Herb Narvo

Herb Narvo
Personal information


Full name	Hermann Olaf Narvo (Nawo)
Born	19 August 1912 Ultimo, New South Wales
Died	28 July 1958(1958-07-28) (aged 45) Newcastle, New South Wales
Playing information
Position	Prop, Second-row
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1937	Newtown	8	1	0	0	3
1938–41	Norths (Newcastle)
1943–45	Newtown	34	12	7	0	67
1946	St. George	13	3	8	0	25
1947	Cootamundra
1948	Camden
1949	Newtown	6	2	0	0	6
	Total	61	18	15	0	101
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1938–45	New South Wales	11	9	0	0	27
1937–38	Australia	4	2	0	0	6
Coaching information
Club
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
1946	St. George	16	11	0	5	69
Source: RLP Yesterday's Hero

Narvo with the 1937-38 Kangaroos (2nd row 4th from left)

Herbert Narvo (1912–1958) was an Australian rugby league footballer and boxer of the 1930s and 1940s. He was a national representative rugby league player and national heavyweight boxing champion. He has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.

Rugby league career

Born in Sydney, but raised in Newcastle, Herb Narvo signed with Newtown in 1937 and soon shone as one of the form forwards of the competition. Following an injury to Joe Pearce, Narvo was a late call up to 1937 Kangaroo tour where he starred, playing in four Tests, eighteen minor matches and scoring ten tour tries. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 218.^[1]

He played for Norths Newcastle in 1938 and made state representative appearances for New South Wales from 1938-41 but his national Test career was limited due to the war. Whilst in the RAAF Narvo helped the Newtown club win the 1943 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership but along with Len Smith missed the final the following year due to his war service.

In 1946 he joined the St. George Dragons and as captain-coach, steered the club to a Grand final appearance in which they were defeated by the Balmain Tigers.^[2]

He captain-coached Maher Cup side Cootamundra in 1947, and Camden's team in 1948 before finishing his career in 1949 with Newtown.

His son, Frank Narvo played for Newtown (1954-1960) and St. George Dragons (1952-1953).

Boxing career

Narvo was also a boxer of note, winning the Australian Heavyweight Championship in 1945. In only his 13th professional fight Narvo defeated Billy "Wocko" Britt in just 23 seconds to claim the Australian title.

He lost his boxing title to Jack Johnson in 1946 and captained St George in a club match the very next day.^[3]

War service

He was in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. He was stationed at Richmond, New South Wales and served as a physical training, boxing and paratroop instructor.

Death

Herb Narvo, died at his home on 28 July 1958 after a long battle with cancer. He was 45. He had been in Royal Newcastle Hospital for several months during which he underwent several operations.^[4]

He was buried at Sandgate Cemetery.

Accolades

In February 2008, Narvo was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.^[5]^[6]

Also in 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Narvo was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century. He is also recognized the Newcastle Team of the Century in 2008.

Narvo,(back row far right) in the Newtown 1943 premiership team

Narvo, captn/coach (front row centre) in StGeorge's 1946 side

References

↑ ARL Annual Report 2005, page 53
↑ "Tigerish Grand Final in League". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. 1946-09-16. p. 10. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
↑ Walshaw, Nick (30 May 2008). "Enforcers being rubbed out of game". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 28 November 2012.
↑ Canberra Times. "Death Of Herb. Narvo" 29 July 1958 (page 3)
↑ Peter Cassidy (2008-02-23). "Controversy reigns as NRL releases top 100 players". Macquarie National News. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
↑ "Centenary of Rugby League - The Players". NRL & ARL. 2008-02-23. Retrieved 2008-02-23.

External links

Country Rugby League Team of the Century (1908-2007)

1. Clive Churchill 2. Brian Carlson 3. Michael Cronin 4. Graeme Langlands 5. Eddie Lumsden 6. Bob Fulton 7. Andrew Johns 8. Steve Roach 9. Ian Walsh 10. Glenn Lazarus 11. Herb Narvo 12. Bradley Clyde 13. Wally Prigg

Newcastle rugby league team of the century (1908-2007)

1. Clive Churchill 2. Eddie Lumsden 3. Ron Bailey 4. Brian Carlson 5. Johnny Graves 6. Bob Banks 7. Andrew Johns 8. Paul Harragon 9. Allan Buman 10. Jim Gibbs 11. Don Schofield 12. Herb Narvo 13. Wally Prigg (c) 14. John Sattler 15. Albert Paul 16. Matthew Gidley 17. Les Johns

Newtown Jets Team of the Century (1908-2007)

1. Gordon Clifford 2. Lionel Williamson 3. Dick Poole 4. Charles Russell 5. Len Smith 6. Bill Farnsworth 7. Keith Froome 8. Frank Farrell (c) 9. Arthur Folwell 10. Paddy McCue 11. Herb Narvo 12. Graham Wilson 13. Noel Mulligan 14. Phil Sigsworth 15. Brian Moore 16. Tony Brown 17. Felix Ryan 18. Paul Quinn Coach: Warren Ryan

Newtown Jets squad – 1943 NSWRFL Premiers (3rd title)

1 Tom Kirk 2 Sid Goodwin 3 Len Smith 4 Norm Jacobson 5 Bruce Ryan 6 Tom Nevin 7 Paddy Bugden 8 Gordon McLennan 9 Jimmy Brailey 10 Frank Farrell (c) 11 Keith Phillips 12 Herb Narvo 13 Charles Cahill Coach: Arthur Folwell

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