John Thorley

George M. John Thorley (birth registered third ¼ 1927– 12 July 2005 (aged 78)) born in Mountain Ash, was a Welsh rugby union and World Cup winning professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for Glamorgan, and at club level Neath RFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, Wales and Other Nationalities, and at club level for Halifax (Heritage № 645) and Dewsbury, as a prop, i.e. number 8 or 10, during the era of contested scrums, he died in Wheatley, Halifax.

International honours

John Thorley won caps for Other Nationalities (RL) while at Halifax circa-1952…60 2-caps, won caps for Wales (RL) while at Halifax 1953…1959 (2?)3-caps, and won caps for Great Britain (RL) while at Halifax in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup against Australia, France, New Zealand, and France.

John Thorley played left-prop, i.e. number 8, in all four of Great Britain's 1954 Rugby League World Cup matches, including Great Britain's 16-12 victory over France in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup Final at Parc des Princes, Paris on 13 November 1954.

John Thorley also represented Great Britain while at Halifax between 1952 and 1956 against France (1 non-Test match).

Challenge Cup Final appearances

John Thorley played left-prop, i.e. number 8, in Halifax's 4-4 draw with Warrington in the 1953–54 Challenge Cup Final during the 1953–54 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 24 April 1954, in front of a crowd of 81,841, and played left-prop in the 4-8 defeat by Warrington in the 1953–54 Challenge Cup Final replay during the 1953–54 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Wednesday 5 May 1954, in front of a record crowd of 102,575 or more.

Club career

John Thorley played his last game for Dewsbury against Halifax at Thrum Hall, Halifax.

John Thorley is a Halifax Hall Of Fame Inductee.

John Thorley's marriage to Avona M. (née Rathmell (birth registered during third ¼ 1931 (age 88–89) in Pontypridd district)), a teacher and active in the British Polio Fellowship, was registered during fourth ¼ 1952 in Pontypridd district. They had children; Steven M. S. Thorley (birth registered during third ¼ 1953 (age 66–67) in Calder district), and Elizabeth Anna Thorley (birth registered during fourth ¼ 1954 (age 65–66) in Halifax district).

After retiring from playing, John Thorley became a keen supporter of Halifax, he also took up golf and was a member of Halifax West End Golf Club [1] for more than 30 years, was involved in the Welsh Rugby League Past Players organisation, was deputy churchwarden at Halifax Parish Church, and spent a lot of time holidaying with his wife in the south of France.