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Gary 'Sven' Larson

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Nickname(s)
Sven
Born
Monday, 2nd January, 1967
Current Age
59 years and 85 days
Place Of Birth
Gladstone, Queensland, Australia

Honours & Awards

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

World Cup
1995
Test Series
Australia vs New Zealand 1995
State of Origin
1991, 1995, 1998
Ron McAuliffe Medal
1995

Biography

Mobile Gladstone lock won praise with his tireless displays for Norths and in Queensland's State of Origin sides in the early 1990s. Gary Larson was one of Norths' most consistent performers during the club's run to the preliminary final in 1991 and was considered unlucky not to have played for Australia in the early 1990s. In 1994 he blemished his fine record when he was sent from the field in the final against Canberra for a dangerous tackle on David Furner. Norths went on to lose the match and Larson lost his chance to press for selection on the Kangaroo Tour. In 1995 he finally made his Test against NZ before going on to play in 9 Tests at the height of the Super League war. Initially declaring his unavailability for World Cup duty because of family commitments Larson was rushed into the side following a broken cheekbone suffered by Paul Harragon and played in both the semi-final, against NZ, and the final against England. Curiously, Larson missed Test selection in ARL’s stand-alone season in 1997 despite being a mainstay of Queensland’s State of Origin pack. He announced his retirement from rep duty in early 1999 but following the Bears’ merger with Manly he saw out the final year of his career with the Eels.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing 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.

Representative Career - International   Comp Wins App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 8 1 -   - 4 8 0 0 100.00% List
Other International Matches - 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
World Cup 1 3 1 -   - 4 3 0 0 100.00% List
Test Series 1 3 - -   - - 3 0 0 100.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
State of Origin 3 24 - -   - - 11 13 0 45.83% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership - 249 34 -   - 136 133 109 7 53.41% List
NSWRL/ARL/NRL Finals - 14 1 -   - 4 4 10 0 28.57% List
Midweek Cup - 3 - -   - - 2 0 1 66.67% List
Challenge Cup AU - 9 - -   - - 5 4 0 55.56% List
Overall   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
First Class 284 35 -   - 140 164 132 8 57.75% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1995-96   8 1 -   - 4 8 0 0 100.00% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1995-1997   1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1995   3 1 -   - 4 3 0 0 100.00% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
QLD 1991-98   24 - -   - - 11 13 0 45.83% List

NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership - By Year

Team Season   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney NSWRL 1987   1 1 -   - 4 0 1 0 0.00% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1988   2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1989   22 1 -   - 4 5 16 1 22.73% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1990   15 1 -   - 4 8 7 0 53.33% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1991   21 7 -   - 28 12 8 1 57.14% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1992   17 1 -   - 4 8 9 0 47.06% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1993   20 3 -   - 12 12 7 1 60.00% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1994   24 4 -   - 16 18 6 0 75.00% List
North Sydney ARL 1995   22 3 -   - 12 10 10 2 45.45% List
North Sydney ARL 1996   23 1 -   - 4 15 6 2 65.22% List
North Sydney ARL 1997   22 2 -   - 8 12 10 0 54.55% List
North Sydney NRL 1998   24 5 -   - 20 16 8 0 66.67% List
North Sydney NRL 1999   20 4 -   - 16 7 13 0 35.00% List
Parramatta NRL 2000   16 1 -   - 4 9 7 0 56.25% List

NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney 1987-99   233 33 -   - 132 124 102 7 53.22% List
Parramatta 2000   16 1 -   - 4 9 7 0 56.25% List
Overall1987-2000   249 34 0   0 136 133 109 7 53.41% List

Your Say

  • Col the Bear
    05/02/2011

    Gary Larson is also a member of the North Sydney Team of the Century (prop).

  • Ninja Joe
    07/02/2012

    Gary holds the record for the most consecutive State of Origin matches (24)

  • Anonymous
    17/02/2012

    Gary played rugby union at schoolboy level and was a very good centre. It was only after multiple ankle and knee injuries that he moved into the forwards

  • Anonymous
    14/09/2018

    An Australian schoolboy rugby union player. Brilliant centre.

  • Anonymous
    19/01/2019

    Gary Larson - Absolute Legend.
    Workhorse and dependable and an alround champion.
    We need more former sportsmen and women involved today passing on their skills and experience.
    The younger arrogant players of today would greatly benefit from such true sportsmen.

  • Anonymous
    08/05/2024

    Gary first came to notice in the league world when playing for Miriam Vale (where the oval is named after him) before the CQ Capras at 18 as a centre before heading to Nth Sydney Bears. Knee/leg injuries hit him hard early on but one of his early games at the Bears was certainly at centre before moving to the forwards the following year.
    He enjoyed a great career and became an ambassador for the game he loved.

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, AJ Lucantonio, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Alan Katzmann, Greg Fiveash, Paul Carter, Max Turner, Steven Russo

Sources: David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present), Big League, Match Video, Newspapers