Banham is a one time Third Grade South Sydney premiership winning captain in 1933.
Banham was a South Sydney junior from Botany United, who was captain of the U21 Presidents Cup team in 1933. Banham had actually made his senior grade debut two years prior at 18 in the 1931 Round 3 Third Grade clash against Western Suburbs at the Sports Ground. The following year in 1932 he stepped up making his Reserve Grade debut against Eastern Suburbs in Round 6 at the Sports Ground.
Banham was a cleverest backs in the code, with a particularly good ability to open up the play for his supporting players.
Banham would then head to the country in 1934, spending two seasons in the bush before returning in 1936. He finally made his first grade debut in Round 1 1936 of the new Night Competition against Western Suburbs at the Sports Ground, in South Sydney first first grade game under lights. A few weeks later in Round 1 1936 he would make his first grade premiership debut against Eastern Suburbs at the Sports Ground.
In 1938 Banham was signed as a player-coach by the Auckland Rugby League. He would assist a number of clubs in his stay. Banham also represent Auckland and was selected as vice-captain for New Zealand in the 1939-40 Kiwi tour of England, which was cancelled after only 2 games due to the outbreak of WWII. With the outbreak of war, Banham headed home to rejoin South Sydney.
Banham played 7 seasons with South Sydney. He played 43 first grade games, which included 30 first grade premiership games and 11 first grade cup games. He played 67 senior grade games, which included 6 senior grade premiership games. Banham final first grade game was played in Round 1 of the 1941 Cup-Tie series against Group 10 in Lithgow.
Player Relatives
Brother - Banham, William (Juniors)
Representative Qualification
NSW City
New Zealand
Date of Birth
Glenbrook - 22nd September 1912 (Died - 1999)
South Sydney Junior Club
Botany United
Previous Clubs First Grade
M T G FG Pt
Bombala (1934)
Yenda (1935)
North Shore (Auckland) (1938) 5 2 - - 6 (Captain-Coach)
City Rovers (Auckland) (1938) 12 5 2 - 19 (Captain-Coach)
Newton (Auckland) (1938) 2 4 1 - 14 (guest)
Mt Albert (Auckland) (1939-40) 32 3 43 - 96 (Captain-Coach)
Military Service (1941) Army Private 1st Aust Infantary Brigade
Previous Rep Honours M T G FG Pt
Southern Monaro (1934)
Auckland Pakeha (1938-40) 4 3 - - 9
Auckland (1938) 1 1 - - 3
NZ Probables (1939) 2 1 - - 3
New Zealand (1939) 2 - - - - (1939-40 Kiwi tour of England - vc)
Playing Career at South Sydney (1931-33,36-37,41-42)
South Sydney First Grade Debut
1936 NF-01 SSG v Western Suburbs (23y 181d)
1936 Rd01 SSG v Eastern Suburbs (Premiership - 23y 204d)
First Grade
Premiership : (FG) City Cup : State Champiosnhip : Night Football Comp : Tour
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
1936 9 9 - 3 - - 9 : : : 2 2 - - - - - : 1 1 - - - - -
1937 7 7 - 2 - - 6 : 8 8 - 4 - - 12
1941 14 14 - 3 - - 9 : : 1 1 - - - - - : : 1 1 - - - - -
1942 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
TOTAL 30 30 - 8 - - 24 : 8 8 - 4 - - 12 : 1 1 - - - - - : 2 2 - - - - - : 2 2 - - - - -
SS FG 43 43 - 12 - - 36
South Sydney Senior Grade Debut
1931 Rd03 SSG v Wests (Third Grade)
1932 Rd06 SSG v Easts (Reserve Grade)
Lower Grades : Juniors
(RG) Premiership : (RG) City Cup : (3G) Premiership : (3G) City Cup : (U21) Presidents Cup
Year M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
1931 - - - - - - - : : 8 8 - 2 - - 6
1932 2 2 - - - - - : : 13 13 - 2 - - 6
1933 - - - - - - - : : 9 9 - 3 - - 9 : : 1 1 - - - - -
1936 - - - - - - - : : - - - - - - -
1937 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - - : - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1941 - - - - - - - : : - - - - - - -
1942 2 2 - - - - - : : - - - - - - -
TOTAL 4 4 - - - - - : - - - - - - - : 30 30 - 7 - - 21 : - - - - - - - : 1 1 - - - - -
South Sydney Senior(FG/RG/3G) Grade Career
Premiership : Cup : All Matches
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
CAREER 64 64 - 15 - - 45 : 11 11 - 4 - - 12 : 77 77 - 19 - - 57
Short Form
Short-Game Knockout
M S R T G/A FG Pts
1936 1 1 - - - - -
TOTAL 1 1 - - - - -
SS SF 1 1 - - - - -
Captaincy Record
South Sydney First Grade Captaincy Debut
1937 CC-01 SSG v University (24y)
1941 Rd01 SSG v Easts (Premiership - 28y)
First Grade : Lower Grades : Juniors
Year Premiership( W- D-L %) : Other( W- D-L %) : RG( W- D-L %) : 3G( W- D-L %) : U21( W- D-L %)
1932 : : : 8( 3- 1-4 38%) :
1933 : : : 7( 7- 0-0 100%) : 1( 0- 0-1 0%)
1937 : 5( 2- 0-3 40%) :
1941 14( 4- 0-10 29%) : 2( 1- 0-1 50%) :
TOTAL 14( 4- 0-10 29%) : 7( 3- 0-4 43%) : : 15( 10- 1-4 67%) : 1( 0- 0-1 0%)
SS FG 21( 7- 0-14 33%)
CAREER 35( 17- 1-18 50%)
Suspension Record at South Sydney
Year Grade v Wk CHARGE never
Representative Honours at South Sydney
Domestic CvC / Interstate : Tourists : Other
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
Sydney Colts 1936 : : 1 1 - - - - -
Sydney City II 1937 : : 1 1 - 3 - - 9
Sydney City 1937 1 1 - - - - - : :
Possibles 1937 : : 1 1 - 1 - - 3
TOTAL 4 4 - 4 - - 12
International
none
ALL REPS 4 4 - 4 - - 12
Year Pos Team Versus Match T G/A FG
1936 Half Sydney Colts v Lithgow - - -
1937 5/8 Sydney City II v NSW Country II 3 - -
1937 5/8 Sydney City v NSW Country 2nd Match - - -
1937 5/8 Possibles v Probables 1 - -
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