Wide World of Sports takes a look astatine the champion players to ne'er propulsion connected a NSW oregon Queensland State of Origin jumper.
By WWOS staff|11:30pm Jul 13, 2021
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Russell Richardson
Like truthful galore players, Russell Richardson promised truthful overmuch but successful the extremity wounded cruelled his progression done the highest levels of rugby league. After making his debut for Cronulla with 2 appearances successful 1996, Richardson made an content the adjacent play arsenic a subordinate of Cronulla's losing 1997 Super League expansive last side. He scored his side's lone effort successful the decider against the Broncos and was subsequently called up for the three-match Super League Test bid against Great Britain, playing doubly disconnected the bench. He played again for the Kangaroos successful 1999, scoring a effort successful the 1999 Tri-Nations opener, earlier a genu occupation stopped him successful his tracks. Bob Fulton was a instrumentality of Richardson, yet the Sharks centre couldn't ace the Blues squad astatine that time, with Terry Hill and Andrew Ettingshausen occupying the starting spots successful the archetypal twelvemonth of the amalgamated contention aft the Super League split. Richardson's instrumentality from wounded wasn't overly awesome with the Sharks letting him spell to beryllium Souths' archetypal large signing for the club's instrumentality to the NRL successful 2002. Richardson could not instrumentality to signifier with the Rabbitohs and, aft a play with the Knights, helium retired astatine conscionable 27.
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Ben Barba
Ben Barba ne'er pulled connected a Queensland State of Origin jumper contempt the information 1 of the top idiosyncratic seasons of the NRL epoch belongs to him. The lightning-quick, silky-skilled fullback was astronomical for Canterbury successful 2012, moving successful 22 tries and playing a manus successful galore much arsenic helium spearheaded the Bulldogs to the expansive final. Barba's glittering 2012 run earned him the Dally M Medal. In the eyes of galore experts and pundits, his play was connected par with Jarryd Hayne's of 2009. Despite his exceptional play his 2012 Origin dreams were spoiled by Billy Slater, who wore the Maroons No.1 jumper successful the archetypal 2 games, and Greg Inglis, who replaced an injured Slater astatine fullback for Origin III. Barba exited the Bulldogs for the Broncos successful disfigured benignant pursuing the 2013 season, erstwhile Canterbury released him from the last 2 years of his declaration truthful helium could beryllium person to household successful Brisbane. But Barba spent conscionable the 2014 play with the Broncos and was backmost successful Sydney astatine the extremity of it, having signed with the Sharks. While it didn't rival his 2012 campaign, the lethal No.1 had different sparkling play successful 2016, scoring 16 tries and having a manus successful plentifulness of others arsenic Cronulla marched to their first-ever premiership. Despite Barba's spectacular 2016 season, helium mislaid retired to Darius Boyd successful the Maroons fullback contention for each 3 games. It was successful the aftermath of Barba's expansive last triumph with the Sharks that his dazzling vocation copped its archetypal large blow. He tested affirmative to cocaine 4 days aft Cronulla's expansive last triumph implicit Melbourne and was axed immediately, leaving his NRL vocation successful tatters. After 2 years successful the Super League Barba tried to revive his NRL career, signing a one-year woody with the Cowboys for 2019. But his NRL vocation was past genuinely destroyed erstwhile a home unit incidental against his then-partner led to the league tearing up his contract. Barba played 168 NRL matches and 5 with the Indigenous All Stars.
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Alex Johnston
The prolific Alex Johnston has rocketed up the all-time try-scoring leaderboard successful his 160 matches with South Sydney and could adjacent beryllium connected a trajectory to situation Ken Irvine's record. The 26-year-old has 128 tries to his sanction and Irvine's long-standing grounds is 212. But Johnston's unthinkable try-scoring feats person done small to pull the attraction of NSW State of Origin selectors. While the superb finisher is starring this season's try-scoring contention with 22, he's been beaten to the Blues' 2021 helping spots by Josh Addo-Carr and Brian To'o. In years gone by, the likes of Brett Morris, Jarryd Hayne and Daniel Tupou person snapped up the helping positions up of Johnston. Remarkably, the unheralded Rabbitoh is among the 17 men who've donned a Kangaroos jumper but not an Origin jersey, having played 1 Test for Australia successful 2015. Johnston has besides represented Papua New Guinea doubly and the Indigenous All Stars connected 3 occasions.
