A New South Wales representative front row forward, he played in the NSWRFL Premiership for Sydney club St George with which he won the 1965 and 1966 grand finals.
Gourley was born in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, on 19 November 1935.
This brought him to the attention of Frank Facer, administrator for Sydney club St George, who signed Gourley to the premiers for the following season.
[1] Gourley temporarily ended his career as a farmer and moved to Sydney, where he played from 1963 to 1966 as a front-row forward for St George, including the team's grand final wins in 1965 and 1966.
Gourley returned to country farmer and while playing for his local Narrabri, New South Wales, rugby league club in 1967 he also represented the Country New South Wales team.