[2] Lavery started his career playing for Temuka in 1901 before moving to Christchurch Albion where he was a club mate of Hubert Turtill and Charlie Pearce.
[2] Lavery joined the professional All Blacks tour of Great Britain and Australia in 1907-1908, thus switching codes to rugby league as all members of the touring party received a life ban from the New Zealand Rugby Union.
However, he was not in the touring parties[3] first selection and played mostly in mid-week games, scoring two tries.
After the tour Lavery opted to stay in Britain and signed with first St Helens,[4] then moved to Leeds, becoming the club's first ever overseas player.
[6][7] By 1913 he had returned to New Zealand and played for Linwood in the first season of the Canterbury Rugby League competition.