Men's Captains

A list of those who have been the regular (and stand-in)
captain of the Roosters' first grade team, together with many
significant captaincy statistics.

Last Update: 31st December, 2025

Roosters First Grade Captains
Season	Captain	Primary Stand-In
1908	Harry 'Jersey' Flegg (RD 1 - 6) Dally Messenger (RD 7 - FN) <	Lou Jones Harry 'Jersey' Flegg
1909	Harry 'Jersey' Flegg (RD 1) Albert Rosenfeld (RD 2 - 5) Arthur Hennessy (RD 6 - SF)	Sandy Pearce
1910	Dally Messenger	Dan Frawley
1911	Dally Messenger	Dan Frawley
1912	Dally Messenger	Dan Frawley
1913	Dally Messenger	Dan Frawley
1914	Dan Frawley	Larry O'Malley
1915	Dan Frawley (RD 1 - 6) Sandy Pearce (RD 7 - 14)	Sandy Pearce Jack 'Bluey' Watkins
1916	Jack 'Bluey' Watkins	Sandy Pearce
1917	Les Cubitt	Sandy Pearce
1918	Jim Duffy	Sandy Pearce
1919	Ray Norman	Sandy Pearce
1920	Ray Norman	Sandy Pearce
1921	Ray Norman	Harry Caples
1922	Harry Caples	Jack 'Bluey' Watkins
1923	Harry Caples	Jack 'Bluey' Watkins
1924	Jack 'Bluey' Watkins	Sid Kaufmann
1925	Bill Ives	George Boddington
1926	Jack 'Bluey' Watkins	Les Steel
1927	George Boddington	Les Steel
1928	Arthur Toby	Les Steel
1929	Harry Caples * (RD 1 -3) Arthur Oxford (RD 4 - 18)	Arthur Oxford Joe 'Chimpy' Busch
1930	Joe 'Chimpy' Bush	Nelson Hardy
1931	Norm Pope	Dick Brown
1932	Dave Brown	Joe Pearce
1933	Joe Pearce	Les Rogers
1934	Dave Brown	Ernie Norman
1935	Dave Brown	Viv Thicknesse
1936	Dave Brown	Viv Thicknesse
1937	Viv Thicknesse	Jack Beaton
1938	Jack Beaton (RD 1 - 2) Ray Stehr (RD 3 - FN)	Ray Stehr Joe Pearce
1939	Ray Stehr	Dave Brown
1940	Dave Brown *	Ray Stehr
1941	Ray Stehr	Dave Brown
1942	Joe Pearce * (RD 1) Ray Stehr (RD 2 - FN)	Ray Stehr Harry Pierce
1943	Harry Pierce	Jack Arnold
1944	Harry Pierce (RD 1 -7) Wally O'Connell (RD 8 - 14)	Wally O'Connell Alan Schafer
1945	Ray Stehr	Wally O'Connell
1946	Ray Stehr *	Wally O'Connell
1947	Sel Lisle (RD 1- 5) Wally O'Connell (RD 6 - 18)	Wally O'Connell Dick Dunn
1948	Jack Arnold (RD 1 -7) Paul Tierney (RD 8 - 18)	Paul Tierney Sid Hobson
1949	Paul Tierney (RD 1 - 11) Sid Hobson (RD 12 - 18)	Sid Hobson Mick Phelan
1950	Mick Phelan (RD 1 - 4) Jack McPherson (RD 5 - 18)	Jack McPherson Vince Soorley
1951	Alan Cook	Col Donohoe
1952	Col Donohoe	Ray Thomas
1953	Col Donhoe *	Ferris Ashton
1954	Ferris Ashton *	Ray Thomas
1955	Noel Pidding	Ray Thomas
1956	Tony Paskins	Noel Pidding
1957	Tony Paskins	Rupert Mudge
1958	Tony Paskins	Barry O'Connell
1959	Barry O'Connell (RD 1 - 4) Terry Fearnley (RD 5 - 18)	Terry Fearnley Billy McNamarra
1960	Gordon Clifford (RD 1 - 4) Terry Fearnley (RD 5 - GF)	Terry Fearnley Jack Gibson
1961	Terry Fearnley ^	Jack Gibson
1962	Terry Fearnley	Dick See
1963	Terry Fearnley	Dick See
1964	Nat Silcock *	Frank Drake
