Jack Gibson
Front Row
Player Bio
- Inducted:
- 2010
- Date of Birth:
- 27 February 1929
- Birthplace:
- Kiama, NSW
- Nickname:
- Jack
- Debut Team:
- Eastern Suburbs (1953)
- Date:
- 25 April 1953
- Opposition:
- Eastern Suburbs Debut vs Western Suburbs
- Venue:
- Pratten Park
- Representative:
- 1 Interstate Game for NSW
- Clubs:
- Player: Eastern Suburbs (1953 - 1961), Newtown (1962), Western Suburbs (1963 - 1964), Coach: Eastern Suburbs (1967 - 1968, 1974 - 1976), St George (1970 - 1971), Newtown (1973), South Sydney (1978 - 1979), Parramatta (1981 - 1983), Cronulla/Sutherland (1985 - 1987)
Career
Milestones
- Two Premierships as Head Coach (1974-75)
- Head Coach Sydney Roosters Team of the Century (2000)
- Head Coach Sydney Roosters Centurions (2007)
- Head Coach Australian Rugby League Team of the Century (2008)
- NRL Hall of Fame (2024)
Biography
Jack Gibson, Sydney Rooster #418, is renowned as the most legendary coach in modern Rugby League and took Easts to two Premierships in 1974 and 1975, while also making his first-grade debut for the Tricolours in 1953, earning a reputation for being a tough and uncompromising forward.
Gibson played 123 games for Easts between 1953 and 1961 before making the switch to coaching in 1967 - where he took Easts to the finals the year the Club recorded a winless season.
Hall Of Fame | Jack Gibson
In 1974 and 1975 Gibson took what is remembered as two of the best-ever Easts teams to consecutive Premierships, where he famously introduced a number of new coaching techniques and applications including video previews, skinfold testing, introducing the use of weights machines and creating an overall program of rehabilitation and fitness conditioning, now referred to as a high-performance unit.
In 1988 Gibson received an Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to Rugby League, and has since been honoured as Head Coach in Australian Rugby League's Team of the Century, as well as having the Jack Gibson Medal and Jack Gibson Cup being named in his honour.
"The words that occur to me when I try to assess the success secrets of Jack Gibson are; discipline, strength, honesty, simplicity."
Arthur Beetson Former player under Gibson
Hall of Fame Members
Sydney Roosters respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
