Robert Edward O'Reilly (born 16 February 1949) is an Australian former professional

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...

footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative prop forward, he played in the

New South Wales Rugby League premiership The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia and contributor to today's National Rugby League. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League (initially named the New Sout ...

, mainly for the

Parramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL). The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, and ...

, but also for the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and

Penrith Panthers The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Greater Western Sydney suburb of Penrith, New South Wales, Penrith that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL). The team is based west of the cen ...

Playing career

Nicknamed 'The Bear', O'Reilly enjoyed a fifteen-year Sydney first grade career debuting for Parramatta at aged eighteen in 1967 and returning to the club in 1981 to first taste premiership success. He represented Australia in nine Tests and seven World Cup matches, including the Kangaroos' victory in the 1970 World Cup. He was the first Parramatta junior to represent Australia, having played his junior football with suburban Guildford.Apter ''The Coaches: The Men Who Changed Rugby League'' O'Reilly is named on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 450. A decade after his first representative appearance, O'Reilly was part of Parramatta's first ever premiership-winning team of

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...

. He held the record for highest number of first grade games at 284 until overtaken by

Geoff Gerard Geoff Gerard (born 10 July 1955) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. An Australia international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football ...

Accolades

O'Reilly was awarded Life Membership by the Parramatta Club in 1981. In 2002, a team of the greatest Parramatta players, known as the Parramatta Legends, were selected based on a public vote of fans with O'Reilly being selected at prop. In the same year, O'Reilly was inducted into the Parramatta hall of fame.

References

External links

Bob O'Reilly at nrlstats.com

Published sources

* Whiticker, Alan & Hudson, Glen (2006) ''The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players'', Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney * Apter, Jeff ''The Coaches : The Men Who Changed Rugby League'' (2014), The Five Mile Press Scoresby, Victoria {{DEFAULTSORT:Oreilly, Bob 1949 births Living people Australia national rugby league team players Australian rugby league players City New South Wales rugby league team players Clive Churchill Medal winners Parramatta Eels players Penrith Panthers players New South Wales rugby league team players Rugby league players from Brisbane Rugby league props Sydney Roosters players 20th-century Australian sportsmen