Frank Curry
Australian rugby league footballer and coach (1950–2022)
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Francis Michael Curry | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1950-05-02)2 May 1950 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 15 May 2022(2022-05-15) (aged 72) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 78 kg (12 st 4 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Frank Curry Jr. (2 May 1950 − 15 May 2022) was an Australian rugby league player and coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs club.
Biography
A local Souths junior, Curry played his junior career with Zetland United, Moore Park Broncos, and Mascot Jets, He was signed by Souths in 1970. The following season, Curry joined Collegians in the Illawarra Rugby League competition. After 2 seasons with Collegians, Curry returned to South Sydney in 1973. He made his first grade debut in his side's 29−20 loss to Canterbury-Bankstown at Belmore Sports Ground in round 4 of the 1973 season. In Curry's lone season of first grade, he only managed to play four first grade games.[3]
After his playing career ended, Curry coached Waterloo Waratahs in Souths' junior league competition. In 1986, Curry took over coaching Souths in the Presidents Cup competition. In his first season, Souths would end up being victorious in the 1986 Presidents Cup grand final after their 13−0 victory over the Penrith Panthers. In 1988, he became Souths' reserve grade coach, a position which he held until the end of the 1990 season.
After coaching Souths in the lower grades for five seasons, Curry stepped into the fire when he took over the first grade post from long-serving Souths coach George Piggins in 1991. Despite working diligently with a young Souths outfit which included players such as; Mark Carroll, Craig Field, Sean Garlick, Darren Maroon, Rod Maybon, Paul Mellor, John Minto, Jim Serdaris, Manoa Thompson, and Darrell Trindall, Curry's stint as coach was a troubled period in the club's history, plagued with dramas both on and off the field. In all three of Curry's seasons at the helm, Souths won only 20 games and finished all three seasons in 14th position. Curry stood down as first grade coach at the end of the 1993 season. He was subsequently replaced by former South Sydney player and coach Bob McCarthy who would ultimately be replaced by Ken Shine after McCarthy himself stood down from the coaching role after round 3 of the 1994 season.
He died on 15 May 2022, aged 72.[4]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Piggins 1986−1990 | Coach South Sydney 1991−1993 | Succeeded by Bob McCarthy 1994 |
References
- ^ "Frank Curry Jnr - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". Rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Frank Curry Jnr - Summary - Rugby League Project". Rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Player Report - Frank Curry Jnr". Ssralmanac.com. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Vale Frank Curry". South Sydney Rabbitohs. 15 May 2022.
