Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Born
- Thursday, 2nd August, 1945
- Current Age
- 80 years and 240 days
- Place Of Birth
- Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- World Cup
- 1968, 1970
- Interstate Series
- 1968
- City vs Country Firsts
- 1969
- NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
- 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971
- Preseason Cup
- 1966, 1969, 1972
Biography
Superlative goal-kicker set many records during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Simms grew up in Raymond Terrace but was a Souths President's Cup player in 1965 when he was called up into the club's top grade. Playing in the centres in the grand final against St George, Simms kicked two goals in the 12-8 loss … and then played for La Perouse in his district competition a week later! Simms went on to play in five consecutive grand finals from 1967-71 … his boot guided the club to victory with a late goal in the 1967 grand final over C’bury, against Manly in 1968 (5g) and in 1970, again against Manly, when he scored 14pts (4g, 3fg) in Souths’ 23-12 win. Simms provided another piece of rugby league history when his field goal against St George in the 1971 grand final resulted in a 1-0 half-time score. (His field goal ability indirectly resulted in the League reducing it to just one point in 1971.) In 1969 Simms kicked 19fg compared with one - in the grand final - in 1971). He was the season's leading point-scorer from 1967 to 1970, breaking Dave Brown's long-standing season total with 265pts (1t, 112g, 19fg) in 1969. In a match against Penrith that year, Simms potted 6g and a record 5fg! Simms was a member of Australia's victorious World Cup teams in 1968 (scoring a record 50pts in the competition) and again in 1970 (a late call up when Graeme Langlands withdrew with a broken hand). In the 1970 World Cup final at Leeds, he was punched in the face as he attempted to shake hands with Great Britain winger John Atkinson after the match. Although his point-scoring record was ultimately beaten by P’matta’s Mick Cronin in 1978, Simms’ 11 goals in a match (twice) is still a club record. The greatest point-scorer in the history of Souths, he left the club at the end of 1975 to take on a captain-coach role with Crookwell.
- 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) | - | 9 | 1 | 39 | 5 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.78% | List | ||||
| World Cup | 2 | 8 | 1 | 37 | 5 | 87 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Australia | - | 10 | 2 | 41 | 3 | 94 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 70.00% | List | |||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Interstate Series | 1 | 1 | - | 6 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| City vs Country Firsts | 1 | 1 | - | 4 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Club Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) | 4 | 206 | 23 | 803 | 86 | 1841 | 131 | 72 | 3 | 63.59% | List | ||||
| NSWRFL Finals | - | 16 | - | 48 | 10 | 115 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 68.75% | List | ||||
| Preseason Cup | 3 | 42 | 3 | 129 | 4 | 275 | 31 | 10 | 1 | 73.81% | List | ||||
| Midweek Cup | - | 4 | - | 6 | - | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
| First Class | 265 | 28 | 995 | 97 | 2262 | 197 | 96 | 4 | 74.34% | List | |||||
Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1968, 1970 | 9 | 1 | 39 | 5 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.78% | List | ||||
World Cup Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1968, 1970 | 8 | 1 | 37 | 5 | 87 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSW City Seconds | 1968 | 1 | - | 3 | - | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| NSW Firsts | 1968 | 1 | - | 6 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| NSW City Firsts | 1969 | 1 | - | 4 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1968-1969 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1965 | 5 | - | 14 | - | 28 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1966 | 13 | 2 | 39 | - | 84 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 53.85% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1967 | 24 | 3 | 100 | 12 | 233 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1968 | 21 | - | 77 | 29 | 212 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 76.19% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1969 | 24 | 1 | 112 | 19 | 265 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 79.17% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1970 | 22 | 3 | 96 | 20 | 241 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 77.27% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1971 | 18 | 3 | 88 | 1 | 186 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 77.78% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1972 | 20 | 2 | 81 | 2 | 170 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 65.00% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1973 | 16 | 2 | 62 | 1 | 131 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 43.75% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1974 | 22 | 2 | 66 | - | 138 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| South Sydney | NSWRFL 1975 | 21 | 5 | 68 | 2 | 153 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 28.57% | List | ||||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| South Sydney | 1965-75 | 206 | 23 | 803 | 86 | 1841 | 131 | 72 | 3 | 63.59% | List | ||||
Contributions:
Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Paul Carter, Shawn Dollin, Michael Borg, Tony McCarron, Alan Katzmann, Wests Archives, Max Turner, Derek Farrar, AJ Lucantonio
Your Say
1 Aug 2012 10:41pm
"Ecca" was also known as Mr Cool - so good under the high ball and taking pressure kicks at goal.
18 Aug 2014 1:46pm
This great sportsman is the reason I have followed rugby league for almost fifty years
2 Aug 2016 11:39am
Happy birthday! You are my football legend. You are the best
26 Aug 2016 9:10pm
A real class act and a real gentleman .No one on our current first grade Bunnies team can come any were near his record.
22 Mar 2018 5:37pm
I met Eric Simms at the Yarra Bay Sailing Club when I was in my teens and Eric was reaching the peak of his career. Eric sponsored a race in the Junior Division and he came out to watch us rig our boats, sail the race and he also signed several autographs.
Eric was arguably the greatest footballer of all time. After all, who else has caused the NRL to change the rules of the game to stop them being the most prolific point scorer, year after year.
Eric was an international champion of rugby league but a more humble gentleman you could never meet. If the NRL players of today conducted themselves in the manner of Eric Simms, both on and off the field, then Rugby League today would still have the image and respect it did 50 years ago.
4 Sep 2020 8:51pm
Went to school with Eric (always know as Simsy in those days) and have fond memories of Raymond Terrace and woodwork teacher legget where he learned the kicking art. Love to get in touch after all these years.
29 Sep 2022 4:24pm
Eric Simms was my hero from the 1965 grand final til retirement, so much so my nick name at School was Eric. By co-incidence I was at his second last game (at Cumberland) for Souths and jumped the fence at the end to pat him on the back. I hadnt realised he was retiring and that I had seen the last of his great goals that day.
13 Nov 2022 1:31pm
Eric played for Stroud A grade when he was 16.
18 Aug 2025 3:20pm
I have followed the Roosters since 1959 but I must admit the greatest of admiration for the ability of Eric Simms, magnificent goal kicker, a real credit to the game of Rugby League..Roy..
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