From the time of his retirement in early 1989 to mid-1994 he held the record for the most career New South Wales Rugby League premiership first-grade games until overtaken by Terry Lamb.
Born in Sydney, Gerard attended Liverpool Boys High School and played his junior football with Cabramatta Two Blues.
[1] 1978 saw Gerard begin the most productive period of his career, winning Rugby League Week's 'Player of the Year' award and being selected for the 1978 Kangaroo tour despite not having played for New South Wales.
[2] In 1981, Gerard shifted to the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and his move to the front row was widely criticized at the time, but he did so well in that role that he was close to selection for his second Kangaroo tour in 1982 despite a below-par performance in the Grand Final.
Despite taking them to the finals for two seasons, he moved to the Metropolitan Cup for 1992 and his time coaching Parramatta's reserves in 1994 and 1995 was disastrous.