Bill Kelly

Coaching Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
William Martin Kelly
Born
Sunday, 9th November, 1890
Died
Tuesday, 1st July, 1975 (Aged 84 years and 235 days)
Place Of Birth
Westport, West Coast, New Zealand

Honours & Awards

Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.

Interstate Series
1915
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
1915

Biography

When the ANZac Test was instituted by Super League in April 1997 it was decided to name the ‘Best and Fairest’ medal after Bill Kelly – the first (of only two to date) player to represent both NZ and Australia in rugby league (the NRL named the ANZac Test trophy after Kelly in 1998). A dual international in his native NZ, Kelly toured Australia in 1912-13 before joining Balmain in 1914. The same year he made his debut for his adopted country as a centre in the First Test against England. While this was to be his only Test appearance, Kelly played for NSW in 1915 and captain-coached the Tigers during an undefeated season that secured the club its first premiership. Injuries suffered whilst fighting in Belgium during World War One curtailed his playing career but after his retirement he was regarded as the 'Prince of Coaches', coaching University (1923-24), Newtown (1936-37), Balmain (1938-43 including a grand final win over Souths in 1939), St George (1944), C’bury (1945) and NZ against England (1933).
- ALAN WHITICKER

Coaching Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions
Competition     Games W L D Win %  
Tour Matches Universities XIII - 3 2 1 0 66.67% List
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) 1 264 121 128 15 45.83% List
NSWRFL Finals - 9 3 6 0 33.33% List
City Cup - 10 1 8 1 10.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years   Games W L D Win %  
Universities XIII 1922   3 2 1 0 66.67% List


Club Career

NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Year

Team Season   Games W L D Win %  
Balmain NSWRFL 1914   14 6 4 4 42.86% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1915   14 12 0 2 85.71% List
University NSWRFL 1921   8 0 8 0 0.00% List
University NSWRFL 1923   16 2 13 1 12.50% List
University NSWRFL 1924   8 2 5 1 25.00% List
University NSWRFL 1926   18 10 8 0 55.56% List
University NSWRFL 1928   13 6 7 0 46.15% List
University NSWRFL 1929   16 2 13 1 12.50% List
University NSWRFL 1930   14 2 12 0 14.29% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1936   14 7 7 0 50.00% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1937   8 4 4 0 50.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1938   15 7 7 1 46.67% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1939   16 12 2 2 75.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1940   14 7 6 1 50.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1941   15 9 6 0 60.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1942   16 10 6 0 62.50% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1943   16 10 5 1 62.50% List
St George NSWRFL 1944   15 9 6 0 60.00% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1945   14 4 9 1 28.57% List

NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Team

Team Years   Games W L D Win %  
Balmain 1914-15, 1938-43   120 73 36 11 60.83% List
University 1921, 1923-24, 1926, 1928-30   93 24 66 3 25.81% List
Newtown 1936-37   22 11 11 0 50.00% List
St George 1944   15 9 6 0 60.00% List
Canterbury 1945   14 4 9 1 28.57% List
Overall1914-1945   264 121 128 15 45.83% List

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Contributions: Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables