Club Career
Rayner trialled with Souths in 1946 and was graded straight to first grade. The Rabbitohs had won only one match in 1945. Rayner broke his ankle early in the 1946 season and the club ended up winless that year.
In 1947 Rayner was selected as club captain due to his leadership skills and tough performances as a second rower and the club managed nine wins and began to moveup the premiership ladder. In 1949 he was appointed the coach of the club as well as captain and Souths finished as minor-premiers and managed a Grand final appearance going down to St George in 1949 season decider.
Souths were by now the main premiership force and under Rayner entered their most successful era. For six consecutive seasons from 1950 the Rabbitohs were Grand Finalists, winning premierships in 1950, 1951, NSWRL season 1953, 1954 and 1955. They were denied by Western Suburbs in controversial circumstances in season 1952.
Rayner's fifth premiership win in 1955 stands as the record for the most number of grand final successes by an individual as captain (equalled by Ken Kearney's who also achieved five in 1960). As captain-coach for all of those wins Rayner was the first man to coach a side to five Grand Final victories, a record subsequently matched by Kearney and Jack Gibson and eventually beaten in 2006 by Wayne Bennett.
A knee injury saw him retire during the 1957 season aged 36. He had overtaken Benny Wearing's record for most games with the Rabbitohs.
Read more about this topic: Jack Rayner
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