David Royce Ayliffe (born 1 January 1956) is an Australian former professional

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 11 ...

footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative, he played for and captained the Eastern Suburbs club. Ayliffe also played for the

South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a professional Australian rugby league club based in Redfern, a suburb of inner-southern Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership and are one of nine existing tea ...

club. During the

1976 NSWRFL season The 1976 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 69th season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six of 1908's foundation clubs and another six from around Sydne ...

, Brass played in the forwards, helping Eastern Suburbs to victory in their unofficial

1976 World Club Challenge The 1976 World Club Challenge was an unofficial trial of what would later become the World Club Challenge concept, with the 1975 NSWRFL season's premiers, Eastern Suburbs hosting the 1975–76 Northern Rugby Football League season's Premiersh ...

match against British champions St. Helens in Sydney. While attending Wollongong Keira High School, Ayliffe played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1972. He also gained selection for the

Australian Kangaroos The Australian National Rugby League Team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian ...

in 1981. Since retirement he has served on the

NRL Judiciary The NRL Judiciary is the disciplinary judiciary of the National Rugby League (NRL), a rugby league competition. The Judiciary regulates the on-field conduct of players from NRL clubs. Due to changes announced on the eve of the 2022 NRL season, th ...

. On 24 October 2000, Ayliffe was awarded the

Australian Sports Medal The Australian Sports Medal is an award given to recognise achievements in Australian sport to commemorate Australian participation in major sporting events. Original recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, offi ...

for rugby league achievements.

References

1956 births Living people Australian rugby league players Sydney Roosters players Sydney Roosters captains South Sydney Rabbitohs players New South Wales Rugby League State of Origin players Australia national rugby league team players Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Rugby league players from Wollongong {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1950s-stub