19 Facts About Ken Kearney

Ken Kearney represented the Wallabies in seven Tests, and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games.

Ken Kearney captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and 1957.

Ken Kearney was a hooker and captain-coach with the St George Dragons in the first half of their eleven-year consecutive premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966.

Ken Kearney is considered one of Australia's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Ken Kearney joined Parramatta's 1st grade rugby union side from school before serving in the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II and represented Combined Services in rugby union.

Ken Kearney was captain-coach between 1954 and 1955, and later between 1957 and 1961.

Ken Kearney played in the 3rd Test against Great Britain, all three tests against France, and sixteen minor tour matches.

Ken Kearney is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No 302.

Ken Kearney went on the 1953 tour of New Zealand playing in all three Tests and the following year represented in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup, the first ever, in France.

Ken Kearney was the loser in a power struggle with Kearney, who led the side on-field and who that year had captained Australia to a three Test whitewash of New Zealand, had captained New South Wales to state victory over Queensland, won the Sunday Telegraph's Player of the Year award and ultimately captained St George to premiership victory.

Ken Kearney stayed on a captain-coach for the 1956 Kangaroo tour in spite of the availability and tour selection of Churchill with whom he reportedly enjoyed an uneasy relationship.

Ken Kearney brought tactics and strategy from English rugby league and is often credited with masterminding the St George Dragons successful run.

Ken Kearney was able to inspire loyalty in his players by leading from the front and to develop a level of fitness and ruthless, mistake free football.

Ken Kearney played 156 games from 1952 to 1961, captained the club in five winning Grand Finals and coached them to further victory in 1961.

Ken Kearney worked in insurance sales in Sydney for 25 years.

Ken Kearney retired to the Gold Coast where he died in his home of a heart attack in 2006 aged 82.

Ken Kearney was awarded Life Membership of the St George Dragons club in 1991.

In February 2008, Ken Kearney was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players which was commissioned by the NRL, and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.

On 20 July 2022, Ken Kearney was named in the St George Dragons District Rugby League Clubs team of the century at hooker.