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Tony Branson

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Anthony Ross Branson
Born
Thursday, 18th December, 1947
Died
Wednesday, 1st April, 2020 (Aged 72 years and 104 days)
Place Of Birth
Nowra, New South Wales, Australia

Honours & Awards

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

The Ashes
1967/1968
World Cup
1968
Interstate Series
1967, 1968, 1971
City vs Country Firsts
1971
Preseason Cup
1971

Biography

Nowra five-eighth represented NSW in 1967 before being chosen on the Kangaroo Tour at year’s end. A tough, robust pivot, Branson played in five Tests on tour and was snapped up by St George on his return. A member of Australia's 1968 World Cup squad, he was later selected to tour NZ in 1971. Branson appeared in the one-off Test loss against the Kiwis before playing in the Dragon's losing grand final side against Souths.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Additional Notes

Tony Branson's year of birth was originally listed as 1946, but according to a post by his son on Facebook in 2020, it was in fact 1947.

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 -   - 3 4 3 1 50.00% List
The Ashes 1 2 1 -   - 3 2 0 0 100.00% List
World Cup 1 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Southern Division - 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts - 2 1 -   - 3 1 1 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches Australia - 19 3 -   - 9 11 7 1 57.89% List
Tour Matches Illawarra Firsts - 1 1 -   - 3 0 1 0 0.00% List
Test Series 1 5 1 -   - 3 2 2 1 40.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Interstate Series 3 7 1 -   - 3 4 2 1 57.14% List
City vs Country Firsts 1 3 2 -   - 6 2 1 0 66.67% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - 101 23 -   5 76 64 34 3 63.37% List
NSWRFL Finals - 7 - -   - - 3 4 0 42.86% List
Preseason Cup 1 28 8 -   - 24 17 11 0 60.71% List
Midweek Cup - 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Overall   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
First Class 164 38 -   5 121 111 68 7 67.68% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1967-68, 1971   8 1 -   - 3 4 3 1 50.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1967-1968   2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Southern Division 1966-67   2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
NSW Country Seconds 1966   1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Firsts 1967-68, 1971   8 1 -   - 3 4 3 1 50.00% List
NSW Country Firsts 1967   2 1 -   - 3 1 1 0 50.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1969   1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1971   1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
Illawarra Firsts 1974   2 1 -   - 3 0 2 0 0.00% List
Overall1966-1974   17 4 0   0 12 8 8 1 47.06% List

NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Year

Team Season   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St George NSWRFL 1968   14 2 -   - 6 8 5 1 57.14% List
St George NSWRFL 1969   22 4 -   2 16 14 8 0 63.64% List
St George NSWRFL 1970   11 1 -   - 3 5 6 0 45.45% List
St George NSWRFL 1971   23 7 -   - 21 16 7 0 69.57% List
St George NSWRFL 1972   23 8 -   3 27 16 5 2 69.57% List
St George NSWRFL 1973   8 1 -   - 3 5 3 0 62.50% List

NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St George 1968-73   101 23 -   5 76 64 34 3 63.37% List

Your Say

  • Polysci
    08/05/2012

    The apprentice panel-beater from Nowra had a great season in 1967 edging Bobbie Fulton (a surprize omission) out of a place on that year's Kanagaroo tour, and earned himself a contract with St George.

    After 1968 he found it hard to sustain that early
    vigorous form.

  • Anonymous
    22/09/2012

    The Rugby League tradition carries on in his family with his niece married to Manoa Thompson, father of Jarryd Hayne.

  • Danny Regan
    22/10/2012

    Incredibly gifted player ruined by Saint George's brat pack backline. Had the privilege of playing with him in a couple of union matches when he was on the wrong side of 40 almost when he looked like he was about twice his playing weight when he made some pretty good footballers look pretty bad; including a younger brother of the Ellas

  • Yvette Lee Bastin
    21/03/2014

    Like Barry Beath, Tony Branson was a great man on & off the field, they were great mates, so great that when they retired Tony move back to Nowra & bought a sports store, I know this as we too moved to Culburra Beach near Nowra, although not knowing they were there I walked into the sports store & the man behind the counter said hello snottynose grub. This was the nickname that Tony & Barry gave me when I was about 2. He had not seen me in about 10 years.

  • Pete Smith
    10/06/2014

    I worked with Tony,as a panel beater,back then,great guy,a country boy,fame was confusing to him,and his play suffered.Was good friends with Barry Beath.

  • Anonymous
    16/09/2014

    Worked with tony for short time when he moved to sydney a top bloke and great wet wheather player

  • Anonymous
    05/04/2020

    Tony wasn’t just a good footballer but he was an absolute gentleman. May he R.I.P

  • Peter Murphy
    07/04/2020

    Tony was captain coach of Wollongong city team in 1977. We played at the old Steelers stadium and were known as the wolves and wore St George colours He gave me a start in grade football at age 18 after a trial match against Thirroul in the Illawarra Carlton league. I remember one game when he was laying on the turf injured and getting treatment from a trainer when an opposition player made a break . He got to his haunches and tackled the player, before being helped from the field. A courageous player

  • Art vandalay
    24/09/2025

    I worked with Tony in about 2003 04 05 around then for a small time at Ford arncliffe he was always smiling i had great footy talks with him absolute lovely gentlemen

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Contributions: Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Rugby League Tables, Tony McCarron, Max Turner, Alan Katzmann, Wests Archives