John Muggleton

Who is John Muggleton?

John Muggleton is a former Australian rugby league player who represented Parramatta Eels in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, New South Wales in State of Origin competition and the Australian national team. He initially played as a fullback with Balmain, but moved to Parramatta in 1980 and the following year, jumped suddenly into first grade just as the Eels won their first premiership. 1982 saw Muggleton become as a second rower an integral part of Parramatta’s most dominant NRL team, providing a second kicker to support Peter Sterling, who was later to become his brother-in-law, and showing abundant ball skills to create opportunities for a famous backline of Sterling, Brett Kenny, Mick Cronin, Steve Ella and Eric Grothe, Sr. Muggleton was chosen for the 1982 Kangaroo Tour, which became known as “The Invincibles” as it steamrolled through England and France to win all 22 games, the first time the Aussies had gone through a Kangaroo Tour undefeated.

However, after that, Muggleton had a great deal of trouble retaining his place during a succession of injuries and much competition from Mark Laurie, Peter Wynn and Steve Sharp in Parramatta’s second row.