1965	Frank Drake (RD 1 - 10) Peter Gallagher (RD 11 - 18)	Peter Gallagher Terry Matthews
1966	Ron Saddler (RD 1 - 8) Gwyl Barnes (RD 9 - 18)	Gwyl Barnes Ken Ashcroft
1967	Ken McMullen (RD 1) Jim Matthews (RD 2 - SF)	Jim Matthews Kevin Junee
1968	Jim Matthews	Kevin Junee
1969	Louis Neumann *	Kevin Junee
1970	John Brass	Kevin Junee
1971	John Brass (RD 1 - 6) Kevin Junee (RD 7 - 22)	Kevin Junee Jim Morgan
1972	Ron Coote	Jim Morgan
1973	Ron Coote	John Brass
1974	Arthur Beetson	John Brass
1975	Arthur Beetson	John Brass
1976	Arthur Beetson	John Brass
1977	Arthur Beetson *	Bob Fulton
1978	Arthur Beetson *	Bob Fulton
1979	Bob Fulton *	Bob O'Reilly
1980	Royce Ayliffe	Kevin Hastings
1981	Royce Ayliffe	Kevin Hastings
1982	Royce Ayliffe	Kevin Hastings
1983	Kevin Hastings	Marty Gurr
1984	Rowland Beckett (RD 1 - 19) Shane McKellar (RD 20 - 25)	Shane McKellar Rowland Beckett
1985	Dave Brown (RD 1) Kevin Hastings (RD 2 - 10) John Mackay (RD 11 - 14) John Tobin (RD 15 - 26)	Kevin Hastings John Mackay Ron Gibbs Hugh McGahan
1986	Kevin Hastings (RD 1 - 10) Hugh McGahan (RD 11 - 26)	John Tobin Kevin Hastings
1987	Hugh McGahan	David Trewhella
1988	Hugh McGahan	Pat Jarvis
1989	Hugh McGahan (RD 1 - 8) Trevor Gillmeister (RD 9 - 22)	Trevor Gillmeister David Trewhella
1990	Trevor Gillmeister (RD 1 -3) Paul Vautin (RD 4 - 16) Hugh McGahan * (R17 - 22)	Paul Vautin Hugh McGahan Trevor Gillmeister
1991	Hugh McGahan	David Trewhella
1992	Craig Salvatori	Gary Freeman
1993	Craig Salvatori	Gary Freeman
1994	Craig Salvatori	Brendan Hall
1995	Craig Salvatori (RD 1 - 5) Sean Garlick (RD 6 - 22)	David O'Donnell
1996	Sean Garlick	Brad Fittler
1997	Brad Fittler	Sean Garlick
1998	Brad Fittler	Adrian Lam
1999	Brad Fittler	Adrian Lam
2000	Brad Fittler	Adrian Lam
2001	Brad Fittler	Luke Ricketson
2002	Brad Fittler	Luke Ricketson
2003	Brad Fittler	Luke Ricketson
2004	Brad Fittler	Luke Ricketson
2005	Luke Ricketson	Craig Fitzgibbon
2006	Craig Fitzgibbon	Ashley Harrison
2007	Craig Fitzgibbon	Ashley Harrison
2008	Craig Fitzgibbon (RD 1 - 24) Braith Anasta (R25 - SF)	Braith Anasta Craig Fitzgibbon
2009	Braith Anasta	Craig Fitzgibbon
2010	Braith Anasta	Anthony Minichiello
2011	Braith Anasta	Anthony Minichiello
2012	Braith Anasta	Anthony Minichiello
2013	Anthony Minichiello	Boyd Cordner
2014	Anthony Minichiello	Boyd Cordner
2015	Mitchell Pearce/Jake Friend	Boyd Cordner/Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
2016	Jake Friend	Boyd Cordner
2017	Jake Friend/Boyd Cordner	Mitchell Aubusson/Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
2018	Jake Friend/Boyd Cordner	Cooper Cronk/Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
2019	Jake Friend/Boyd Cordner	Cooper Cronk/Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
