
Vic Hey
Five-eighth
Player Bio
- Inducted:
- 2008
- Date of Birth:
- 17 November 1912
- Birthplace:
- Liverpool, NSW
- Nickname:
- -
- Debut Team:
- Western Suburbs
- Date:
- 25 April 1933
- Opposition:
- University
- Venue:
- Pratten Park, Sydney
- Representative:
- City, New South Wales, Queensland, Australia
- Clubs:
- Western Suburbs, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Leeds, Dewsbury, Hunslet, Parramatta
Career
Milestones
- Premiership: 1934
- Kangaroo Tour 1933-34
- Challenge Cups: 1941, 1942
- Rated No. 8 in Rugby League Week’s Top 100 players: 1992
Playing
- First Class Games
- 319
- Points
- 442
- Tries
- 144
Biography
In the mid-1980s, veteran league journalists Tom Goodman and George Crawford declared Vic Hey to be Australia's greatest ever five-eighth. Playing at 86kg, Hey was both a mighty defender and a devastating attacking player. He could employ a sidestep or a swerve to evade the defence or, if necessary, use a crashing shoulder or hip to burst straight through it.
Born in Liverpool (NSW) in 1912, Hey played his first football on the SCG as a schoolboy in 1927.
He was graded with Wests in 1932 and a year later, in his initial season in first grade, was a late inclusion in the fourth Kangaroo squad, following an injury to Ernie Norman.
Just 21, Hey was a sensation on tour, playing in 26 of the 37 matches, including all three Tests.
Hey helped Wests to a premiership victory and then accepted an offer to join Toowoomba.
He played in the three Tests against England in 1936 and then, after half a season at Ipswich in 1937, accepted an offer of £1250 to join Leeds.
He stayed there for eight seasons, played also for Dewsbury and Hunslet, and earned a reputation as the most devastating five-eighth ever seen in England. He returned to Australia in 1948, joining the fledgling Parramatta club as captain-coach.
Hey coached Australia to Ashes victory over Great Britain in 1950 and 1954, and had later coaching stints at Canterbury and Wests.
“As a five-eighth Vic Hey is the greatest of them all. The man who can master Hey at all-round Rugby science is yet to be found.”
H.Davis English critic
35. Vic Hey - Hall of Fame
Career Stats
Club Career
Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Western Suburbs | Premiership | 1933 | 1935 | 27 | 18 | 1 | - | 56 |
Newtown Toowoomba | Toowoomba Club Competition | 1935 | 1936 | - | - | - | - | - |
Tivolis Ipswich | Ipswich Club Competition | 1937 | 1937 | - | - | - | - | - |
Leeds | England First Class Games | 1937 | 1944 | 145 | 73 | 2 | - | 223 |
Dewsbury | England First Class Games | 1944 | 1947 | 69 | 16 | 2 | - | 52 |
Hunslet | England First Class Games | 1947 | 1947 | 9 | 4 | - | - | 12 |
Parramatta | Premiership | 1948 | 1949 | 10 | 3 | - | - | 9 |
Representative Career
City - Country
Team Name | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
City Firsts | Country Firsts | 1933 | 1935 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
City | Country | 1934 | 1934 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Intercity
Team Name | Competition | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toowoomba | 1935 | 1936 | 7 | 3 | - | - | 9 | ||
Ipswich | 1937 | 1937 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
State
Team Name | Competition | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New South Wales | Interstate Series | Queensland | 1933 | 1935 | 11 | 9 | - | - | 27 |
New South Wales | Tour Matches | 1935 | 1935 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 3 | |
Queensland | Interstate Series | New South Wales | 1936 | 1936 | 3 | - | - | - | - |
Queensland | Touring Teams | 1936 | 1936 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
International
Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Tests |
1933
1936 |
1933
1936 |
6 | 2 | - | - | 6 |
Australia | Tour Matches | 1933 | 1934 | 23 | 14 | - | - | 42 |
Other Representative
Team Name | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kangaroos | The Rest | 1934 | 1934 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
British Empire | 1937 | 1937 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |