Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Robert John Lulham
- Born
- Tuesday, 2nd November, 1926
- Died
- Wednesday, 24th December, 1986 (Aged 60 years and 52 days)
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- Test Series
- France vs Australia 1948/49
- Interstate Series
- 1947, 1948, 1949
- City vs Country Firsts
- 1948, 1947, 1949
- NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
- 1947
Known Family Links
- Uncle
- Norm Lulham
- Brother
- Herb Lulham
Biography
Outstanding winger in the period immediately after the war scored a club record 28 tries for Balmain during the 1947 season. Lulham came to the club from Newcastle and was very fast off the mark with a deceptive step off either foot. He played in all four matches for NSW in 1947 and in the Balmain side that defeated C’bury in the grand final. A 1948-49 Kangaroo tourist, Lulham made his debut in the Third Test against Great Britain before going on to play two Tests against France. Lulham, who became involved in a celebrated domestic court case at the height of his career, passed away in 1986.
- 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) | - | 4 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| The Ashes | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | New South Wales Firsts | - | 4 | 6 | - | - | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Australia | - | 19 | 17 | - | - | 51 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 84.21% | List | |||
| Test Series | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Interstate Series | 3 | 9 | 8 | - | - | 24 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| City vs Country Firsts | 3 | 4 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Country Carnival | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Club Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) | 1 | 86 | 85 | 45 | - | 345 | 49 | 31 | 6 | 56.98% | List | ||||
| NSWRFL Finals | - | 6 | 4 | 3 | - | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Overall | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
| First Class | 119 | 115 | 45 | - | 435 | 87 | 40 | 8 | 73.11% | List | |||||
Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1948-49 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSW Firsts | 1947-49 | 11 | 11 | - | - | 33 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 72.73% | List | ||||
| NSW City Firsts | 1947-49 | 4 | 4 | - | - | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Possibles (AU) | 1950 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Probables (AU) | 1950 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| NSW City Seconds | 1950-51 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1947-1951 | 19 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 78.95% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Balmain | NSWRFL 1947 | 18 | 28 | - | - | 84 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 77.78% | List | ||||
| Balmain | NSWRFL 1948 | 7 | 6 | - | - | 18 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 57.14% | List | ||||
| Balmain | NSWRFL 1949 | 17 | 17 | 25 | - | 101 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 52.94% | List | ||||
| Balmain | NSWRFL 1950 | 19 | 12 | 1 | - | 38 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 63.16% | List | ||||
| Balmain | NSWRFL 1951 | 7 | 4 | 6 | - | 24 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 28.57% | List | ||||
| Balmain | NSWRFL 1952 | 8 | 11 | 3 | - | 39 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.50% | List | ||||
| Balmain | NSWRFL 1953 | 10 | 7 | 10 | - | 41 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 30.00% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Balmain | 1947-53 | 86 | 85 | 45 | - | 345 | 49 | 31 | 6 | 56.98% | List | ||||
Contributions:
Greg Fiveash, Jason Ganter, Rugby League Tables, Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Tony McCarron, Paul Carter, Alan Katzmann, Wests Archives, Tim Costello, AJ Lucantonio, Bill Bates
Your Say
24 Aug 2011 3:43pm
I've just recently learned Bobby Lulham was my half brother due to an affair Involving my mother and Bobby's father. Just sorry I never got to meet him, his life was certainly colorful in regards to his football and personal life.
24 May 2012 12:26pm
Robt Lulham was yet another Sydney success story from the fecund Newcastle NSW league nursery. Sadly, his career in the NSWRFL ended at just age 26.
3 Jul 2018 9:22am
Bobby Lulham actually came from Tuncurry NSW his father was the post master Tuncurry is or was then very small maybe 400 people he had a brother Herb Lulham who I believe played 5/8 for Newtown after the court case over Mrs Monty Bob and Herb came back and played forWallamba a team based in Nabiac 15ks from his home town Tuncurry at the time I was playing under 18 for Wallamba this is true he allso had an uncle Norm he played for NSW I believe yrs earlier I remember him as great bloke and good footballer Brian Cowan
3 Jul 2018 8:52pm
Bobby actually came from Tuncurry NSW his father was the post master he did play again after the court case he came back to Nabiac and played with his brother Herb who I believe played with Newtown i recall the judge saying to him during the trial Bobby you marked Billy Boston in England 16 stone why didn’t you pass her off mrs Monty is only 7 he remarked bit different your honor the Nabiac side was called Wallamba he is a legend in that area then he retired
18 Mar 2019 10:04am
I had a headmaster named Lulham at Ithaca State Primary School in the 1940s and 1950s he loved rugby league,he was said to be a relation of Bob Lulham.Can anyone verify the relationship
18 Mar 2021 9:27am
My grandmother was a Lulham and I would be a distant cousin.
In 1956 Brian and Noel Gillogly (cousins) were playing rugby league for Wingham Tigers and we all played against Bobby who was the player/coach of Wallambah. Herb his brother was also playing with Bobby and I recall as centre for Wingham marking Bobby in a game at Nabiac
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