Kevin O'Brien (born 1932) is an Australian former
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
footballer in the 1950s. He was a premiership winning centre with the
St George Dragons, made
state representative
A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
appearances and toured with the
Australian national side in 1956–57.
Playing career
O'Brien played five seasons with the
St. George Dragons between 1954 and 1958. He won a premiership with
St. George Dragons, playing alongside
Merv Lees
Mervyn John Lees (1932-2018) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s. He was a premiership-winning centre with the St George Dragons and a New South Wales rugby league team, state representative.
Career
Me ...
in the
1956 Grand Final. He also represented
New South Wales
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in two appearances in 1956, and was selected to tour England with the 1956-57
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France, tours to New Zealand and the one-off tour to Papua New Guinea (1991). The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours to ...
. He played in 11 matches on tour, but no Tests. He was able to play at wing, fullback, centre and five-eighth. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 326. He retired at the conclusion of the 1958 season.
Accolades
O'Brien was a foundation member of the Penshurst R.S.L. junior rugby league football club, and the Kevin "Obie" O'Brien Award is awarded to members of the Penshurst R.S.L. Club to recognise service beyond life membership.
[Penshurst RSL website: http://www.penshurstfooty.org/history]
References
St. George Dragons players
New South Wales rugby league team players
Australia national rugby league team players
Australian rugby league players
Living people
1932 births
Rugby league centres
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