He has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century[4] As an old boy of St Mary's Christian Brothers College Toowoomba, Gorman first played for the Past Christian Brothers Football Club in 1918 when the club was still playing rugby union.

In 1924–25, alongside Herb Steinohrt he was in the Toowoomba sides which beat all comers including Sydney premiers Souths, Brisbane, Ipswich and visiting representative sides including New South Wales, Victoria, Great Britain and New Zealand.

He played in the champion Queensland teams that defeated New South Wales in five consecutive interstate series (1922–1926).

His first appearance as captain in the 1st test loss to Great Britain in Brisbane in 1928 marked the first occasion that the Kangaroos wore jerseys of green and gold.

[9] In 2008, rugby league in Australia's centenary year, Gorman was named at centre in the Toowoomba and South West Team of the Century.