Signed from the local St Mary’s team, Terry O’Grady had a sensational start to his rugby career, being capped for Lancashire against the 1951 Kiwis, while still only 17 years old. He would prove to be a major asset to the red rose county playing a total of fourteen times and scoring 16 tries.
He was leading try scorer for the club in 1952-3 and also in 1953-4, at the conclusion of which he was selected for the 1954 tour to Australia and New Zealand. Still only nineteen, Terry was a fantastic success on the tour, scoring 28 tries, including five in the match against Wide Bay. The five Great Britain caps he won as an Oldham player were all earned on the tour, playing in two tests against the Aussies and all three in New Zealand.
Terry returned from the tour in good form and the following season the Davies / O’Grady threequarter pairing rattled up 51 tries between them, as the club finished runners-up to Warrington in the 1955 Championship Final. Thereafter his career was disrupted by injury and he had to contend with competition from Etty and Cracknell for the wing positions. In 1957 he was transferred to Wigan, a move which brought him a trip to Wembley and a winners medal in the 1958 final against Workington Town.
Player profile
Signed from the local St Mary’s team, Terry O’Grady had a sensational start to his rugby career, being capped for Lancashire against the 1951 Kiwis, while still only 17 years old. He would prove to be a major asset to the red rose county playing a total of fourteen times and scoring 16 tries.
He was leading try scorer for the club in 1952-3 and also in 1953-4, at the conclusion of which he was selected for the 1954 tour to Australia and New Zealand. Still only nineteen, Terry was a fantastic success on the tour, scoring 28 tries, including five in the match against Wide Bay. The five Great Britain caps he won as an Oldham player were all earned on the tour, playing in two tests against the Aussies and all three in New Zealand.
Terry returned from the tour in good form and the following season the Davies / O’Grady threequarter pairing rattled up 51 tries between them, as the club finished runners-up to Warrington in the 1955 Championship Final. Thereafter his career was disrupted by injury and he had to contend with competition from Etty and Cracknell for the wing positions. In 1957 he was transferred to Wigan, a move which brought him a trip to Wembley and a winners medal in the 1958 final against Workington Town.