The Wynnum Manly Rugby League Football Club has had a total of 31 players that have represented Queensland.  To be part of this exclusive group, each player must have represented Queensland when playing for Wynnum Manly from 1914 to 1987.

In the first year that Wynnum Manly participated in the Brisbane Rugby League competition in 1914, Wynnum had two Queensland representatives with Mick and Henry Bolewski wearing the maroon jersey for the first time.  Wynnum did not play in the first grade competition again until 1931/32, they had no representatives during this time.

 

Mick Bolewski
Years: 1914
Total Games: 3
Game Played: 1914 NSW (3).
Position: Centre/Winger

 

Henry Bolewski
Years: 1914
Total Games: 2
Game Played: 1914 NSW (2).
Position: Centre/Winger

 

Wynnum Manly were admitted back into the competition in 1951 and it took seven years before hooker Alan Hornery became Wynnum’s third Queensland representative.  Alan was the uncle of 1970’s club captain and firebrand Neville Hornery.  Alan was followed by club favourite Lionel Morgan in 1960 and John Wittenberg in 1962.

 

Alan Hornery
Years: 1957
Total Games: 4
Game Played: NSW (4)
Position: Hooker

 

Lionel Morgan
Years: 1960 to 1963
Total Games: 12
Game Played: 1960 NSW (4), 1961 NSW (2), 1963 NSW (4), 1963 NSW (1)
Position: Winger

 

John Wittenberg
Years: 1962 to 1963
Total Games: 4
Game Played: 1962 NSW (1), GB (1), 1963 NSW (1), SA (1)
Position: Front Row (Prop)

 

1963 was a successful year on the representative front, with three players chosen to wear the famous Queensland jersey, with John Gleeson, Billy McDermott and local product Trevor Neibling gaining selection from Wynnum Manly.  Neibling became Wynnum Manly’s first junior to represent Queensland and John Gleeson went on to play for Australia this year.  

 

Trevor Neibling
Years: 1963, 1966 & 1969
Total Games: 6
Game Played: 1963 NSW (1), 1966 NSW (2), 1969 NSW (3).
Position: Prop/Second Row

 

John Gleeson
Years: 1963 to 1964
Total Games: 8
Game Played: 1963 NSW (4), 1964 NSW (4)
Position: Five Eighth

 

Bill McDermott
Years: 1963
Total Games: 1
Game Played: 1963 NSW (1)
Position: Centre

 

The late sixties proved to be a lean period for Wynnum Manly, with only winger Ron Chapman in 1967 and five-eighth Bob Hardie 1969 selected for Queensland to take on New South Wales in the Interstate series.

 

Ron Chapman
Years: 1968
Total Games: 1
Game Played: 1968 NSW (1)
Position: Winger

 

Bob Hardie
Years: 1969
Total Games: 2
Game Played: 1969 NSW (2)
Position: Five Eighth

 

Wynnum Manly would only have one player chosen over the next seven years for Queensland, with former Brisbane Rothmans Medallist Len Brunner playing NSW in 1973.  

 

Len Brunner
Years: 1973
Total Games: 1
Game Played: NSW (1)
Position: Hooker

 

In the mid seventies the Wynnum Manly Football Club had a purple patch take place with centre John Rhodes, back rower Lew Platz and winger Warren Orr all taking part in the 1975 interstate series.  Both Rhodes and Platz took part in the 1975 World Cup in this season.  They were succeeded by centres Ian Boustead and Ron Milne in 1976.

 

John Rhodes
Years: 1975 to 1976
Total Games: 5
Game Played: 1975 NSW (3), 1976 NSW (2)
Position: Wing/Centre

 

Lew Platz
Years: 1975 to 1976
Total Games: 6
Game Played: 1975 NSW (3), 1977 NSW (2), GB (1)
Position: Second Row

 

Warren Orr
Years: 1975
Total Games: 1
Game Played: 1975 NSW (1)
Position: Winger

 

Ron Milne
Years: 1976
Total Games: 1
Game Played: 1976 NSW (1)
Position: Centre

 

Ian Boustead
Years: 1976
Total Games: 1
Game Played: 1976 NSW (1)
Position: Centre

 

No players were selected again for the next five years, until fullback Colin Scott was picked for the 1981 series.  Colin also has the honour of playing the most amount of games for Queensland whilst playing for Wynnum Manly, with 25 games played between 1981 to 1987.

 

Colin Scott
Years: 1981 to 1987
Total Games: 25
Game Played: 1981 NSW (3), 1982 NSW (2), 1983 NSW (3), NSW 1984 (3) NZ (1), NSW 1985 (3), 1986 NSW (1), 1987 NSW (3) NZ (1).
Position: Fullback

 

In Wynnum Manly’s first premiership year 1982, both Gene Miles and Rod Morris gained selection.  Both Morris and Miles were selected as part of the Kangaroos ‘Invincibles’ team that did not lose a match the entire tour.  