2020	Jake Friend/Boyd Cordner	Mitchell Aubusson/Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
2021	Jake Friend (RD 1) James Tedesco (RD 2 - SF)	James Tedesco Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
2022	James Tedesco	Luke Keary
2023	James Tedesco	Luke Keary
2024	James Tedesco	Luke Keary
2025	James Tedesco	Victor Radley
* Captain/Coach ^ Coach for the first 10 matches of the season < 1908 round numbers can vary by publication/website. The Roosters recognise the 1908 home and away season rounds (by date) as follows: 20/04 (R1), 25/04 (R2), 9/05 (R3), 16/05 (R4), 23/05 (R5), 30/05 (R6), 13/06, 20/06 (R7), 27/06 (R8), 4/07 (R9), 25/07 (R10), 8/08 (R11)

Most Games As First Grade Captain
Captain	Games As Captain	Roosters Career Span *	Primary Captaincy Years	All Captaincy Years
Brad Fittler	199	1996 - 2004	1997 - 2004	1996 - 2004
Jake Friend	121	2008 - 2021	2015 - 2021	2015 - 2021
James Tedesco	117	2018 -	2021 -	2021 -
Braith Anasta	98	2006 - 2012	2008 - 2012	2008 - 2012
Ray Stehr	85	1929 - 1942, 1945 - 1946 ^	1938 - 1939, 1941 - 1942, 1945 - 1946	1938 - 1942, 1945 - 1946
Arthur Beetson	83	1971 - 1978	1974 - 1978	1974 - 1978
Terry Fearnley	77	1954 - 1955, 1957 - 1964 <	1959 - 1963	1959 - 1964
Boyd Cordner	74	2011 - 2020	2017 - 2020	2013, 2017 - 2020
Craig Fitzgibbon	71	2000 - 2009	2006 - 2008	2005 - 2009
Hugh McGahan	69	1985 - 1991	1986 - 1991	1985 - 1991
Royce Ayliffe	67	1976 - 1983	1980 - 1982	1980 - 1982
Dave Brown	61	1930 - 1936, 1939 - 1941 >	1932, 1934 - 1936, 1940	1932, 1934 - 1936, 1939 - 1941
Kevin Hastings	58	1976 - 1987	1983, 1985 - 1986	1980 - 1987
Anthony Minichiello	54	2000 - 2014	2013 - 2014	2009 - 2010, 2012 - 2014
* Denotes Roosters first grade career span ^ Served In World War II (1943 - 1944) > Missed the entire 1936 and 1937 premiership seasons due to playing commitments with Warrington < Played In Wollongong (1956)

Premiership Winning Captains
Season	Captain
1911	Dally Messenger
1912	Dally Messenger
1913	Dally Messenger
1923	Harry Caples
1935	Viv Thicknesse *
1936	Dave Brown
1937	Viv Thicknesse
1940	Ray Stehr *
1945	Ray Stehr
1974	Arthur Beetson
1975	Arthur Beetson
2002	Brad Fittler
2013	Anthony Minichiello
2018	Jake Friend/Boyd Cordner
2019	Jake Friend/Boyd Cordner
* Stand-in Captain for the injured Dave Brown

Multiple Premiership Winning Captains
Captain	Titles As Captain	Premiership Seasons
Dally Messenger	3	1911	1912	1913
Viv Thicknesse	2				1935 *	1937
Ray Stehr	2						1940 *	1945
Arthur Beetson	2								1974	1975
Boyd Cordner #	2										2018	2019
Jake Friend #	2										2018	2019
* Stand-in Captain for the injured Dave Brown # Co-Captain

Sydney Roosters Captain's Honour Roll
No.	Player	Plyr No. <	Debut Game As Captain	Stand-In For	Commenced As Regular Captain	Matches As Captain	Matches As Regular Captain
