Graham Wilson

Who was Graham Wilson?

Graham Wilson was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1960s. He played in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership for Newtown club and later Cronulla-Sutherland, also achieving state and international representative honours. He is also the father of fellow Sharks and Blues player Alan Wilson.

Originally from Grafton, New South Wales, Wilson made his first grade debut for Newtown in the Sydney premiership as a 16-year-old in 1960. He was first selected to represent New South Wales the following season.

In 1963, the South African team was touring Australia and Wilson represented Sydney against them. Before leaving for New Zealand, the South African team invited Wilson and Canterbury-Bankstown's hooker, Fred Anderson to bolster their injury-ravaged forward pack. Later that year Wilson toured Britain and France with the 1963-64 Kangaroos, gaining the unusual distinction of playing for two countries in the same year. On tour he played for The Ashes, helping Australia to victory in the series.

Wilson died in December, 2005 in Sydney, aged 66.

In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Wilson was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.