Graham Lyons (born 28 June 1969) is an Indigenous Australian, and a former professional rugby league footballer who played for South Sydney, Penrith and Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition. Lyons primarily played on the wing but spent the majority of the 1989 season in the centres.[2] He is the cousin of fellow rugby league player Cliff Lyons.
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Graham Lyons | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 June 1969 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing, Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] As of 22 October 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career
editLyons made his debut for South Sydney (first grade player number 765)[3] in round 5 1988 against St. George at Belmore Oval. In 1989, Lyons was part of the South Sydney side which won the minor premiership. Lyons played in the club's preliminary final defeat against the Canberra Raiders.
In 1990, Lyons finished as Souths top try scorer but his team endured a horror year on and off the field with the club finishing last on the table.
Lyons was selected for the New South Wales Blues for the three State of Origin games in 1990, starting on the wing in games II and III. He also played for the Australian Aboriginal side at the 1990 Pacific Cup.[4]
A speedy winger, Lyons was unable to regain the form that earned him selection for New South Wales, moving to Penrith in 1992 and then Balmain where his first grade career ended in 1994. In his first season at Balmain, Lyons finished as the club's top try scorer with ten tries. Lyons final year in the top grade saw Balmain finish last on the table. This was only the fourth time in the club's history in which they had finished last. Lyons last game was in round 22 1994 against the Brisbane Broncos in which Balmain lost 41–6.[5][6][7]
Including Lyons appearances for NSW & City, his career total was 100 first grade games & he scored 30 tries.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Graham Lyons – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- ^ "Custom Match List – Rugby League Project".
- ^ "South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Player Report – Graham Lyons".
- ^ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. pp. 266–269. ISBN 9781869693312.
- ^ Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. (1995 edition) ISBN 1875169571
- ^ "South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Player Report – Graham Lyons". ssralmanac.com.
- ^ "What is the last South Sydney Rabbitohs side to win the minor premiership doing now?". Fox Sports. 5 September 2013.
- ^ "Graham Lyons – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project".
External links
edit- Whiticker, Alan; Hudson, Glen (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. p. 609. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1.