1	Harry 'Jersey' Flegg	1	Round 1, 1908		Round 1, 1909	9	5
2	Dally Messenger	18	Round 7, 1908 *		Round 7, 1908 *	48	48
3	Lou Jones	7	Round 9, 1908 *	Dally Messenger	-	1	-
4	Horrie Miller	15	Round 2, 1909	Albert Rosenfeld	-	2	-
5	Albert Rosenfeld	11	Round 3, 1909		Round 2, 1909	3	3
6	Sandy Pearce	10	Round 6, 1909	Arthur Hennessy	Round 7, 1915	18	8
7	Arthur Hennessy	35	Round 8, 1909		Round 6, 1909	3	3
8	Dan Frawley	5	Round 6, 1910	Dally Messenger	Round 1, 1914	27	16
9	Larry 'Jersey' O'Malley	9	Round 13, 1912	Dally Messenger	-	4	-
10	Jack 'Bluey' Watkins	66	Round 1, 1916		Round 1, 1916	35	29
11	Les Cubitt	67	Round 8, 1916	Jack 'Bluey' Watkins	Round 1, 1917	13	12
12	Jim Duffy	79	Round 1, 1918		Round 1, 1918	14	14
13	Ray Norman	92	Round 1, 1919		Round 1, 1919	27	27
14	Charlie Lees	54	Round 5, 1919	Ray Norman	-	3	-
15	Harry Caples	86	Round 5, 1921	Ray Norman	Round 1, 1922	32	30
16	Sid Kaufmann	103	Round 7, 1924	Jack 'Bluey' Watkins	-	2	-
17	Bill Ives	124	Round 1, 1925		Round 1, 1925	9	9
18	George Boddington	133	Round 5, 1925	Bill Ives	Round 1, 1927	19	17
19	Les Steel	129	Round 6, 1925	Bill Ives	-	8	-
20	Arthur Toby	165	Round 1, 1928		Round 1, 1928	14	14
21	Arthur Oxford	127	Round 4, 1929		Round 4, 1929	13	13
22	Joe 'Chimpy' Busch	184	Round 1, 1930		Round 1, 1930	12	12
23	Nelson Hardy	152	Round 4, 1930	Joe 'Chimpy' Busch	-	1	-
24	Hugh Byrne	157	Round 5, 1930	Joe 'Chimpy' Busch	-	1	-
25	Gordon Fletcher	185	Round 9, 1930	Joe 'Chimpy' Busch	-	1	-
26	Norm Pope	172	Round 1, 1931		Round 1, 1931	14	14
27	Dick Brown	173	Round 7, 1931	Norm Pope	-	2	-
28	Dave Brown	202	Round 1, 1932		Round 1, 1932	61	59
29	Joe Pearce	193	Round 8, 1932	Dave Brown	Round 1, 1933	12	7
30	Les Rogers	200	Round 11, 1932	Dave Brown	-	10	-
31	Ernie Norman	206	Semi Final, 1933	Joe Pearce	-	3	-
32	Viv Thicknesse	210	Round 9, 1935	Dave Brown	Round 1, 1937	12	8
33	Tom Dowling	224	Round 6, 1936	Dave Brown	-	3	-
34	Jack Beaton	232	Round 1, 1938		Round 1, 1938	2	2
35	Ray Stehr	190	Round 3, 1938		Round 3, 1938	85	76
36	Harry Pierce	235	Round 6, 1942	Ray Stehr	Round 1, 1943	23	20
37	Jack Arnold	250	Round 3, 1943	Harry Pierce	Round 1, 1948	8	7
38	Allan Schafer	311	Round 8, 1944	Wally O'Connell	-	2	-
39	Wally O'Connell	280	Round 10, 1944		Round 8, 1944	21	17
40	Sel Lisle	273	Round 7, 1945	Ray Stehr	-	6	-
41	Dick Dunn	253	Round 14, 1947	Wally O'Connell	-	1	-
42	Paul Tierney	294	Round 8, 1948		Round 8, 1948	15	15
43	Sid Hobson	308	Round 9, 1948	Paul Tierney	Round 12, 1949	12	10
44	Brian Holmes	333	Round 17, 1948	Paul Tierney	-	2	-
45	John 'Mick' Phelan	360	Round 1, 1950		Round 1, 1950	4	4
46	Jack McPherson	373	Round 5, 1950		Round 5, 1950	11	11
47	Vince Soorley	372	Round 16, 1950	Jack McPherson	-	3	-
48	Alan Cook	376	Round 1, 1951		Round 1, 1951	15	15
