The South Sydney Rabbitohs are mourning the passing of international premiership-winner and Life Member, Gary Stevens, who passed away overnight following a long illness, aged 81.
Mr Gary Richard Stevens, Rabbitohs first-grade player number 539, won two first-grade premierships with South Sydney in 1970 and 1971, playing a total of 228 grade games between 1964 and 1976 including 161 first-grade games. He also played 25 first-grade games for Canterbury-Bankstown in 1977 and 1978.
Mr Stevens represented Australia in 11 Test matches between 1972 and 1975, played six matches for New South Wales and three matches for City Firsts between 1972 and 1975, as well as representing City Seconds in 1971 and Sydney Colts in 1970.

Mr Stevens was renowned as a supremely fit second-row forward with a reputation for destroying opposition attacking raids with his uncompromising defence.
Mr Stevens was born in 1944 in Pagewood, Sydney, and played all his junior football with Pagewood and Chelsea United in the great South Sydney Juniors nursery.
He played in Souths' winning 1964 Presidents Cup side alongside Eric Simms and George Piggins. The Rabbitohs graded him for rest of the season and he made his first grade debut the following year against Western Suburbs at Sydney Sports Ground, in round three, to become Rabbitohs First Grader Player number 539.
Between 1964 and 1976 he played a total of 228 grade games for the Rabbitohs, with 161 in first grade. He also played 29 pre-season games for the club between 1966-68 and 1970-75, one State Cup game in 1965, three games when the Rabbitohs made a tour of PNG in 1965, one game against New Guinea in 1966, and four Amco Cup games in 1975-76.
Souths had a host of great players in their ranks, and it was difficult for Stevens to establish a regular first grade position during his first five seasons at the club. He made his first-grade debut as a 21-year-old and didn't become a regular first grader until 1970, when he also won the Achievement Ring award donated by Angus & Coote as the most consistent player of the year at the Rabbitohs. In the same year he earned his first rep jumper when he represented Sydney Colts against the touring Great Britain side and played in Souths' winning Grand Final sides in 1970 and 1971.

Souths' former club historian, the late Tom Brock, stated later that Stevens' career demonstrates that not all international stars are instant successes. Mr Stevens created history by becoming the first grandson of a Test player to represent his country in rugby league. His grandfather, Arthur Oxford Snr, also played for Souths in 1915-21 and Easts in 1922-29, and represented Australia in five Test matches. His uncle, Arthur Oxford Jnr, played for Easts during the 1940s.
Stevens toured with the 1973 Kangaroos playing in two Tests against Great Britain and one against France, as well as five tour matches. The following season he played in two Tests against the touring Great Britain side, as well as one game for Australia against The Rest of NSW which raised more than $20,000 for charity. In 1975 he played in three World Cup games for Australia.
Mr Stevens captained Souths on 25 occasions and served on their Social Committee in 1974-75, but left the Rabbitohs for Canterbury-Bankstown at the end of 1976 season, even though he was voted equal best and fairest player with Bob McMillan after winning the John Riordan/George Clegg Award at the end of that season. His player number at Canterbury was 422, and his first season at the Bulldogs was cut short by illness but he returned with a vengeance in 1978 to be a regular member of their first-grade team and played in the Preliminary Semi-Final against Parramatta before retiring.

Stevens co-owned a very successful building firm with former teammate John O'Neill, continuing to support the Rabbitohs well after his retirement and was a regular attendee at the Club’s player reunions and Men of League functions.
Mr Stevens was inducted as a Life Member of the South Sydney Football Club at the 81st Annual General Meeting held at the South Sydney Leagues Club in Redfern on 4 December 1988.
He was also selected in the South Sydney Juniors Team of the Century as a reserve which was announced at the 2008 Centenary Ball at Royal Randwick.
His older brother, Wayne Stevens, also played first grade for the Rabbitohs and then had a long career as a club administrator afterwards and was awarded Life Membership of the club in 1994. His son, Brad Stevens, played for Souths' lower grades in 1984 and 1986.
Mr Stevens' funeral will be held on Thursday 6 February at 11:30am at St Andrews Catholic Church in Malabar, followed by his wake at the The Juniors in Maroubra.
On behalf of everyone connected with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, we offer our deepest and most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Gary Stevens.