Col Geelan

{{short description|Australia international rugby league footballer and coach}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}

{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Col Geelan

|fullname = Stanley Colin Geelan

|birth_date = {{birth date|1927|03|11|df=y}}

|birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

|death_date = {{death date and age|1996|05|11|1927|03|11|df=y}}

|death_place = Bawley Point, New South Wales, Australia

|retired = yes

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

|club1 = Newtown

|year1start = 1948

|year1end = 54

|appearances1 = 75

|tries1 = 32

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 96

|club2 = {{nowrap|Canterbury-Bankstown}}

|year2start = 1956

|year2end = 57

|appearances2 = 32

|tries2 = 2

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 6

|teamA = Australia

|yearAstart = 1951

|yearAend = 53

|appearancesA = 8

|triesA = 4

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 12

|teamB = New South Wales

|yearBstart = 1952

|yearBend = 54

|appearancesB = 3

|triesB = 1

|goalsB = 0

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 3

|coachteam1 = Newtown

|coachyear1start = 1954

|coachyear1end =

|coachgames1 = 20

|coachwins1 = 15

|coachdraws1 = 2

|coachlosses1 = 3

|coachteam2 = {{nowrap|Canterbury-Bankstown}}

|coachyear2start = 1957

|coachyear2end =

|coachgames2 = 18

|coachwins2 = 3

|coachdraws2 = 1

|coachlosses2 = 14

| module = {{infobox person

| embed = yes

| father =

| mother =

| spouse =

| education =

| alma_mater =

| relatives = Allen Geelan (son)

}}

}}

Stanley Colin (Col) Geelan (1927–1996)[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/col-geelan/summary.html Rugby league project profile] was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach.

Career

A Newtown Junior, Geelan started his career at Newtown in 1948, but then spent the 1949 season at Gunnedah before returning in 1950. He played five-eight and centre during his career.

He played five seasons for Newtown between 1950 and 1954 playing over 75 first grade games, then captain-coached Rockhampton, Queensland in 1955.

He returned to Sydney to captain Canterbury-Bankstown in 1956, and he captain-coached them in 1957 before retiring.{{cite web|url=http://thebulldogs.com.au/sportal.php?page=player&id=219|title=BULLDOGS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB – OFFICIAL WEBSITE|website=thebulldogs.com.au}}

Representative career

Col Geelan also represented New South Wales in three games between 1952 and 1954. He was selected for Australia on 8 occasions between 1951 and 1953 including the 1952/53 Kangaroo Tour. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No.287.ARL Annual Report 2005, page 53

He was appointed player-coach of Newtown in 1954 and they won the minor premiership but he missed the Grand Final through injury.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12640264?searchTerm=geelan Geelan becomes Newtown Coach]Rugby League Project- Col Geelan

Geelan died on 11 May 1996, age 69 at his home in Bawley Point, New South Wales.

References