49	Col Donohoe	362	Round 15, 1951	Alan Cook	Round 1, 1952	29	26
50	Brian Horne	383	Round 5, 1952	Col Donohoe	-	1	-
51	Ray Thomas	393	Round 8, 1952	Col Donohoe	-	12	-
52	Tommy Kaine	281	Round 12, 1952	Col Donohoe	-	1	-
53	Charlie Banks	381	Round 13, 1952	Col Donohoe	-	1	-
54	Ken Hunter	354	Round 11, 1953	Col Donohoe	-	1	-
55	Ferrris Ashton	374	Round 1, 1954		Round 1, 1954	14	14
56	Danny Byrnes	396	Round 18, 1954	Ferris Ashton	-	1	-
57	Noel Pidding	438	Round 1, 1955		Round 1, 1955	19	16
58	Tony Paskins	449	Round 1, 1956		Round 1, 1956	47	47
59	Robert Mudge	448	Round 2, 1957	Tony Paskins	-	3	-
60	Barry O'Connell	466	Round 11, 1958	Tony Paskins	Round 1, 1959	5	4
61	Terry Fearnley	430	Round 5, 1959		Round 5, 1959	77	75
62	Billy McNamara	478	Round 17, 1959	Terry Fearnley	-	2	-
63	Gordon Clifford	501	Round 1, 1960		Round 1, 1960	4	4
64	Dick See	462	Round 12, 1960	Terry Fearnley	-	3	-
65	Jack Gibson	418	Round 17, 1960	Terry Fearnley	-	7	-
66	Nat Silcock	547	Round 3, 1964		Round 1, 1964	13	13
67	Frank Drake	546	Round 2, 1964	Nat Silcock	Round 1, 1965	9	6
68	Terry Matthews	535	Round 1, 1965	Frank Drake	-	1	-
69	Peter Dickenson	541	Round 2, 1965	Frank Drake	-	1	-
70	Peter Gallagher	509	Round 3, 1965	Frank Drake	Round 11, 1965 ^	10	9
71	Ron Saddler	529	Round 1, 1966		Round 1, 1966	9	6
72	Gwyl Barnes	550	Round 2, 1966	Ron Saddler	Round 9, 1966	10	9
73	Ken Ashcroft	476	Round 17, 1966	Gwyl Barnes	-	1	-
74	Ken McMullen	548	Round 5, 1966	Ron Saddler	Round 1, 1967	2	1
75	Jim Matthews	543	Round 2, 1967		Round 2, 1967	42	42
76	Kevin Junee	542	Round 11, 1968	Jim Matthews	Round 7, 1971	15	7
77	Geoff Chambers	571	Round 18, 1968	Jim Matthews	-	6	-
78	Louis Neumann	572	Round 1, 1969		Round 1, 1969	11	11
79	John Brass	595	Round 1, 1970		Round 1, 1970	40	29
80	Jim Morgan	607	Round 12, 1971	Kevin Junee	-	13	-
81	Ron Coote	625	Round 1, 1972		Round 1, 1972	38	37
82	Peter Moscatt	589	Round 11, 1972	Ron Coote	-	1	-
83	Arthur Beetson	615	Round 1, 1974		Round 1, 1974	83	83
84	Mark Harris	608	Round 12, 1974	Arthur Beetson	-	2	-
85	Bob Fulton	675	Round 10,1977	Arthur Beetson	Round 1, 1979	30	8
86	Bob O'Reilly	683	Round 10, 1978	Arthur Beetson	-	16	-
87	Royce Ayliffe	663	Round 1, 1980		Round 1, 1980	67	67
88	Kevin Hastings	674	Round 21, 1980		Round 1, 1983	58	41
89	Marty Gurr	698	Round 15, 1983	Kevin Hastings	-	1	-
90	Rowland Beckett	760	Round 1, 1984		Round 1, 1984	11	11
91	John Mackay	671	Round 3, 1984	Rowland Beckett	Round 11, 1985	5	2
92	Alan Neil	739	Round 4, 1984	Rowland Beckett	-	1	-
93	Shane McKellar	768	Round 15, 1984	Rowland Beckett	Round 20, 1984	7	4
94	Mark Beaven	759	Round 23, 1984	Shane McKellar	-	1	-
95	Dave J. Brown	719	Round 1, 1985		Round 1, 1985	2	1
96	Ron Gibbs	746	Round 11, 1985	John Mackay	-	2	-
97	Hugh McGahan	781	Round 16, 1985	John Tobin	Round 11, 1986	69	67
