Early Life and Childhood
Born in Revesby, in south-western Sydney into a working-class family of nine boys, he played junior football for the Camperdown Dragons before representing Newtown's President's Cup side in 1956. He joined and made his first grade debut for Newtown in 1957 at age 18. Raper represented New South Wales Colts as a lock against Great Britain in 1958. Having agreed terms to leave Newtown to join the reigning premiers St George Raper sat out most of the 1958 season to comply with residential criteria.
Read more about this topic: Johnny Raper
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