Robert Graves (rugby)
Robert Graves
 |
| Full name |
Robert Henderson Graves |
| Nickname |
Bob |
| Date of birth |
(1883-09-01)1 September 1883 |
| Place of birth |
Sydney, New South Wales |
| Date of death |
15 February 1958(1958-02-15) (aged 74) |
| Place of death |
Hurstville, New South Wales |
| School |
Fort St High School |
| University |
Hawkesbury Agricultural College |
| Rugby league career |
|
| Position |
Forward |
| Professional clubs |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1908–13 |
Balmain Tigers |
57 |
(42) |
|
| State Representation |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1908–09 |
New South Wales |
17 |
(12) |
|
| National teams |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1908–09 |
Australia |
6 |
(3) |
|
| Rugby union career |
|
| Playing career |
| Position |
Prop Forward |
| Amateur clubs |
| Years |
Club / team |
|
|
1901-02
1903-04
1905 |
Grosvenor Club
Gipps Club
Balmain |
|
|
|
| Provincial/State sides |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1905 |
Metropolis (Sydney) |
|
|
|
| National team(s) |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1907 |
Australia |
1 |
(0) |
|
| Professional clubs |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1908–13 |
Balmain Tigers |
57 |
(42) |
| State Representation |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1908–09 |
New South Wales |
17 |
(12) |
| National teams |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1908–09 |
Australia |
6 |
(3) |
| Amateur clubs |
| Years |
Club / team |
|
|
1901-02
1903-04
1905 |
Grosvenor Club
Gipps Club
Balmain |
|
|
| Provincial/State sides |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1905 |
Metropolis (Sydney) |
|
|
| National team(s) |
| Years |
Club / team |
Apps |
(points) |
| 1907 |
Australia |
1 |
(0) |
Robert Henderson Graves (1 September 1883 – 15 February 1958) was a pioneer Australian rugby league and rugby union player and one of his country's first dual-code internationals. He was a versatile forward for the Australia national team. He played in 6 Tests between 1908 and 1909, as captain on 1 occasion. In 1907 he played for New South Wales in the very first rugby match run by the newly created 'New South Wales Rugby Football League' which had just split away from the established New South Wales Rugby Football Union.
Graves grew up in inner city Balmain in Sydney. He played rugby union at Fort Street School and later represented for his senior school Hawkesbury Agricultural College. From there he was graded to play rugby union with the West Sydney Juniors - an inner city club. He played with the Grosvenor Club (another inner Sydney club) until 1902. He then joined the Gipps Club in the Balmain area with whom he won the Sydney rugby union premiership in 1904.
He joined the Balmain club in the metropolitan rugby competition in 1905 and from there was selected to represent Metropolis (Sydney) in a fixture against Country played over Easter in 1905. He continued in a coaching role for the Grosvenor club even while himself playing rugby for those other sides from 1903 to 1907.
Graves was one of the New South Wales rugby union players who matched up against the first professional New Zealand team, Albert Baskiville's 'All Golds' in three matches in Sydney in August 1907. He played in all three matches and along with the other Australian rebel players was promptly blacklisted by the New South Wales Rugby Union for breaching its fundamental principle of amateurism.
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