Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Walter James Lewis
- Nickname(s)
- The King
- Born
- Tuesday, 1st December, 1959
- Current Age
- 64 years and 183 days
- Place Of Birth
- Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Awards & Accolades
- Dally M Representative Player Of The Year
- 1982, 1984, 1988
- Golden Boot Award
- 1984
- Dally M Five-Eighth Of The Year
- 1988
- Harry Sunderland Medal
- 1988
- Immortal
- 1999
- International Hall Of Fame
- 2002
- National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
- 2002
Known Family Links
- Brother
- Heath Lewis
- Scott Lewis
- Nephew
- Lachlan Lewis
Biography
Playing Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Competitions | ||||||||||||||
Competition | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Midweek Cup | 24 | 9 | 7 | - | 46 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 54.17% | List | ||||
Interstate Matches | 4 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Queensland Firsts | 3 | 2 | - | - | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | |||
Tour Matches | Brisbane Firsts | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
State of Origin | 31 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 30 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 61.29% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Australia | 42 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 88 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 95.24% | List | |||
Test Series | 28 | 9 | - | 2 | 15 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 85.71% | List | ||||
The Ashes | 11 | 5 | - | 2 | 44 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 90.91% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Queensland Origin | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
English Championship | 9 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 44.44% | List | ||||
Challenge Cup | 1 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
World Cup | 9 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.78% | List | ||||
QRL | 4 | 2 | 0 | - | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
BRL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) | 80 | 26 | 14 | - | 132 | 38 | 39 | 3 | 47.50% | List | ||||
BRL/NSWRL Finals | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
Challenge Cup AU | 3 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
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Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1981-89, 1991 | 35 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 56 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 85.71% | List | |||
International Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1981-1988 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1981-1989 | 9 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.78% | List | |||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Brisbane Firsts | 1979-87 | 20 | 5 | 7 | - | 31 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
QLD Firsts | 1979-82, 1987 | 7 | 2 | - | - | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14.29% | List | |||
QLD | 1980-91 | 34 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 44 | 21 | 13 | 0 | 61.76% | List | |||
Oceania | 1984 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1979-1991 | 62 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 82 | 33 | 29 | 0 | 53.23% | List | |||
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BRL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Wynnum-Manly | BRL 1987 | 4 | 2 | 0 | / | 2 | 0.00% | - | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List |
Brisbane | NSWRL 1988 | 19 | 15 | 8 | / | 16 | 50.00% | - | 76 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 68.42% | List |
Brisbane | NSWRL 1989 | 18 | 4 | 2 | / | 8 | 25.00% | - | 20 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 72.22% | List |
Brisbane | NSWRL 1990 | 9 | 1 | 1 | / | 1 | 100.00% | - | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 55.56% | List |
Gold Coast | NSWRL 1991 | 14 | 3 | 2 | / | 4 | 50.00% | - | 16 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 7.14% | List |
Gold Coast | NSWRL 1992 | 20 | 3 | 1 | / | 7 | 14.29% | - | 14 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 30.00% | List |
BRL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Wynnum-Manly | 1987 | 4 | 2 | - | / | 2 | 0.00% | - | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List |
Brisbane | 1988-90 | 46 | 20 | 11 | / | 25 | 44.00% | - | 102 | 31 | 14 | 1 | 67.39% | List |
Gold Coast | 1991-92 | 34 | 6 | 3 | / | 11 | 27.27% | - | 30 | 7 | 25 | 2 | 20.59% | List |
Overall | 1987-1992 | 84 | 28 | 14 | / | 38 | 36.84% | 0 | 140 | 41 | 40 | 3 | 48.81% | List |
English Career - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Wakefield | 1983/84 | 10 | 6 | - | - | 24 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
English Career - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Wakefield | 1983 | 10 | 6 | - | - | 24 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 50.00% | List |
Contributions:
AJ Lucantonio, Paul Carter, Rugby League Tables, Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Alan Katzmann, Max Turner, Steven Russo, Bill Bates, Tim Costello
Sources:
David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present), Match Video, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999)
Your Say
16/08/2011
just brillant
22/04/2012
the last comment stated "just brilliant".....you know what, he was better than that!!
