Max Gray
{{short description|Australian rugby league player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Max Gray
|fullname = Max Gray
|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|position = {{rlp|SR|LK}}
|club1 = Western Suburbs
|year1start = 1934
|year1end = 36, 1940
|appearances1 = 45
|tries1 = 7
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 21
}}
Max Gray was an Australian Rugby League footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played for Western Suburbs in the NSWRL competition.
Playing career
Gray made his first grade debut for Western Suburbs in Round 1 1934 against Balmain at Leichhardt Oval. In the same season, Western Suburbs went from wooden spooners in 1933 to winning the minor premiership and premiership in 1934.
The change in form was attributed to the fact that Western Suburbs lost players such as Frank McMillan and Alan Ridley who were away on tour with the Australian team when the club finished last but returned for the start of the 1934 season.
Gray played in the 1934 grand final victory over Eastern Suburbs at the Sydney Sports Ground. The final had been delayed for over a week due to heavy rain and Wests went into the match as underdogs with Easts boasting players such as future immortal David Brown, Viv Thicknesse, Ray Stehr, Andy Norval and Cliff Pearce. As of the 2019 season, no other team since Western Suburbs has come from last place to winning the premiership the following year.
Gray was captain-coach of West Wyalong when they won the 1938 Group 9 premiership.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185780457|title=Exciting Fights|newspaper=The West Wyalong Advocate |location=West Wyalong |date=13 Aug 1938 |accessdate=2 May 2020 |page=1 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185778326|title=Maher Cup|newspaper=The West Wyalong Advocate |location=West Wyalong |date=21 Jun 1938 |accessdate=2 May 2020 |page=1 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185779461|title=West Wyalong - Group 9 Premiers|newspaper=The West Wyalong Advocate |location=West Wyalong |date=2 Aug 1938 |accessdate=2 May 2020 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}
Gray returned to play with Western Suburbs for a season as captain-coach in 1940 before retiring.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76301583 |title=MAX GRAY PLAYER-COACH FOR WESTS. |newspaper=The Biz |date=11 April 1940 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/the-wooden-spoon-to-premier-gold-roosters-run-recalls-league-history-20100921-15lfu.html|title=The wooden spoon to premier gold? Roosters run recalls league history|first=Chris|last=Barrett|date=21 September 2010|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. (1995 edition) {{ISBN|1875169571}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Western Suburbs squad - 1934 NSWRFL premiers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Max}}
Category:Western Suburbs Magpies players
Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Rugby league second-rows
Category:Year of birth missing
Category:Place of birth missing
Category:Year of death missing
Category:Place of death missing
Category:Western Suburbs Magpies coaches
Category:Australian rugby league coaches
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