Bob O'Reilly

The first P’matta junior (Guildford) to represent Australia while playing for the club made his first grade debut at age 18 in 1967. Bob O’Reilly quickly forged a reputation as a bruising prop-forward, earning him the nickname ‘The Bear’, but developed a skill as a ball-player during his latter career. Chosen for Australia in the 1970 World Cup he proved a major force in Australia’s brutal win over Great Britain in the final at Leeds. Tours of NZ (1971), England and France (1973 Kangaroos) followed but after playing in two Tests against Great Britain in 1974, his career went into decline. O’Reilly has described his stay at Penrith as the nadir of his career before he resurrected his reputation at Easts at the end of the 1970s. Back at P’matta in 1980 he contemplated retirement until the signing of mentor Jack Gibson as coach for 1981. O’Reilly provided the much-needed spark of experience in attack with the Eels and the club duly won its maiden grand final. In 1982 a chronic ankle injury ended his 15-year career but not before establishing the then first grade record 284 games with all clubs. After spending a period as assistant P’matta coach to John Monie he became a lower grade coach under Mick Cronin in the early 1990s.