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Reni Maitua
Reni Maitua was different of those players who represented Australia but didn't play State of Origin, contempt being eligible for NSW. Maitua played 1 Test for the Kangaroos successful 2006, portion helium besides represented Samoa connected 3 occasions. The big-framed, crafty back-rower, centre and five-eighth played 174 games successful 2 stints with the Bulldogs arsenic good arsenic spending clip with the Sharks and Eels. He won a premiership with Canterbury successful his debut 2004 play and was astatine his highest successful 2006 and 2007. However, Luke O'Donnell and Bulldogs teammate Andrew Ryan covered fastener for NSW successful the 2006 series, earlier Ryan and Paul Gallen kept him retired of the No.13 jumper successful 2007. Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper and Timana Tahu bushed him to a spot successful the centres successful 2006, portion Cooper, Jamie Lyon and Matt King won the enactment battles successful 2007. And though Maitua sometimes played astatine five-eighth successful the NRL, helium wasn't ever genuinely considered for a halves spot successful Origin. Like respective NRL players, Maitua had tremendous endowment but had a vocation riddled with off-field controversy. He was sacked by the Bulldogs successful 2008 connected the backmost of a drawstring of incidents, including a drunken brawl, earlier past copping a two-year suspension from the NRL for investigating affirmative to banned performance-enhancing cause Clenbuterol. Maitua past spent 3 seasons with Parramatta, earlier receiving a 2nd changeable with Canterbury successful 2014 and retiring astatine the extremity of the season.
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Alan Tongue
Alan Tongue was a fastener and hooker of singular reliability and toughness during his 220 games with the Raiders, galore of which helium captained. The Tamworth redhead made his Canberra debut successful Round Seven of play 2000 and developed a estimation arsenic a tackling machine. In 2006 helium broke the grounds for astir tackles successful a regular season, registering 1087. Nathan Hindmarsh ran 2nd that twelvemonth with 911. Tongue had a career-best twelvemonth successful 2008, winning the Dally M skipper and fastener of the twelvemonth awards. But Danny Buderus had the NSW State of Origin No.9 jumper locked up for each 3 games of the 2008 series, and Ryan Hoffman, Willie Mason, Paul Gallen and Craig Fitzgibbon bushed him to back-row selection. In different years, the likes of Anthony Watmough, Ben Creagh and Luke O'Donnell kept him retired of the Blues side. While a NSW jersey eluded him, Tongue's awesome vocation did gain 2 typical call-ups; helium made an quality for the Prime Minister's XI successful 2008 and played for NSW Country successful 2009. One of the top assemblage signs of each clip featured Tongue, with a motion astatine Canberra Stadium for his 200th crippled reading: "Who needs a large Willie erstwhile you person a large Tongue". Tongue retired astatine the extremity of the 2011 season.
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Shannon Boyd
Shannon Boyd stunned the rugby league satellite erstwhile helium retired astatine the property of conscionable 27, frustrated by injuries and keen to instrumentality to his household workplace successful Cowra. But the 122-kilogram ceramic wall, who debuted successful the opening circular of the 2014 season, was 1 of the astir destructive front-rowers successful the contention during his 125-game vocation with the Raiders and Titans. He adjacent played 4 Tests with Australia successful 2016. Boyd and Junior Paulo combined arsenic a lethal front-row portion for Canberra arsenic the men successful greenish won their past 10 games of the 2016 regular play and powered done to a preliminary last berth. But Aaron Woods, James Tamou and Paul Gallen locked up the Blues State of Origin front-row spots successful 2016, portion Andrew Fifita and David Klemmer were among the different props who kept him retired of the NSW broadside passim the remainder of his career. Boyd departed the Raiders aft the 2018 play to articulation the Titans, but helium managed conscionable 14 games with Gold Coast earlier calling clip connected his vocation during the 2020 season.
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Jarrod Croker
Jarrod Croker could yet decorativeness his NRL vocation arsenic the highest-ever points-scorer. To deliberation that helium mightiness clasp that grounds but not person a State of Origin quality to his sanction is astounding. Croker has tallied 2204 vocation points successful 286 games since debuting with Canberra successful Round Two of the 2009 season, placing him 4th connected the all-time leaderboard, down Cameron Smith (2786), Hazem El Masri (2418) and Johnathan Thurston (2222). Croker moved past Andrew Johns' tally of 2176 successful Round Five of this season. Among the 30-year-old's 2204 vocation points are 133 tries and hundreds of dead-eye kicks from the tee. But contempt the exceptional points-scoring feats of the Raiders centre, the likes of Michael Jennings and Josh Dugan person earned NSW call-ups up of him. During Canberra's stellar 2019 campaign, which culminated successful a expansive last appearance, Croker was beaten to the Blues' centre positions by Latrell Mitchell, Josh Morris, Tom Trbojevic and Raiders teammate Jack Wighton. Croker's lone typical appearances person travel with the NRL All Stars (three) and NSW Country (two).
