John Grant, the inaugural chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission, will deliver the annual Ross Livermore Memorial Lecture on Saturday, May 4, in Brisbane.
Grant, who played seven games for Queensland and three Tests for Australia at the 1972 World Cup in France, will cover a number of aspects of the code, from the international scene to Brisbane club football in the 1970s, as well as the political and financial facets of administration in the NRL.
A stalwart of Brisbane's Souths Logan Magpies club, he was named in the Magpies' Team of the Century and is a member of the club's Hall of Fame.
Grant also played a season with English club Warrington.
After touring New Zealand with the Queensland side in 1972, and playing in the interstate series, Grant was chosen for Australia's World Cup tour to France and England at the end of the season.
He played in the momentous World Cup final against Great Britain in the French city of Lyon. The match finished 10-10 after 20 minutes of extra time, with Britain awarded the trophy because they had been undefeated in the preliminary games, including a 27-21 win over Australia in the first round, a match in which Grant did not play.
At the completion of the tournament, Grant played for Australia in club games in England, against St Helens, Wigan and Bradford Northern, before taking up a contract with English club, Warrington as part of being awarded Brisbane Rugby League’s Player of the Year.
On his return to Brisbane he played another six seasons with the Magpies, the club he had joined as an 18-year-old in 1968.
A graduate of Yeronga State High, Grant has forged a long, successful business career, highlighted by his innovative entry into the IT world through Data#3 Limited, where he was managing director.
Today, he has roles as non-executive chairman of three companies – ASX Listed networking FirstWave Cloud Technology Limited, UniQuest Pty Ltd, the commercialisation company of the University of Queensland, and Concept Environmental Services, one of the world’s leading fluid management companies.
The Australian Rugby League Commission succeeded the old partnership between News Limited and the Australian Rugby League, and was finally given the green light on February 10, 2012, with Grant the chairman.
He remained in the post until February, 2018, when he handed over the reins to fellow Queenslander Peter Beattie.
Grant was also International Federation chairman from 2016 until November 2018, and remains a passionate advocate of the international game.
Last year's lecture was delivered by former Test centre, Tony Currie, who became the first Indigenous guest speaker. In 2022, former Jillaroo Jo Barrett became the first woman to deliver the lecture.
Currie delivers 2023 Ross Livermore Memorial Lecture
Currie and Barrett followed in the footsteps of fellow league players and coaches Wally Lewis, Wayne Bennett, Michael Hagan and John Lang, as well as former referee Geoff Mines and noted authors / historians Adrian McGregor, Hugh Lunn and the late Professor Max Howell, a former Wallaby.
The lecture is conducted by the Queensland Rugby League History Committee, under the auspices of the QRL. The committee is made up of volunteers who give their time to help keep alive the heritage of the code.
Former sports journalist Steve Ricketts is chair and delivered the 2011 lecture. Other committee members to deliver the lecture have been Greg Shannon, John McCoy and Steve Haddan.
The lecture, with Haddam as MC, will be held at the Queensland Rugby League offices, 83 Castlemaine Street, Brisbane on Saturday, May 4, at 10am, with the function to finish at noon. Morning tea will be provided.
The lecture will be livestreamed.
People intending to attend should register via telephone (07) 3367 6000 or email rugbyleague@qrl.com.au to assist with catering.
