Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Gordon Lionel Clifford
- Nickname(s)
- Punchy
- Born
- Wednesday, 4th April, 1928
- Died
- Saturday, 22nd November, 2008 (Aged 80 years and 232 days)
- Place Of Birth
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- Test Series
- Australia vs New Zealand 1956, France vs Australia 1956/57
- Interstate Series
- 1957
Biography
Goal-kicking fullback had a long career with the Newtown club, including two grand final losses to Souths in 1954-55, before breaking into Test football in 1956. Clifford was a popular choice on the 1956-57 Kangaroo tour after playing against NZ that year and appeared in 14 matches on tour, top-scoring with 94pts (2t, 44g). When Clive Churchill was injured in the First Test against Great Britain, Clifford was selected in the remaining Tests against Great Britain and France. He appeared in only one match for NSW, in 1957, and played final Test series the following year against Great Britain.
- 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 | - | 24 | - | 48 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.50% | List | ||||
| The Ashes | - | 5 | - | 17 | - | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Australia | - | 16 | 2 | 57 | - | 120 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 68.75% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Sydney Firsts | - | 2 | - | 11 | - | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | New South Wales Firsts | - | 1 | - | 5 | - | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Test Series | 2 | 8 | - | 24 | - | 48 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.50% | List | ||||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Interstate Series | 1 | 1 | - | 9 | - | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Country Carnival | - | 4 | - | 20 | - | 40 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Club Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) | - | 120 | 7 | 461 | 4 | 951 | 66 | 49 | 5 | 55.00% | List | ||||
| NSWRFL Finals | - | 5 | - | 21 | 3 | 48 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
| First Class | 140 | 9 | 543 | 4 | 1121 | 91 | 65 | 5 | 65.00% | List | |||||
Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1956-58 | 8 | - | 24 | - | 48 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.50% | List | ||||
Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSW City Seconds | 1954, 1956 | 2 | - | 10 | - | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Probables (AU) | 1955 | 1 | - | 3 | - | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Sydney Firsts | 1956, 1958 | 2 | - | 11 | - | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| NSW Firsts | 1957-58 | 2 | - | 14 | - | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1954-1958 | 7 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 76 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 42.86% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Newtown | NSWRFL 1951 | 16 | 2 | 40 | - | 86 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 31.25% | List | ||||
| Newtown | NSWRFL 1952 | 17 | - | 53 | - | 106 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 35.29% | List | ||||
| Newtown | NSWRFL 1953 | 12 | - | 44 | - | 88 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 58.33% | List | ||||
| Newtown | NSWRFL 1954 | 16 | 1 | 77 | 3 | 163 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| Newtown | NSWRFL 1955 | 19 | - | 91 | 1 | 184 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 73.68% | List | ||||
| Newtown | NSWRFL 1956 | 10 | 3 | 45 | - | 99 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 70.00% | List | ||||
| Newtown | NSWRFL 1957 | 10 | 1 | 32 | - | 67 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40.00% | List | ||||
| Newtown | NSWRFL 1958 | 14 | - | 62 | - | 124 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 64.29% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | NSWRFL 1960 | 6 | - | 17 | - | 34 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Newtown | 1951-58 | 114 | 7 | 444 | 4 | 917 | 64 | 45 | 5 | 56.14% | List | ||||
| Eastern Suburbs | 1960 | 6 | - | 17 | - | 34 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1951-1960 | 120 | 7 | 461 | 4 | 951 | 66 | 49 | 5 | 55.00% | List | ||||
Contributions:
Greg Fiveash, Paul Carter, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, Tony McCarron, Max Turner, Wests Archives, Tim Costello
Your Say
16 Apr 2017 11:37am
Gordon was a brilliant fullback for Newtown.He would have played many more games for NSW and Australia had he not been competing against the great Clive Churchill.I can remember my school days walking past the service station on Canterbury Road Marrickville that was owned by Dick Poole and Gordon Clifford.I would always be looking for a chance to have a chat to one of them.Great memories.
18 May 2018 10:33am
Gordon also played in the waterside workers rugby league tour of nz
in 1951 as did my uncle herb Cuke who was the hooker
26 May 2020 11:13pm
Gordon Clifford was a hard but fair man and also one of the nicest people you could meet but most of all he was my Dad and my wall and there’s no one quite like him
He was nature’s gentleman
He loved me and I miss him ????
17 Oct 2020 1:51pm
Gordon also played A Grade cricket in the CYMCA
competition held at Wentworth Park in 1960s.
A competent left hand batsman (if my memory serves me correctly)
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