Born in South Australia, where, as a youth, he played Australian rules football, Norval began his rugby league career in the Newcastle competition before moving to Sydney where he played 106 matches with the Eastern Suburbs club in the years (1934–41).
Norval a lock played an integral role in an Eastern Suburbs sides that swept all before them during that period, winning 4 premierships as well as finishing runners-up on three other occasions.
Norval formed part of Easts' international forward pack alongside Ray Stehr, Harry Pierce and Joe Pearce.
Norval is to date the only person to have been born in South Australia to play Test match rugby league.
[1] Teammate, Dick Dunn, described Norval as the best player he had seen since beginning his first grade career in 1935.