01/06/2012
No words can describe the king
23/07/2012
best ive ever seen
02/08/2012
Wally will always be known as the most influential player in the history of the game. On the field he was clever, strong & aggressive. The King was absolutely brilliant.
15/08/2012
Wally played for Wakefield Trinity for 10 games, and was a hit not a flop. Even now Trinity fans want him in there team. Wakefield was a team that was not good enough for the top division but too good for the second division,but were amazing for ten games from december to february. He made his Trinity debut against Peter Stirlings Hull,who were probably the best side in the league. A full house at Belle Vue saw Trinity beaten 32-16. 16-16 at half time, trinity fell away due to a jet lagged Wally. That Hull side contained Peter Strirling, Gary Kemble, James Leuluai, Gary Divorty and Dane O'Hara.
28/11/2013
ur a rugby league ledgend
25/04/2014
Played against him and with him. Gentlemen & true champion.
24/10/2014
awesome dude!!! epic man!!! legendary football player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
06/02/2015
The best there ever was. The best there ever will be.
19/02/2015
THERES ONLY 1 WALLY LEWIS. THE GREATEST
PLAYER I HAVE EVER SEEN.
13/07/2016
you are still the best standoff i have ever seen in all facets
I study your moves hard and try to implement :)
I salute you Wally
05/09/2016
it was a pleasure to have witnessed Wally play Rugby League. With Valleys in Brisbane league he was a revelation. Then Wynnum but when Wally played for us in 1980 in that first State of Origin a new career started. We loved what you bought to our State Team. Playing for Australia with your pride & passion as always made us proud. Thanks Wally.
23/06/2017
The King is truly one of the greats of this great game, and arguably the greatest.
01/10/2017
NSW fan here, Wally is the most dominant player I have seen, unbelievable talent, a conductor who controlled the entire game. he stood way above the best NSW could offer and they were great players themselves. He was one of a kind. Pleasure to watch
02/12/2017
Have you the stats from Valleys and Wynnum Manly playing days. Important as he represented Australia from there.
05/04/2018
He was the greatest player in the history of rugby league.
04/08/2018
After reading your achievement Wally I like many Queenslander have nothing but praise for what you have achieve
08/12/2019
Wally Lewis was the best ever he played the whole of his career at five eight. He played against some great five eights and he had the wood on all of them. There has been some great players after his time but they would not have been as great marking up to Wally Lewis.,
30/03/2020
Fabulous player an immortal all the way. The King should have come to Sydney with Gene Miles to Manly in 1984 but QRL under Ron McCaulife would not let him go
18/04/2020
Wally Lewis made the players around him play better. He was a fantastic leader who demonstrated how to win with his positive actions.
In consideration of all the very best players to have played Rugby League, in my view there are only three than can lay claim to being judged the best ever; Wally Lewis, Andrew Johns and
Jonathan Thurston...but in my view, Wally Lewis is ‘The Greatest’...Rugby League’s answer to Muhammad Ali.
11/10/2020
as Tina Turner said simply the best better than all the rest. Champion
12/12/2020
As a kid I looked up to him. I am still doing this today 40 years later. He meant so much to so many people. He is an icon of a generation. The greatest I have ever seen.
03/10/2021
Simple.The greatest,the best!The most influential player in Rugby League history.Will forever be cast in Bronze.The King,the Emperor of Lang park.The captain of the 84 Kangaroos.Enough said!!
20/06/2023
Full disclosure here.I am a proud QUEENSLANDER !!! Wally's Lewis simply the best!1986 Kangaroos,Sterling at half back,Kenny and Miles in the centres.Doesnt get any better then that.Go theMAROONS!!
31/07/2023
Only the words “The Best Ever”. Putting aside qld and Australia, I would love to see the attendence figures when Wally was the Man at Wynnum Manly, my mother actually ran onto field at a wynnum game with an umbrella to protect Wally because the opposing side where giving him a very bad time ( all illegal of course, it was only the slim chance they had of beating “The King”
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