Tony Gordon (rugby)

Tony Gordon

Personal information
Full name	Anthony Ralph Gordon
Nickname	Tank
Born	1948/1949
Died	25 March 2012 (aged 63)
Playing information
Rugby union
Position	Fullback, Wing
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
	King Country
Rugby league
Position	Fullback, Wing
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
	Maritime
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
	Bay of Plenty
1975	New Zealand	3	0	0	0	0
Coaching information
Club
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
	Central (BOPRL)
1993–1994	London Crusaders
1994–1995	Hull
	Total	0	0	0	0
Representative
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
19??–1986	Bay of Plenty
	Northern Districts
1987–1989	New Zealand	13	7	0	6	54
1991–1992	Bay of Plenty
Source: RLP

Anthony Ralph "Tank" Gordon^[1] (c. 1948/49 – 25 March 2012) was a New Zealand rugby league and rugby union player and coach who represented the New Zealand Kiwis in the 1975 World Cup and coached them to the 1988 World Cup Final.

Early years

A New Zealand Army PT Instructor, Gordon was the player/coach of the Wairau army side and played rugby union for King Country.^[2]

Playing career

Gordon then switched to rugby league in 1975 and joined the Maritime club in the Auckland Rugby League.^[3] He made the New Zealand Kiwis after only 14 rugby league matches.^[2] He played in thirteen test matches for the Kiwis, including at the 1975 World Cup.

Coaching career

After retirement Gordon turned his attention to coaching. He had a brief spell with Mangere East before he was convinced to become Central's head coach in the Bay of Plenty Rugby League competition.^[3] He met with immediate success, taking control of the Bay of Plenty and Northern Districts sides. In 1987 he became coach of the New Zealand Kiwis. The Kiwis toured Australia and Papua New Guinea in 1987 and Gordon was involved in an upset win of Australia.^[4] The team couldn't repeat the feat in 1988 as they lost the final of the World Cup in front of 47,000 fans at Eden Park.^[5] The Kiwis toured Britain and France in 1989 before Gordon was replaced as Kiwis coach.

Gordon became coach of the London Crusaders in 1993 before joining Hull for the 1994–1995 season.^[6][7][8]

Halfway through the 1995 Lion Red Cup Neil Joyce resigned as the coach of the Bay of Plenty Stags. Gordon became a co-coach alongside Lawrence Brydon for the remainder of the season. In 1996 he remained with the Stags as the business Manager while Brydon became the head coach. During the season he was suspended and investigated by the New Zealand Rugby League over accusations of fraud.^[9] He was later cleared of all charges.^[10]

Between 1996 and 2001 he coached the Coastline Mariners.^[11]

Later years

In 2006 Gordon was the coach of Kahukura in the Baywide rugby union competition.^[2]

He died in March 2012 after a long illness.^[12][13][14]

References

1. GORDON, Anthony Ralph 1975 – Kiwi #526 nzleague.co.nz
2. 'Tank' happy to coach Rotorua club side The Daily Post, 31 March 2006
3. 1986 Lion Red Rugby League Annual, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1986. p.66
4. "Kiwis' bash-attack a thing of the past". Television New Zealand. NZPA. 6 November 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
5. Rattue, Chris (5 November 2010). "The day league missed its original Eden Park chance". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
6. Freeman pays a high price The Independent, 5 August 1993
7. Club History Harlequins RLFC
8. Club-by-club guide to the new season The Independent, 19 August 1994
9. Gordon confident inquiry into Stags' finances will clear him Sunday Star-Times, 8 September 1996
10. Gordon cleared after fraud investigation Sunday Star-Times, 1 December 1996
11. "Rugby League: Orcas give Mariners incentive for Challenge Cup". The New Zealand Herald. The Daily Post. 22 August 2001. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
12. Former Kiwis' coach 'Tank' Gordon dies The Press, 25 March 2012
13. Rotorua's Tank Gordon dies The Daily Post, 25 March 2012
14. ‘Tank’ Anthony Ralph Gordon dies 3 News, 25 March 2012