Graham Olling
{{short description|Australia international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Graham Olling
|fullname = Graham Lindsay Olling
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1948|7|19}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|height =
|weight =
|retired = yes
|position = {{Rlp|PR}}
|year1start = 1972
|year1end = 74
|appearances1 = 14
|tries1 = 3
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 9
|club2 = Parramatta Eels
|year2start = 1975
|year2end = 80
|appearances2 = 88
|tries2 = 11
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 33
|club3 = Temora
|year3start = 1981
|year3end =
|appearances3 =
|tries3 =
|goals3 =
|fieldgoals3 =
|points3 =
|teamA = New South Wales
|yearAstart = 1977
|yearAend = 78
|appearancesA = 3
|triesA = 1
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 3
|teamB = Australia
|yearBstart = 1978
|yearBend =
|appearancesB = 6
|triesB = 0
|goalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 0
|teamC = Country NSW
|yearCstart = 1981
|yearCend =
|appearancesC = 1
|triesC = 0
|goalsC = 0
|fieldgoalsC = 0
|pointsC = 0
| coachteam1 = Redcliffe Dolphins
| coachyear1start = 1988
| coachyear1end = 89
| coachwins1 =
| coachdraws1 =
| coachlosses1 =
|updated = 27 February 2024
|source =
}}
Graham Olling is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. An Australia international and New South Wales interstate representative forward, he played his club football mainly in Sydney's NSWRFL Premiership for Parramatta and Eastern Suburbs.{{cite web|title=Graeme Olling |url=http://stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/G/Graeme_Olling.html |work=Rugby League Tables |publisher=stats.rleague.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717053512/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/G/Graeme_Olling.html |archivedate=17 July 2014 |df=dmy-all }}
Playing career
A Parramatta junior, Olling won a Second Division premiership with Wentworthville in 1971 before entering the NSWRFL Premiership with the Eastern Suburbs club the following year.{{cite web|last=Whiticker|first=Alan|title=Graeme Olling|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/graeme-olling/summary.html|work=rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates|accessdate=2 January 2012}} There he played for three seasons before moving back to Parramatta.{{cite web|title=Graham Olling |url=http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Graham-Olling_6332.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231031400/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Graham-Olling_6332.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 December 2012 |work=Yesterday's Hero |publisher=Smartpack International |accessdate=2 January 2012 }} At the end of the 1976 NSWRFL season he was part of a forward pack which included Ray Higgs, Geoff Gerard, Ron Hilditch, Denis Fitzgerald and Ray Price, which lost the Eels' maiden grand final 13–10 to Manly-Warringah.{{cite news|last=Howlett|first=Scott|title=The guys were copping a pounding, but they didn't stop|url=http://parramatta-advertiser.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/the-guys-were-copping-a-pounding-but-they-didnt-stop/|accessdate=2 January 2012|newspaper=Parramatta Advertiser|date=3 October 2009}} The following year he played in the drawn grand final with St. George and its replay.
In 1977 Olling made headlines when he became the first rugby league player to admit to taking anabolic steroids.{{cite news|last=Curtin|first=Jennie|title=Simply the Best|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&docID=news980713_0529_7766|accessdate=2 January 2012|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=11 July 1998}} It was a six-week course taken under medical supervision in the off-season and was not illegal at the time.{{cite news|last=Heads|first=Ian|title=Risk vs reward|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&docID=news980624_0476_1739|accessdate=2 January 2012|newspaper=The Sun-Herald|date=21 June 1998}} During 1978 he was selected to play for New South Wales against Queensland and then became Kangaroo No. 506{{cite web|title=Kangaroos Register |url=http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php |work=australianrugbyleague.com.au |publisher=ARL |accessdate=2 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927000601/http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php |archivedate=27 September 2011 |df=dmy-all }} when he made his international début against the visiting New Zealand side. At the end of that season Olling was selected to go on the 1978 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, playing in Test matches against both nations. A broken leg reduced the amount of football Olling played in 1980 and he left Sydney.
Coaching career
Olling captain-coached Temora in 1981. He later moved to Brisbane and replaced Darryl van der Velde as coach the Redcliffe Dolphins, spending the 1988 and 1989 seasons in the role.{{cite web|title=First Grade Captains and Coaches|url=http://www.redcliffedolphins.com.au/index.php?id=505|work=redcliffedolphins.com.au|publisher=Redcliffe Dolphins|accessdate=2 January 2012}} He was then replaced by Mark Murray.
References
{{reflist}}
{{1973 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{1978 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olling, Graham}}
Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen
Category:Australia national rugby league team players
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Australian sportspeople in doping cases
Category:Country New South Wales rugby league team players
Category:Doping cases in Australian rugby league
Category:Doping cases in rugby league
Category:New South Wales rugby league team players
Category:Parramatta Eels players
Category:Redcliffe Dolphins coaches
Category:Rugby league players from Sydney