Harry Wells
Centre
Player Bio
- Inducted:
- 2008
- Date of Birth:
- 08 May 1932
- Birthplace:
- Wollongong, NSW
- Nickname:
- Dealer
- Debut Team:
- South Sydney
- Date:
- 28 April 1951
- Opposition:
- Western Suburbs
- Venue:
- Sydney Cricket Ground, NSW
- Representative:
- Country, City, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Clubs:
- Wollongong, South Sydney, Western Suburbs, Goulburn Workers, Port Macquarie
Career
Milestones
- Premierships: 1951
- Kangaroo Tours: 1952-53, 1959-60
- Sun-Herald Best and Fairest: 1957
- Rated No. 57 in Rugby League Week’s Top 100 players: 1992
- Named in NRL Team of the 1950s: 2007
Playing
- First Class Games
- 208
- Points
- 249
- Tries
- 83
Biography
Australian rugby league has produced few centres to match Harry Wells, and few greater centre pairings than the partnership of Wells and Reg Gasnier. Wells came from Wollongong in 1951 to try his luck with Souths, and immediately struck gold when he was in the grand-final team that destroyed Manly 42–14.
But it was a brief sojourn and he then headed back down the coast.
He was still based in the Illawarra when he won selection in the 1952–53 Kangaroos, making the first of his 21 Test appearances at Headingley, in the opening Test of the series.
In the third Test against Great Britain in 1954, Wells was a dominating figure. He scored the try that sent the Australians on their way to the Ashes.
Renowned for his ability to break the line, Wells was an immensely popular footballer.
He came back to Sydney in 1956 to join Wests at the beginning of the ''Magpies millionaires'' phase, and stayed six seasons with the Magpies, appearing in 85 games and scoring 33 tries.
He played in three World Cups and made a second Kangaroo tour in 1959–60.
His career in big-time football ended in 1961, but he headed on and on in bush football, finally finishing up in Port Macquarie in 1972, at age 40.
“Wells was fantastic in England – on the heavy grounds he was unstoppable.”
Reg Gasnier Kangaroo team-mate and centre partner
49. Harry Wells - Hall of Fame
Career Stats
Club Career
| Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Sydney | Premiership | 1951 | 1951 | 6 | 3 | - | - | 9 |
| Wollongong | Illawarra Competition | 1952 | 1955 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Western Suburbs | Premiership | 1956 | 1961 | 85 | 33 | - | - | 99 |
| Western Suburbs | City Cup | 1959 | 1959 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Goulburn Workers | Group 8 Competition | 1966 | 1966 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Young | Group 9 Competition | 1967 | 1968 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Longreach | Central West (QLD) Competition | 1969 | 1969 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Port Macquarie | Group 3 Competition | 1970 | 1972 | - | - | - | - | - |
Representative Career
City - Country
| Team Name | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country Firsts | City Firsts | 1952 | 1955 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| City Firsts | Country Firsts |
1957
1960 |
1958
1960 |
3 | 2 | - | - | 6 |
| City Seconds | Country Seconds | 1961 | 1961 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Sydney | Touring Sides |
1956
1958 |
1956
1958 |
2 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
State
| Team Name | Competition | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Interstate Series | Queensland | 1952 | 1961 | 26 | 6 | - | - | 18 |
| New South Wales | Touring Teams |
1952
1958 |
1955
1959 |
9 | 2 | - | - | 6 |
International
| Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Tests and World Cup |
1952
1957 |
1955
1960 |
29 | 13 | - | - | 39 |
| Australia | Tour Matches |
1952
1959 |
1953
1960 |
34 | 18 | - | - | 54 |
| Australia | Internationals | 1954 | 1954 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 9 |
| Australia | Rest of the World | 1957 | 1957 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Other Representative
| Team Name | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monaro and Southern Division | New Zealand | 1952 | 1952 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Combined Country | American All Stars | 1953 | 1953 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Southern NSW | Great Britain | 1954 | 1954 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| Monaro | Great Britain | 1966 | 1966 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Hall of Fame Members
National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
