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Harry 'Tarzan' Porter

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Rupert Henry Porter
Nickname(s)
Tarzan
Born
Sunday, 3rd July, 1910
Died
Monday, 5th February, 1990 (Aged 79 years and 217 days)
Place Of Birth
Dungog, 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
1935, 1938, 1939, 1941
City vs Country Firsts
1938, 1939, 1940, 1941
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
1933, 1938, 1942
Bulimba Cup
1946

Biography

Newtown junior played in the club's win over St George in the 1933 final before forming a great front row partnership with Ray Kirkaldy and Eddie Burns at C’bury. Porter came to C’bury after a season with Goulburn in 1935 where he had represented NSW. The front row triumvirate of Porter, Kirkaldy and Burns remained together for much of the next decade, including the club's first two premiership successes in 1938 and 1942. Porter again represented NSW in 1939 and also played for Queensland while playing in the north in 1945. Porter, who was also a handy goal-kicker, was considered unlucky not to have represented Australia in the 1946 Ashes series after returning to C’bury. He captained the club in the narrow loss to Balmain in the 1947 grand final and, after his retirement, became a State and Australian selector. Porter passed away in 1990.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Additional Notes

Known his entire life as 'Harry'

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.

Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts - 15 2 1   - 8 9 6 0 60.00% List
Representative Career - Australia   Comp Wins App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Interstate Series 4 16 1 -   - 3 7 9 0 43.75% List
City vs Country Firsts 4 7 3 -   - 9 4 3 0 57.14% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) 3 154 9 18   - 63 94 51 9 61.04% List
NSWRFL Finals - 14 - -   - - 8 6 0 57.14% List
Maher Cup - 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Bulimba Cup 1 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List
City Cup - 8 - -   - - 5 3 0 62.50% List
Overall   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
First Class 190 14 19   - 80 127 78 9 66.84% List

Australia - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW Country Seconds 1934   1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Southern Division 1935   1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW Firsts 1935, 1938-41   20 2 1   - 8 12 8 0 60.00% List
NSW Country Firsts 1935   1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW City Probables 1935   1 - -   - - 0 0 1 0.00% List
Goulburn 1935   1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Sydney Firsts 1936, 1940   2 1 -   - 3 1 1 0 50.00% List
Metropolis 1936   1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Probables (AU) 1936-37   2 1 -   - 3 1 0 1 50.00% List
NSW City Seconds 1937   1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1937-42   6 3 -   - 9 4 2 0 66.67% List
Thompson's Team 1940   1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Army Firsts 1942, 1944   2 - -   - - 0 2 0 0.00% List
Fighting Services I 1942   1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
Brisbane Firsts 1945   5 - -   - - 3 2 0 60.00% List
QLD Firsts 1945   2 - -   - - 0 2 0 0.00% List
Overall1934-1945   48 8 1   0 26 26 20 2 54.17% List

NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Year

Team Season   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newtown NSWRFL 1933   16 2 -   - 6 11 5 0 68.75% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1936   15 2 1   - 8 9 4 2 60.00% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1937   8 1 -   - 3 4 4 0 50.00% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1938   12 2 -   - 6 10 0 2 83.33% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1939   10 1 4   - 11 8 2 0 80.00% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1940   13 - 1   - 2 8 5 0 61.54% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1941   12 - -   - - 6 6 0 50.00% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1942   16 - -   - - 11 5 0 68.75% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1944   5 - -   - - 1 3 1 20.00% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1946   16 1 -   - 3 9 6 1 56.25% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1947   19 - 12   - 24 12 6 1 63.16% List
Canterbury NSWRFL 1948   12 - -   - - 5 5 2 41.67% List

NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Team

Team Years   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newtown 1933   16 2 -   - 6 11 5 0 68.75% List
Canterbury 1936-42, 1944, 1946-48   138 7 18   - 57 83 46 9 60.14% List
Overall1933-1948   154 9 18   0 63 94 51 9 61.04% List

Your Say

  • Nathan McCarthy
    23 Feb 2019 12:23am

    Henry Porter is my great uncle he is also ex Rabbitohs player Glen Porters uncle Glen played for the Rabbitohs from 1975-1977

  • Neil Pollock
    29 Mar 2020 6:11pm

    Porter played at Harden-Murrumburrah in 1932 where he represented in the Maher Cup:
    http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article247117202

  • Nathan McCarthy
    20 Jun 2020 6:25pm

    Henry Porter is also Former South Sydney Rabbitohs player Glen Porters Uncle

  • Anonymous
    14 Jun 2024 12:14pm

    I was taken by my father to watch this match between St. George and Canterbury at Hurstville Oval in 1948. I still remember it to this day and have always been a St. George supporter since that time. At that time, the greatest rivalry between Clubs was when St. George played Canterbury - long before Cronulla cam into the competition.

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

Sources: 2006 Official Rugby League Annual