Ken Maddison

Ken Maddison

Personal information
Full name	Kenneth Maddison
Born	1946
Playing information
Position	Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1965–71 St. George 101 24 0 0 72 1972–75 Cronulla-Sutherland 77 17 0 0 51 Total 178 41 0 0 123 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1974 New South Wales 1 0 0 0 0 1973 Australia 4 3 0 0 9
Source:

Ken Maddisonis an Australian formerrugby leaguefootballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s.He played in theNew South Wales Rugby Football League premiershipfor theSt. George Dragons(with whom he won the 1966 premiership) and later theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks(whom he captained). He was also astateandnationalrepresentative, playing four Tests for Australia in 1973.

Playing career

St. George

Maddison started his first-grade football career with St. George in 1965 and the following year appeared in his firstgrand final,thelast of the Dragons'record-breaking 11 consecutive premiership wins. He won that first premiership as acentrebut later moved into the forwards and enjoyed success in his career as a wide running second-rower.

In the late 1960s after St George had lost the stars of their long reign, Ken Maddison's work ethic (along with the stellar brilliance ofBilly SmithandGraeme Langlands) was a factor in keeping the club competitive, regularly finishing in the top five. Maddison played in the1971 Grand Finalloss toSouth Sydney,again in the centres. Ken's younger brotherKeith Maddisonalso played alongside him at the Dragons in six seasons from 1966 to 1971.

Cronulla-Sutherland

In 1972 Maddison moved to the youngCronulla-Sutherlandclub, playing in thesecond-row.

1973 was Maddison's career high-point when he became the first forward to win theRothmans Medalfor best and fairest player in the League, edging outRon Cooteby just one point. He also scored a personal best eight tries that year before playing inCronulla's first Grand Final,the 1973 loss toManly-Warringah7 – 10.

Although Maddison played at a time when the loose forwards of the Souths' pack – Coote,Bob McCarthy,Gary StevensandPaul Sait– dominated representative selections, he managed his Australian debut at the end of a great club season in 1973 when he was selected for the1973 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France.He was one of the form forwards of the tour scoring two tries in the third and deciding Test againstGreat Britain.He played in all threeAshes Tests,in one Test against France and in nine minor tour matches scoring six tries in all. The following year he made his sole state appearance forNew South Wales Blues.

Maddison continued playing for Cronulla-Sutherland until 1975. In 2006, he was named at second-row in aSharksdream team.

External links

• Ken Maddison at nrlstats.com
• Kangaroos beat Lions at Wilderspool