Bob Banks

{{Short description|Australia international rugby league footballer (1930–2024)}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

| name = Bobby Banks

| image =

| imagesize =

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| fullname = Robert Marjoribanks

| living =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|06|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Tumut, New South Wales, Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|07|10|1930|06|15|df=yes}}

| height =

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|retired =

| position = {{rlp|FE|CE}}

| club1 = Easts (Sydney)

| year1start = 1950

| year1end =

| appearances1 = 18

| tries1 = 5

| goals1 = 0

| fieldgoals1 = 0

| points1 = 15

|club2 = Charters Towers

|year2start = 1951

|year2end =

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|club3 = {{nowrap|Newtown (Toowoomba)}}

|year3start = 1952

|year3end = 58

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|club4 = Waratah Mayfield

|year4start = 1955

|year4end = 55

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|club5 = Rockhampton

|year5start = 1956

|year5end = 57

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|club6 = Cunnamulla

|year6start = 1959

|year6end = 60

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|club7 = Cairns

|year7start = 1961

|year7end = 62

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|club8 = Tully

|year8start = 1963

|year8end = 63

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| teamA = North Queensland

| yearAstart = 1951

| yearAend =

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| teamB = Queensland

| yearBstart = 1952

| yearBend = 62

| appearancesB = 26

| triesB = 1

| goalsB = 0

| fieldgoalsB = 0

| pointsB = 3

| teamC = Australia

| yearCstart = 1953

| yearCend = 62

| appearancesC = 15

| triesC = 2

| goalsC = 1

| fieldgoalsC = 0

| pointsC = 8

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| source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/bob-banks/summary.html Rugby League Project][http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=772 NRL Stats] {{Dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{AUS}} }}

}}

Robert Marjoribanks (15 June 1930 – 10 July 2024), known professionally as Bob Banks, was an Australian rugby league footballer, a Queensland state and national representative five-eighth, who made fourteen Test and nineteen other tour match appearances for the Australian national team between 1953 and 1962. He represented his adopted state of Queensland on twenty-six occasions during his career.

Early life

Banks was born in Tumut, New South Wales but in his childhood, he had relocated to the Newcastle area, from where his family originated, attending Hamilton Primary and Central High School, Newcastle where he represented in rugby league.{{cite web|url=http://collections.ncc.nsw.gov.au/keemu/pages/nrm/Display.php?irn%3D8225%26QueryPage%3D%2Fkeemu%2Fpages%2Fnrm%2Fnmuseum%2FQuery.php|title=Display|access-date=6 November 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425142933/http://collections.ncc.nsw.gov.au/keemu/pages/nrm/Display.php?irn=8225&QueryPage=%2Fkeemu%2Fpages%2Fnrm%2Fnmuseum%2FQuery.php|archive-date=25 April 2012 }} Banks at the Newcastle Sporting Hall of Fame He began his senior league career in the Newcastle competition before moving to Sydney in 1950 where he played with the Eastern Suburbs club.

Playing career

After his first top-grade season with Eastern Suburbs in 1950, Banks moved to Charters Towers in Queensland.[http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=7-2048-0-0-0&sID=75118&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=5710889§ionID=75118 Bob Banks at the Sporting Pulse homepage for Northern Division] While there he was selected to represent for Northern Queensland against France, the first touring French Test side to visit Australia. In 1952 he made his state representative debut for Queensland, establishing a place in the team until 1962.

Banks was selected for the national Australian team in 1953, touring New Zealand before playing in the 1954 Ashes series. Banks took part in three Ashes series - 1954, 1956–1957 and 1962 - and he also participated in the inaugural World Cup competition in 1954.

In 1959, Banks played in the Queensland victory over New South Wales that attracted 35,261 spectators, smashing Brisbane's previous record for an interstate match of 22,817.{{cite news|last=Goodman|first=Tom|title=Queensland beats N.S.W. in league by 17-15|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RYNWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6uQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7349,1130848|access-date=11 December 2011|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=28 May 1959}}

Banks captained Queensland for two years, 1959 and 1960. In 1953 he captain-coached Northern Queensland, winning the state competition. He retired in 1963.

The Gregory's reference published contemporaneously to his career, reports that he was not a speedy player, but a great field general, ball distributor and grand defender. Whilst equally at home at five-eighth or centre his teammates preferred him to occupy the pivot spot to benefit from his on-field organisational skills.{{cite book

| last = Pollard

| first = Jack

| title = Gregory's Guide to Rugby League

| publisher = Grenville Publishing

| year = 1965

| location = Australia

| id = p152

}}

On 24 October 2000, Banks was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his rugby league achievements.{{cite web|title=Robert Banks|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/971802|publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|access-date=6 January 2012|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000026/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=971802&search_type=advanced&showInd=true|url-status=live}}

In 2008, rugby league in Australia's centenary year, Banks was named at five-eighth in the Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century.{{cite news|last=Leslie|first=Cameron|title=Rugby League Team of the Century named|url=http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2008/08/21/team-of-greats-shows-depthof-south-west/|access-date=8 January 2012|newspaper=The Chronicle|date=21 August 2008}}

Death

Banks died on 10 July 2024, at the age of 94.[https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8693010/end-of-an-era-as-newcastle-rugby-league-legend-bobby-banks-dies/ End of an era as Newcastle rugby league legend Bobby Banks dies]{{Cite web |last=Shannon |first=Greg |date=2024-07-12 |title=Vale Bob Banks |url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2024/07/12/vale-bob-banks/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=Queensland Rugby League |language=en}}