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John Sutton
There was lone 1 Origin-eligible antheral who played arsenic galore first-grade Australian rugby league games arsenic John Sutton without breaking done for the Blues oregon Maroons. That was Chris Heighington. Sutton played 336 NRL games successful a vocation spanning 2004-2019. The big-framed utility, who played successful the backmost enactment and astatine five-eighth, was a accordant performer done South Sydney's acheronian days, which successful Sutton's clip resulted successful woody spoons successful 2004 and 2006, and helium captained the Rabbitohs to the 2014 premiership. He was the perfect Rabbitoh to skipper South Sydney to their archetypal rubric since 1971. Yet a Blues jumper ever eluded him. Sutton was the taxable of an bonzer enactment bungle up of Game One of the 2013 series. Kurt Gidley was injured truthful Sutton and Canterbury five-eighth Josh Reynolds were hauled into the NSW squad to combat for the Blues seat inferior spot. On the time of selection, the NSWRL tweeted that Sutton had beaten Reynolds to a Blues jumper and, conscionable moments later, it was reported connected the Rabbitohs website. Calls and texts began to flood successful congratulating Sutton connected yet realising his NSW Origin dream. There was conscionable 1 problem. Moments earlier manager Laurie Daley had walked into the physio country to archer Sutton he'd missed out, leaving him startled erstwhile radical began congratulating him. It turned retired that the NSWRL had posted an incorrect tweet. Sutton's brushwood with the Blues was truthful fleeting that helium hadn't unpacked his kit from the container - and helium gave it to Rabbitohs teammate Sam Burgess erstwhile helium did. Over the remainder of his agelong vocation Sutton was beaten to a spot successful the NSW broadside by the likes of Greg Bird, Terry Campese, James Maloney and Todd Carney.
9 of 22Attribution: Canterbury Bulldogs
Ewan McGrady
Old-school rugby league types retrieve this freak of a talent. In the 1991 season, indigenous prima Ewan McGrady was deemed the champion subordinate successful the NSWRL competition, winning the Rothmans Medal, the day's Dally M equivalent. He got his accidental successful the apical people erstwhile Kevin Moore broke his limb and became a regular first-grade subordinate for the remainder of the season. The pursuing twelvemonth helium perfectly dominated and played each crippled connected the mode to winning the game's highest idiosyncratic honour, portion helium adjacent captained the Bulldogs connected 4 occasions. McGrady besides finished arsenic the club's apical try-scorer successful 1990 (13 tries) and 1991 (14) and was named Rugby League Week's subordinate of the year. However, his interaction connected the Bulldogs didn't sway Blues selectors for the 1991 State of Origin series, with NSW selecting chap indigenous prima Cliff Lyons astatine five-eighth for the archetypal 2 games, earlier Brad Fittler took implicit for the past match. McGrady was reluctant to judge the game's highest idiosyncratic accolade, the Rothmans Medal, and did not privation to be the presentation. He kept organisers of the lawsuit waiting for much than an hour, earlier arriving astatine Sydney's Hilton Hotel with a constabulary escort to judge the award. His acceptance code was classical and lone 8 seconds. "I'd conscionable similar to convey Rothmans and the Canterbury-Bankstown rugby league nine for a large year. Thanks a lot," McGrady said. The livewire near Canterbury astatine the extremity of the 1993 play and joined Western Suburbs for 1994. He played 4 games for the Magpies and was ne'er seen successful first-grade again.
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Darren Britt
Darren Britt is the explanation of the no-nonsense, unassuming prop. The erstwhile Bulldogs guardant holds the grounds for astir Kangaroos appearances without playing State of Origin football, having represented Australia successful 9 Tests. Hailing from Orange, Britt made his first-grade debut with Western Suburbs successful 1989, but helium didn't truly commencement turning heads until helium joined Canterbury successful 1994. The Bulldogs went connected to upset the Sea Eagles successful the 1995 decider 13-4, with Britt giving the broadside much-needed grunt up beforehand to springiness the likes of Terry Lamb, Rod Silva and Craig Polla-Mounter the country needed to propulsion disconnected a daze premiership triumph from sixth spot. The prop's enactment skills started to flourish, with Britt captaining Canterbury to the 1998 expansive last aft finishing the regular play successful ninth spot. At the extremity of the play helium was chosen to marque his Test debut astatine the property of 29, playing some post-season Tests against New Zealand. He featured successful each 3 matches of Australia's victorious Tri-Nations run the pursuing play and was portion of the World Cup final-winning squad successful 2000. But helium could ne'er ace the NSW Origin side, with the likes of Glenn Lazarus, Rodney Howe, Paul Harragon, Robbie Kearns and Mark Carroll up of him connected the enactment board.
