorium.

External links

* Whiticker, Alan; Hudson, Glen (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. p. 609. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1.