Greg Pierce
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Personal information
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| Full name | Gregory Stuart Pierce | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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4 March 1950 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Died | 24 June 2016 (aged 66) Central Coast, New South Wales |
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Playing information
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| Position | Lock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information
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| Source: rugbyleagueproject.org | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Pierce (4 March 1950 – 24 June 2016) was an Australian rugby league player, coach and administrator. He played at lock forward for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League competition and for Australia. He captained his country on one occasion.
Pierce grew up in Marrickville on the outskirts of inner Sydney and played his junior football for Sydenham in the Newtown Juniors as well as for the Belmore Old Boys in the Canterbury junior league. He was recommended to join Gymea in the fledgling Cronulla Sharks junior league after Sydenham were unable to field a team in his age group.
Pierce was at university studying civil engineering when he was graded by Cronulla in 1969.
Tommy Bishop also arrived at Cronulla in 1969 and after the departure of Ken Kearney as coach in 1970, Bishop took over as captain and coach. The first half of Pierce's top grade career was played under the tutelage of Bishop.
Pierce was in the Cronulla side which made it to the grand final in 1973 to be beaten 10–7 by Manly in a game still regarded as one of the most brutal grand finals ever fought out.
Pierce became Cronulla captain in 1975, a role he would hold till his retirement in 1980. In Cronulla's successful 1978 finals campaign Pierce was sent-off in the major semi-final win over Wests and given a four-match suspension. Along with Dane Sorensen who had been suspended in the final premiership round, Pierce missed the 11-all Grand Final draw against Manly and the midweek replay three days later. Cronulla missed their presence and as a result the club again failed to win the premiership. Pierce led the Sharks to victory in the final of the midweek Amco Cup in 1979. He retired at the end of the 1980 season to take on the full-time coaching responsibility of the club.
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