98	John Tobin	687	Round 17, 1985		Round 15, 1985	9	8
99	Steve Hardy	774	Round 18. 1985	John Tobin	-	1	-
100	David Trewhella	802	Round 20, 1987	Hugh McGahan	-	12	-
101	Tony Melrose	801	Round 26, 1987	Hugh McGahan	-	1	-
102	Pat Jarvis	838	Round 11, 1988	Hugh McGahan	-	11	-
103	Trevor Gillmeister	799	Round 1, 1989	Hugh McGahan	Round 9, 1989	18	16
104	Gary Bridge	828	Round 29, 1989	Trevor Gillmeister	-	1	-
105	Paul Vautin	861	Round 4, 1990		Round 4, 1990	15	13
106	Craig Salvatori	804	Round 1, 1992		Round 1, 1992	35	35
107	Gary Freeman	885	Round 7, 1992	Craig Salvatori	-	12	-
108	Brendan Hall	813	Round 14, 1992	Craig Salvatori	-	18	-
109	Nigel Gaffey	886	Round 11, 1993	Craig Salvatori	-	4	-
110	David O'Donnell	929	Round 4, 1995	Craig Salvatori	-	3	-
111	Sean Garlick	921	Round 6, 1995		Round 6, 1995	38	36
112	Brad Fittler	948	Round 10, 1996		Round 1, 1997	199	196
113	Tony Iro	914	Round 11, 1996	Sean Garlick	-	1	-
114	Darren Junee	933	Round 3, 1997	Brad Fittler	-	1	-
115	Adrian Lam	920	Round 13, 1997	Brad Fittler	-	3	-
116	Quentin Pongia	981	Round 14, 1999	Brad Fittler	-	4	-
117	Ivan Cleary	946	Round 18, 1999	Brad Fittler	-	1	-
118	Luke Ricketson	884	Round 14, 2000	Brad Fittler	Round 1, 2005	29	21
119	Bryan Fletcher	970	Round 11, 2001	Brad Fittler	-	1	-
120	Peter Cusack	979	Round 5, 2002	Brad Fittler	-	1	-
121	Craig Fitzgibbon	989	Round 13, 2005	Luke Ricketson	Round 1, 2006	71	59
122	Ashley Harrison	1056	Round 6, 2006	Craig Fitzgibbon	-	3	-
123	Braith Anasta	1055	Round 10, 2008	Craig Fitzgibbon	Round 25, 2008	98	91
124	Mark O'Meley	1079	Round 16, 2008	Craig Fitzgibbon	-	1	-
125	Anthony Minichiello	994	Round 20, 2009	Braith Anasta	Round 1, 2013	54	51
126	Mitchell Aubusson	1067	Round 1, 2012	Braith Anasta	-	7	-
127	Boyd Cordner	1119	Round 22, 2013	Anthony Minichiello	Round 1, 2017	74	73
128	Jared Waerea-Hargreaves	1105	Round 23, 2013	Anthony Minichiello	-	12	-
129	Mitchell Pearce	1072	Round 1, 2017		Round 1, 2017	21	21
130	Jake Friend	1083	Round 6, 2017		Round 1, 2017	121	121
131	Cooper Cronk	1174	Round 10, 2019	Jake Friend/Boyd Cordner	-	7	-
132	James Tedesco	1173	Round 2, 2021		Round 2, 2021	117	117
133	Brett Morris	1182	Round 8, 2021	James Tedesco	-	1	-
134	Luke Keary	1167	Round 13, 2022	James Tedesco	-	7	-
< Birth and death dates for men's players can be found here * 1908 round numbers can vary by publication/website. The Roosters recognise the 1908 home and away season rounds (by date) as follows: 20/04 (R1), 25/04 (R2), 9/05 (R3), 16/05 (R4), 23/05 (R5), 30/05 (R6), 13/06, 20/06 (R7), 27/06 (R8), 4/07 (R9), 25/07 (R10), 8/08 (R11)
^ Round 11, 1965 was played prior to Round 10, 1965 when Gallagher was also captain

Sydney Roosters respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.