Eric Simms (rugby league)

Eric Simms

Simms in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Eric John Simms
Nickname	Ecca
Born	(1945-08-02) 2 August 1945 (age 71) Karuah, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Position	Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1965–75 South Sydney 206 23 803 86 1841 1976 Crookwell Green Devils Total 206 23 803 86 1841 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1968 New South Wales 1 0 6 1 14 1968–70 Australia 8 1 39 3 87
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1976–77 Crookwell Green Devils 1978 La Perouse Total 0 0 0 0
Source: RLP

Eric Simms (born 2 August 1945) is an Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league footballer who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. His position of choice was at fullback although he could also play as a centre. Simms played his entire first grade career for South Sydney with whom he won four premierships and was top point-scorer for four consecutive seasons.

In August 2008, Simms was named at fullback in the Indigenous Team of the Century. Simms set several records in his playing days, some which still stand. He is also noted for his goal-kicking ability (field, penalty and conversion): he once kicked five field goals in eleven minutes (against Penrith in 1969). It has been said of Simms and his ability to kick field goals that he is "one of the few men whose influence was such it singlehandedly changed the game."

Eric Simms was born in Karuah, New South Wales on 2 August 1945, the eldest son John (Jack) Simms, a Ullugundy Island man, who came to Karuah to live for a while before moving to La Perouse in Sydney. His mother was born Gwendoline May Cook and became Gwendoline Ping when her mother remarried. He and his sister, Beverley, grew up on the former Aboriginal Reserve at Karuah, raised by his mother and stepfather, Fred Ridgeway, and with six other younger brothers and sisters.

Eric attended Karuah Public School, and Raymond Terrace High School where "he was taught the art of goalkicking by Les Leggatt, sportsmaster".

Simms moved to La Perouse where he played for La Perouse Panthers Junior Rugby League Football Club in the 1964 premiership-winning team. He was a 19-year-old truck driver when he was signed for South Sydney in 1965. He played in the centres for South's grand finalist team which lost to St George (12 – 8) before a then record crowd of 78,056; Simms scored the last points in the game with a penalty goal.

Simms went on to play 206 first grade games, scoring a total of 1,841 career points. In 1969, he broke the record for the most points scored in a premiership season with 265, previously held by Dave Brown of Eastern Suburbs. He held the record until broken by Mick Cronin over a decade later.