Brian Clay

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Brian Clay
fullname = Brian Clay
nickname = Poppa

---

caption =
position = rlp|PR
dateofbirth = 1935
placeofbirth = Sydney
countryofbirth = Australia
dateofdeath = death year and age|1987|1935
placeofdeath = Sydney
countryofdeath = Australia
height =
weight =
retired = yes
club1 = leagueicon|Newtown Jets|16 Newtown Jets
year1start = 1953
year1end = 1955
appearances1 = 30
tries1 = 11
goals1 = 0
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 33
club2 = leagueicon|St. George Dragons|16 St. George Dragons
year2start = 1957
year2end = 1967
appearances2 = 183
tries2 = 33
goals2 = 0
fieldgoals2 = 0
points2 = 99
teamA = leagueicon|New South Wales|16 New South Wales
yearAstart = 1957
yearAend = 1959
appearancesA = 7
triesA = 3
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 9
teamB = leagueicon|Australia|16 Australia
yearBstart = 1957
yearBend = 1960
appearancesB = 5
triesB = 0
goalsB = 0
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 0
source = [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Brian_Clay.html Rugby League Project] and [http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Brian-Clay_1811.aspx Yesterday's Hero]

Brian 'Poppa' Clay (1935–1987) was an Australian rugby league player. He was a five eighth with the St. George Dragons during their 11 year consecutive premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966. He was a representative in the Australian national team in 1957 and from 1959-1960 earning five Test caps plus three World Cup appearances.He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century. [ [http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players Century's Top 100 Players] ]

Early years

Clay grew up in the inner Sydney suburb of St Peters . He played schoolboy football for Newtown Technical School and captained a New South Wales Schoolboys side. He began losing his hair as a teenager and early in his football career became known as 'Poppa'.

He was graded by the Newtown Bluebags in 1953 aged 19. He played in Newtown's losing Grand Final teams of 1954 and 1955 learning the ropes against the powerful early 50s South Sydney Rabbitohs sides.

t George career

After playing the 1956 country season with Griffith, Clay was offered a contract with St George as a lock forward form 1957. When Johnny Raper joined the club in 1959 Clay moved to five eighth at which position he enjoyed most success.

Outside the game Clay was a dour, cautious man, highly-principled and loyal. On field Clay ran stampeding, battering charges like an extra forward and would then set the wider backs in motion with precise passes. His flashier outside backs Reg Gasnier and Johnny King benefitted from the opposition defence Clay would absorb on their behalf. In turn he was known for his own punishing defence using a shuddering ball-and-all style of crash tackle.

Clay played 200 club games (183 1st grade) for the Dragons between 1957 and 1967 and played in eight of the famous Grand Final victories. He missed the 1962 and 1963 Grand Finals with broken arm injuries.

A knee cartilage operation in 1967 meant that he played his last games at less than 100% fitness. His 200th and last career game was the 1967 final against the Kevin Ryan led Canterbury Bulldogs where the aging Dragons outfit went down 12-11 and the record breaking premiership run ended.

Clay stands in equal first place with his St George team-mate Norm Provan for the highest number of grand final appearances ever (ten).

Representative career

He made his State and International debut in 1957 and played a major role in Australia's success in the 1957 World Cup. He went on the 1959 Kangaroo Tour of Britain and France appearing in five test matches and sixteen minor Tour games. He alternated with Johnny Raper between lock and five-eighth during the Tour.

Post playing

Post football he ran his own oil depot contracting for the Esso company. Brian Clay died aged 52 after a battle with heart disease following an unsuccessful heart transplant operation.

Accolades

In February 2008, Clay was named in the list of Australia's "100 Greatest Players" (1908-2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. [cite web|publisher="NRL & ARL"|title=Centenary of Rugby League - The Players |url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true |accessdate=2008-02-23|date=2008-02-23]

References

ources

* Writer, Larry (1995) "Never Before, Never Again", Pan MacMillan, Sydney
* Andrews, Malcom (2006) "The ABC of Rugby League" Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney

External links

* [http://www.eraofthebiff.com/p61a.html Brian Clay at eraofthebiff.com]