Billy Rayner
FullnameWilliam Frederick Rayner
Birth date22 May 1935
Birth placeYass, New South Wales, Australia
Death date18 July 2006 (aged 71)
Club 1Parramatta
Year1start1956
Year1end67
Appearances 1195
Tries 17
Goals 10
Fieldgoals 10
Points 121
TeamaNSW City Firsts
Yearastart1957
Yearaend64
Appearancesa3
Triesa0
Goalsa0
Fieldgoalsa0
Pointsa0
TeambNew South Wales
Yearbstart1960
Appearancesb2
Triesb0
Goalsb0
Fieldgoalsb0
Pointsb0
TeamcAustralia
Yearcstart1960
Appearancesc2
Triesc0
Goalsc0
Fieldgoalsc0
Pointsc0
Source[1]
Newyes

Billy Rayner (22 May 1935 – 18 July 2006) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s.

Career

Originally from Yass, New South Wales, Billy Rayner went on to play 195 games for Parramatta during a long 11-year career between 1956 and 1966. Rayner's playing career with Parramatta was during a very difficult period in the club's history where they struggled on the field for many years due to having limited resources and a weak playing roster. Rayner collected 6 wooden spoons in his career at Parramatta.[2] He went through a period of 161 successive first grade games without scoring a try, an Australian rugby league record.[3]

He also represented both New South Wales and Australia on two occasions each in 1960. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 360.[4] His usual position was as at hooker.[5] He later went on to be a director of the Parramatta Eels's club.[6] In 1967, Rayner was made a life member of the Parramatta club.[7]

In 1995 Rayner was awarded life membership of the New South Wales Rugby League. In 2004, Rayner was inducted into the Parramatta clubs Hall of Fame.[8] He died after a short illness in July 2006, aged 71.[9]

References

  1. ^ Rugby League Project
  2. ^ Seven clubs in mix for NRL wooden spoon and the most unwanted tag in rugby league
  3. ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  4. ^ ARL Annual Report 2005
  5. ^ Whiticker, Alan & Hudson, Glen (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 5th ed. Sydney, Australia: Gary Allen. pp. 454–5. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1.
  6. ^ "Home". Rugby League Project.
  7. ^ "Parramatta National Rugby League Life Members". Parramatta Eels
  8. ^ "Parramatta National Rugby League Hall of Fame". Parramatta Eels
  9. ^ Sydney Morning Herald- Death Notice 21 July 2006