Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Henry Joseph Caples
- Born
- Friday, 4th February, 1898
- Died
- Tuesday, 17th October, 1933 (Aged 35 years and 255 days)
- Place Of Birth
- Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- Interstate Series
- 1919, 1920, 1925, 1926
- NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
- 1923
- Bulimba Cup
- 1926
- City Cup
- 1916
Biography
Former student of St Joseph's College Hunters Hill represented Combined Colleges in 1914 before being graded as a pivot with Easts. Caples played in a bygone rep fixture, 'The Best v The Next Best' in 1918 and made his state debut the following year. A member of the 1921-22 Kangaroos, he played in 24 tour matches including his Test debut against England. A strong runner with an ability to deftly kick with his left foot, he scored two tries for Easts in the 15-12 win against Souths in the 1923 final. Incredibly, Caples represented three states during his career - NSW (1919-23), Victoria (1924 versus the visiting England team) and Queensland (1925-27).
- 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) | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
| The Ashes | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Sydney Firsts | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | New South Wales Firsts | - | 11 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 81.82% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Australia | - | 24 | 7 | - | - | 21 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 79.17% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Metropolis | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Victoria | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Ipswich Firsts | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Queensland Firsts | - | 12 | 3 | 3 | - | 15 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 58.33% | List | |||
| Test Series | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Interstate Series | 4 | 13 | 4 | 3 | - | 18 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 53.85% | List | ||||
| Club Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) | 1 | 106 | 28 | - | - | 84 | 66 | 34 | 6 | 62.26% | List | ||||
| NSWRFL Finals | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Maher Cup | - | 3 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Bulimba Cup | 1 | 12 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 33.33% | List | ||||
| City Cup | 1 | 28 | 9 | - | - | 27 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
| First Class | 174 | 49 | 3 | - | 153 | 133 | 65 | 7 | 76.44% | List | |||||
Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1921-22 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSW Firsts | 1919-23 | 16 | 7 | - | - | 21 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 87.50% | List | ||||
| Sydney Firsts | 1920 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Metropolis | 1923 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Ipswich | 1924-27 | 14 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 35.71% | List | ||||
| Victoria | 1924 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| QLD Firsts | 1925-27 | 12 | 3 | 3 | - | 15 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 58.33% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1919-1927 | 45 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 51 | 26 | 16 | 3 | 57.78% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1916 | 13 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 53.85% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1917 | 14 | 5 | - | - | 15 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1918 | 14 | 3 | - | - | 9 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 57.14% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1919 | 13 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 61.54% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1920 | 14 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 57.14% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1921 | 8 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1922 | 10 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 70.00% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1923 | 17 | 8 | - | - | 24 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 82.35% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1929 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.33% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | 1916-23, 1929 | 106 | 28 | - | - | 84 | 66 | 34 | 6 | 62.26% | List | ||||
Contributions:
Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Max Turner, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, Tony McCarron, Bill Bates, AJ Lucantonio, Neil Pollock
Sources:
Newspapers
Your Say
29/08/2023
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone knew whether Harry Caples spent a year in the Southern Highlands (1932) coaching Robertson. His two cousins, Harleigh and Edmund Hanrahan (who both played for NSW) played for Robertson. Harleigh also played for Sydney Uni, then Easts (where Harry had played) and finally at Souths.
But I'm trying to confirm if Harry, given he moved about quite a bit, coached Robertson.
Thanks, John Hanrahan
22/10/2025
Obituary.
MR. HARRY CAPLES.
The death of Harry Joseph Caples at St. Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, at the age of 35 years (from meningitis) removes one of the best and most prominent Rugby League footballers Australia has ever known. He was connected with the game in Queensland, Victoria and N.S.W., representing Australia in 1921-22 when the League team toured England, and also leading Victoria against the Englishmen in 1923.
Born at Bathurst in the homestead where his father was also born, he is a son of Thomas and Rose Caples (Randwick) and brother of Ray, Noel, Mrs. Cooney (Ipswich), and Mollie Caples. He also leaves a widow (Dorothy Caples) and three little children, Kathleen, Tony and Pauline, to mourn his loss, for he was a devoted husband and loving father. Requiem Mass was celebrated for the repose of the soul of the deceased at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Randwick, on the 18th inst., by the Rev. Father Bryant — the funeral leaving in the afternoon for Randwick cemetery, accompanied by Rev. Father Bourke, M.S.C., who officiated at the graveside. Wood, Coffill Ltd. conducted the funeral arrangements.
Catholic Freeman's Journal 2 November 1933 P30.
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