Ian Johnston (rugby League)
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Ian Johnston (1927−2013) was an Australian professional
rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...
footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s, and
coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...
ed in the 1960s. He played for
Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL). The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, and ...
and
Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies (legal name: Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club Ltd) is an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as the club is commonly ...
as a . Johnston was the first ever Parramatta player to represent Australia.


Playing career

Johnston was born and raised in Newcastle, New South Wales and played his junior rugby league before joining the newly admitted Parramatta side in 1948. In 1949, Johnston became the first Parramatta player to represent Australia when he was selected to tour New Zealand and featured in one match. Johnston was also selected to play for New South Wales in the same year and played in three matches scoring two tries. Johnston later became the first Parramatta player to reach 100 points in the NSWRL competition but his time at Parramatta was not very successful and was part of the sides that claimed the 1952 and 1954 wooden spoons. He left the club briefly in 1953 after a dispute with club management and went as player coach for one season in Young. This was a successful season and Young won the
Clayton Cup The Clayton Cup is a trophy that was awarded by the New South Wales Country Rugby League, Country Rugby League to the NSW country rugby league team with the best overall record for that season. To be eligible, the team must win the highest level o ...
. After leaving Parramatta, Johnston moved to Maitland and played a season in the local Newcastle competition before returning to Sydney and signed with Western Suburbs. Johnston spent two seasons at Wests before retiring as a player.


Coaching career

Johnston coached the Parramatta reserve grade side from 1961 to 1967 and then eventually became first grade coach at the club and spent two seasons in the role with the club hovering around lower to mid table under his tenure.


Later life

Johnston later served the club in a number of administrative roles and was a member of the board of directors at Parramatta. Johnston was inducted into the Parramatta hall of fame in 2009 and along with
Ron Hilditch Ron Hilditch (born 13 August 1953) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played club football for the Parramatta Eels w ...
is the only Parramatta player to have played first grade for the club, coached the first grade team and served as a director. He died on 1 February 2013 after a long illness.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, Ian 1928 births 2013 deaths Australia national rugby league team players Australian rugby league coaches Australian rugby league players Parramatta Eels coaches Parramatta Eels players Rugby league centres Rugby league players from Newcastle, New South Wales Western Suburbs Magpies players New South Wales rugby league team players 20th-century Australian sportsmen