 

Gene Miles
Years: 1982 to 1987
Total Games: 21
Games Played: 1982 NSW (3), NZ (1), 1983 NSW (3), 1983 QLD Tour of GB Wigan (1), Leeds (1), Hull (1), QLD Tour of PNG, Presidents XIII (1), 1984 NSW (2), 1986 NSW (3), 1987 NSW (4), QLD Tour of NZ, NZ (1).
Position: Centre

 

Rod Morris
Years: 1982
Total Games: 3
Games Played: 1982 NSW (2), 1982 Tour of NZ (1)
Position: Front Row

 

The golden era had commenced for club and after a 12 month break from the game, front rower Greg Dowling played for Queensland in 1983, along with three quarters Brett French and Terry Butler.

 

Greg Dowling
Years: 1983 to 1986
Total Games: 10
Game Played: 1983 NSW (1), QLD Tour of GB Wigan (1), Leeds (1), 1984 NSW (3), 1985 (3), 1986 (1)
Position: Front Row

 

Brett French
Years: 1983 to 1985
Total Games: 6
Game Played: 1983 NSW (1), QLD Tour of GB, Wigan (1), Leeds (1), 1984 NSW (2), NZ (1).
Position: Centre

 

Terry Butler
Years: 1983
Total Games: 3
Game Played: 1983 NSW (1), 1985 QLD Tour of PNG Highlands (1), Presidents XIII (1).
Position: Winger

 

With Wynnum Manly performing so strong at club level and Wally Lewis joining the Seagulls in 1984, more Queensland representatives followed with Lewis, prop Tony Kajewski, outstanding lock Ian French, Bob Lindner and Peter Sinclair all playing for Queensland between 1984 to 1987.  This was an era where Wynnum Manly on most occasions, had a higher representation in Queensland teams than any other club.  Four of these five players also represented Wynnum Manly at junior level, with Lewis and Lindner (Cannon Hill Star juniors) and French and Sinclair (Wynnum Manly Juniors).

 

Wally Lewis
Years: 1984 to 1987
Total Games: 14
Game Played: 1984 NSW (3), 1985 NSW (3), 1986 NSW (3), 1987 NSW (4), QLD Tour of NZ, NZ (1).
Position: Five Eighth

 

Tony Kajewski
Years: 1984
Total Games: 1
Games Played: 1984 NZ (1)
Position: Front Row

 

Ian French
Years: 1985 to 1986
Total Games: 5
Game Played: 1985 NSW (2), 1986 NSW (3)
Position: Second Row

 

Bob Lindner
Years: 1985 to 1986
Total Games: 5
Game Played: 1985 NSW (2), 1986 NSW (3)
Position: Lock

 

Peter Sinclair
Years: 1987
Total Games: 1
Game Played: 1987 QLD Tour of NZ, NZ (1).
Position: Five Eighth

 

Life changed in the Brisbane Rugby League world forever in 1988, with the Brisbane Broncos accepted into the National Rugby League competition.  This now made it virtually impossible to be selected for Queensland from Wynnum Manly, as all the top players had been drained from our competition. Qualification for Wynnum Manly Queenslanders would now be recognised if you were a club junior and went onto play for Queensland.

Since 1988 the club has had four representatives, props Craig Greenhill and Neil Tierney in 1996 and 97 respectively and Paul Green and Chris McKenna in 1999.  One of the clubs proudest moments was when Greenhill, McKenna and Green all played in the same match 1999.

 

Craig Greenhill
Years: 1996 to 2000
Total Games: 7
Game Played: 1996 NSW (2), 1997 NSW (1) SL, 1999 NSW (3), 2000 (1).
Position: Front Row

 

Neil Tierney
Years: 1997
Total Games: 3
Game Played: 1987 NSW (3).
Position: Front Row

 

Paul Green
Years: 1997 to 2001
Total Games: 10
Game Played: 1997 SL NSW (3), 1999 NSW (2), 2000 NSW (2), 2001 NSW (3).
Position: Halfback

 

Chris McKenna
Years: 1997 to 2002
Total Games: 8
Game Played: 1997 SL NSW (1), 1999 (3), 2000 (1), 2002 (3).
Position: Centre/Second Row

 

 

A very proud moment in history for the Wynnum Manly Football Club when local juniors Paul Green, Chris McKenna and Craig Greenhill played in the 1999 State of Origin series winning team

 

Story Source: Paul Comber