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Richard Villasanti
One of the much singular one-Test wonders, Richard Villasanti was the Warriors' archetypal Kangaroos representative. 'Villa the Gorilla', calved successful Canberra, began his vocation with Balmain and Wests Tigers earlier his bruising defence and barnstorming runs astatine the Warriors successful 2001 caught the oculus of fans and keen-eyed judges. He went connected to play successful the Warriors' expansive last complaint the pursuing twelvemonth nether the guidance of Daniel Anderson, and is possibly champion remembered for a nasty caput clash with Brad Fittler that proved a turning constituent successful the nonaccomplishment to the Roosters successful the 2002 decider. The front-row hitman's signifier was scintillating the adjacent year, which led to him playing disconnected the seat against respective clubmates successful Australia's nonaccomplishment to New Zealand astatine the extremity of 2003. "From a young property I dreamt of playing Origin truthful I chose Australia to effort to get the accidental but it ne'er eventuated," Villasanti said successful 2016. The prop missed retired connected a NSW call-up successful 2004, with rivals Ryan O'Hara and Brent Kite handed debuts instead. His nine signifier deteriorated and helium switched to Cronulla midway done 2006. A genu wounded saw Villasanti's vocation chopped abbreviated astatine 27.
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Brent Webb
Despite being a erstwhile Kiwi international, Brent Webb was calved successful Cairns and is of Torres Strait Islander descent. The Warriors prima was eligible for Queensland enactment during his clip successful the NRL. However, successful an epoch that saw the likes of Billy Slater, Matt Bowen, Clinton Schifcofske and Rhys Wesser predominate the agleam lights, Webb ne'er got his accidental with the Maroons, adjacent though helium would person been a cleanable seat option. The crafty prima was a coagulated performer for the Warriors, scoring 39 tries successful 103 appearances. He caught the oculus of nine scouts during a memorable 2001 Queensland Cup run for Brisbane Wests earlier going connected to go 1 of the club's astir inspired signings the pursuing play arsenic a comparative unknown. His versatility was a immense plus for the Kiwi club, with the speedster playing astatine five-eighth, hooker, centre, fullback and disconnected the seat during 2002. Webb's finest attributes were his velocity and anticipation. The instinctive ball-player pledged his allegiance to New Zealand aft a spot successful the Maroons Emerging squad ne'er eventuated into a spot connected the team. Webb made his debut for New Zealand successful the 2004 Tri-Nations and played 17 Tests with the Kiwis.
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Mitch Aubusson
Mitch Aubusson was the Roosters' 'Mr Fix it'. He was brought to the nine by Roosters fable Arthur Beetson aft impressing for the Ballina Seagulls successful the Northern Rivers portion of NSW. From the clip of his inception into the NRL successful 2007, helium bounced astir from five-eighth to 2nd row, lock, the centres and the bench. The 306-game great's versatility was seen arsenic a immense plus successful the NRL but that diagnostic of his crippled whitethorn person led to his non-selection astatine typical level - though it's a enigma that specified a versatile subordinate with 3 premierships ne'er featured successful State of Origin. "I deliberation helium would've been cleanable disconnected the seat for NSW," said erstwhile teammate Anthony Minichiello, who captained Aubusson successful the Roosters' 2013 expansive final-winning team. "Four oregon 5 years agone helium would've been a immense plus to person connected the seat due to the fact that helium tin play immoderate presumption and successful Origin things tin alteration beauteous quickly."
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Andrew Walker
Hailing from Nowra, Andrew Walker was 1 of the astir talented players to ever lace a boot. After leaving agrarian NSW to play rugby national for Randwick successful 1991, Walker switched codes to play for St George, but helium returned to the southbound seashore successful 1994 due to the fact that of problems adapting to metropolis life. He was enticed backmost to Sydney to play for the Roosters nether the guidance of manager Phil Gould a twelvemonth later. The Roosters held him successful specified precocious respect that helium really kept Brad Fittler retired of his favoured No.6 jersey erstwhile 'Freddy' moved to the Roosters, forcing him to play astatine lock. Walker represented some the Kangaroos and Wallabies, nevertheless a sky-blue jumper ne'er came his way. In the meantime, Fittler was selected astatine five-eighth for NSW portion playing for the Tricolours, on with the likes of Laurie Daley, Jim Dymock and Trent Barrett. In 1996, Walker played successful 1 lucifer for the Kangaroos against a Papua New Guinea broadside disconnected the bench. Walker was known arsenic the archetypal dual planetary to power codes from league to union, doing truthful 2 years earlier highly fancied recruits Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers. He returned to league successful 2004 with Manly and inactive had a knack of making defenders look second-rate.
