Herb Narvo

Herb Narvo

Personal information
Full name	Hermann Olaf Narvo (Nawo)
Born	19 August 1912 Ultimo, New South Wales
Died	28 July 1958(1958-07-28) (aged 45) Newcastle, New South Wales
Playing information
Position	Prop, Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1937 Newtown 8 1 0 0 3 1938–41 Norths (Newcastle) 1943–45 Newtown 34 12 7 0 67 1946 St. George 13 3 8 0 25 1947 Cootamundra 1948 Camden 1949 Newtown 6 2 0 0 6 Total 61 18 15 0 101 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1938–45 New South Wales 11 9 0 0 27 1937–38 Australia 4 2 0 0 6
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1946 St. George 16 11 0 5 69
Source: RLP Yesterday's Hero

Herbert Narvo (1912–1958) was an Australian rugby league footballer and boxer of the 1930s and 1940s. He was a national representative rugby league player and national heavyweight boxing champion. He has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Born in Sydney, but raised in Newcastle, Herb Narvo signed with Newtown in 1937 and soon shone as one of the form forwards of the competition. Following an injury to Joe Pearce, Narvo was a late call up to 1937 Kangaroo tour where he starred, playing in four Tests, eighteen minor matches and scoring ten tour tries. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 218.

He played for Norths Newcastle in 1938 and made state representative appearances for New South Wales from 1938-41 but his national Test career was limited due to the war. Whilst in the RAAF Narvo helped the Newtown club win the 1943 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership but along with Len Smith missed the final the following year due to his war service.

In 1946 he joined the St. George Dragons and as captain-coach, steered the club to a Grand final appearance in which they were defeated by the Balmain Tigers.

He captain-coached Maher Cup side Cootamundra in 1947, and Camden's team in 1948 before finishing his career in 1949 with Newtown.