Gordon Clunas was an Australian professional

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played for

Canterbury-Bankstown Canterbury-Bankstown is a customary region of Sydney, Australia, in the south-western suburbs. The area is located around the Bankstown railway line, to the west of the St George region and to the south of the Inner West region. The suburbs o ...

in the

New South Wales Rugby League The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was ...

(NSWRL) competition.

Background

Clunas played junior rugby league for Campsie.

Playing career

Clunas made his debut for Canterbury against Western Suburbs in 1937 during the City Cup competition. It wasn't until the 1940 season that Clunas made his first grade debut for the club which was against North Sydney. In 1940, Canterbury reached their second grand final against Eastern Suburbs. Clunas played at lock as Canterbury were defeated 24–14 at the

Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and association fo ...

. The following season, Canterbury finished 2nd in 1941 and reached the final but were once again defeated by Easts 24–22. In 1942, Clunas made 1 appearance for Canterbury and missed out on the club's second premiership victory over

St George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

. In the following 2 seasons, Canterbury went from winning the premiership in 1942 to running last in 1943 and 1944 claiming the wooden spoon. As of the 2019 season, no other club has gone from premiers to wooden spooners the next season with the exception of Melbourne who won the premiership in 2009 but were later stripped of the title for major breaches of the salary cap in 2010 and made to play for no points which resulted in the club coming last. Clunas last season in the top grade was in 1944 but continued to play reserve and third grades for the club. In total, Clunas made 92 appearances for Canterbury.

Post playing

Clunas became Canterbury's third grade coach and held the position from 1946 to 1953. Clunas later became chairman of the Canterbury Leagues Club board throughout the 1970s.

References

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players Australian rugby league players Rugby league fullbacks Rugby league locks Year of birth missing Year of death missing Place of death missing Place of birth missing {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-stub