# John Wittenberg > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/John_Wittenberg > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/John_Wittenberg.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wittenberg > Source revision: 1266130469 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Australia international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = John Wittenberg |fullname = John Julius Wittenberg |image = |caption = |position = {{rlp|PR}} |birth_date = {{birth date|1939|10|02|df=y}} |birth_place = [Wide Bay](/source/Wide_Bay%2C_Queensland), [Queensland](/source/Queensland), Australia |death_date = {{death date and age|2005|11|03|1939|02|10|df=y}} |death_place = [Burren Junction](/source/Burren_Junction%2C_New_South_Wales), [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales), Australia |height = |weight = |club1 = Newtown (Toowoomba) |year1start = 1961 |year1end = |appearances1 = |tries1 = |goals1 = |fieldgoals1 = |points1 = |club2 = [Wynnum Manly](/source/Wynnum-Manly_Seagulls) |year2start = 1962 |year2end = 63 |appearances2 = |tries2 = |goals2 = |fieldgoals2 = |points2 = |club3 = Theodore |year3start = 1964 |year3end = 66 |appearances3 = |tries3 = |goals3 = |fieldgoals3 = |points3 = |club4 = [St George Dragons](/source/St_George_Dragons) |year4start = 1968 |year4end = 70 |appearances4 = 53 |tries4 = 4 |goals4 = 0 |fieldgoals4 = 0 |points4 = 12 |teamA = [Queensland](/source/Queensland_state_rugby_league_team) |yearAstart = 1962 |yearAend = 66 |appearancesA = 9 |triesA = 1 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 3 |teamB = [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales_state_rugby_league_team) |yearBstart = 1968 |yearBend = 70 |appearancesB = 5 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |teamC = [Australia](/source/Australian_national_rugby_league_team) |yearCstart = 1966 |yearCend = 70 |appearancesC = 6 |triesC = 0 |goalsC = 0 |fieldgoalsC = 0 |pointsC = 0 |updated = |source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/john-wittenberg/summary.html Rugby League Project] |new = yes | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = | mother = | spouse = | education = | alma_mater = | relatives = [Jeff Wittenberg](/source/Jeff_Wittenberg) (son) }} }} '''John Wittenberg''' (2 October 1939 – 3 November 2005) was an Australian professional [rugby league](/source/rugby_league) footballer. A [front-row forward](/source/Rugby_league_positions) with the [St. George Dragons](/source/St._George_Dragons), he was a representative in the [Australian national team](/source/Australia_national_rugby_league_team) in 1966 and from 1968 to 1970 earning six Test caps. ==Playing career== Wittenberg was from [Wide Bay](/source/Wide_Bay%E2%80%93Burnett), Queensland and played for Toowoomba, the [Wynnum-Manly Seagulls](/source/Wynnum-Manly_Seagulls) and in the Central Queensland town of [Theodore](/source/Theodore%2C_Queensland) in the early and mid sixties from which clubs he represented for Queensland and Australia. The [Queensland Rugby League](/source/Queensland_Rugby_League) attempted to block his transfer to Sydney in 1967 forcing him to sit out the 1967 season and causing him to miss selection for the 1967 [Kangaroo Tour](/source/Australia_national_rugby_league_team). He played 53 games for the [St. George Dragons](/source/St._George_Dragons) from 1968 to 1970 representing for [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team) and regaining Australian representative selection during that time. Four of his representative caps were at the 1968 [World Cup](/source/Rugby_League_World_Cup) played in Sydney including the World Cup Final victory against France in June 1968. He died of a heart attack while working on his farming property in Burren Junction west of [Wee Waa, New South Wales](/source/Wee_Waa%2C_New_South_Wales) aged 66. His son, [Jeff](/source/Jeff_Wittenberg), played professionally in Australia and England. ==References== {{reflist}} ==Sources== * St George Dragons Player History Website http://www.showroom.com.au/dragons/dragonshistory * Andrews, Malcolm (2006) ''The ABC of Rugby League'' Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090201082845/http://qrl.com.au/qrl_history/qld_rep_w.php Queensland representatives at qrl.com.au] {{Australia squad - 1968 World Cup champions}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Wittenberg, John}} Category:1939 births Category:2005 deaths Category:Australia national rugby league team players Category:Australian rugby league players Category:New South Wales rugby league team players Category:People from Wide Bay–Burnett Category:Queensland rugby league team players Category:Rugby league players from Gympie Category:Rugby league props Category:St. George Dragons players Category:Wynnum Manly Seagulls players Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Wittenberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wittenberg) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wittenberg?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.