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Joel Clinton
Joel Clinton played for the Panthers successful the juniors but was past picked up by the Eels successful his precocious teens, earlier debuting for Penrith successful 2002. His beingness successful the guardant battalion on with Martin Lang, Joe Galuvao and Tony Puletua provided the likes of Craig Gower and Rhys Wesser with plentifulness of country to predominate successful onslaught during Penrith's premiership-winning play of 2003. The prop was rewarded with a spot connected the end-of-year Kangaroos circuit of Great Britain and France but received constricted crippled time, with the likes of Petero Civoniceva, Robbie Kearns, Shane Webcke and Willie Mason successful the squad. Clinton lone played a warm-up crippled against France, but his fortunes changed the pursuing play erstwhile helium started successful the beforehand enactment for the 2004 trans-Tasman Test. Clinton led from the beforehand successful the 37-10 triumph yet couldn't ace the NSW squad conscionable a period later. After playing different 4 seasons with the Panthers, Clinton switched to the Broncos earlier ending up successful the Super League with Hull KR.
16 of 22Attribution: Newcastle Knights
Brad Godden
Along with Robbie O'Davis, Brad Godden is viewed arsenic arguably the champion fullback successful Knights history, but helium came to the nine arsenic a halfback earlier being switched to the custodian relation by manager David Waite. He started his first-grade vocation playing from the seat successful a Round 14 30–0 nonaccomplishment to the Eels astatine Parramatta Stadium successful the 1991 NSWRL season. Even though helium played conscionable 4 games for the Knights successful his debut year, things changed dramatically for Godden conscionable 12 months later. After starring astatine fullback for the Knights successful the 1992 finals series, the halfback travel fullback gained enactment for Australia for the 1992 World Cup successful England. He played successful 1 of the 3 preliminary matches connected the circuit but wasn't selected for the last astatine Wembley Stadium, manager Bob Fulton opting to prime Balmain's Tim Brasher up of the Novocastrian. Godden made selectors instrumentality announcement with a memorable effort successful the Knights' 21-2 insignificant semi-final triumph implicit Western Suburbs, earlier Newcastle were beaten 3-2 by the Dragons successful a qualifying final. Godden's signifier didn't scope large heights the pursuing seasons, with the Knights prima failing to correspond astatine immoderate level aft being perpetually moved astir the Newcastle backline. In 1995 helium showed akin signifier to the 1992 season, but helium near the Knights to play for Hunter Mariners successful the 1997 Super League competition. The twelvemonth helium near the Knights the nine went connected to triumph the ARL premiership. Godden scored 17 tries successful 89 games implicit six seasons for Newcastle.
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Daniel Gartner
Daniel Gartner played 214 first-grade games crossed the NRL and Super League. In Australia helium played 120 first-grade games for Manly, wherever helium came done arsenic a section inferior to triumph a premiership successful 1996. He represented Australia successful 1 Test successful 1996 and played for City successful 1997. Gartner partnered Steve Menzies successful the backmost enactment for the Sea Eagles done the club's glorious stint done the mid-1990s. Manly were the weapon squad of the decennary on with Brisbane, with the Silvertails winning 3 consecutive insignificant premierships betwixt 1995 to 1997 connected the mode to making 3 consecutive expansive finals done those years. Not lone was Gartner a punishing defender who could play large minutes person to the ruck, his moving crippled was devastating. Such was his knack to tally the cleanable enactment done a spread that helium formed a deadly concern with Cliff Lyons on with Menzies connected the edges. Unfortunately for Gartner helium couldn't ace the Blues squad successful the 1996 premiership-winning season, with Dean Pay and David Furner occupying the starting second-row spots. Menzies could lone negociate a spot connected the seat that twelvemonth nether the guidance of legendary manager Phil Gould. In 1997, Gartner played for City but was again near retired of the NSW squad by caller manager Tommy Raudonikis, with Menzies and chap Manly teammate Nik Kosef gaining starting spots successful the backmost row. He was besides edged for a seat spot by David Fairleigh and Dean Pay. Gartner finished his vocation with 3 years astatine the Bradford Bulls successful England wherever helium won premierships successful 2001 and 2003.
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Nathan Blacklock
Nathan Blacklock, seen present celebrating a four-pointer with a stellar indigenous dance, possessed a try-scoring quality possibly unrivalled successful rugby league history. The New South Welshman crossed for 121 tries successful his 142-game vocation with the Roosters, St George Dragons and St George Illawarra. Astonishingly, Blacklock racked up 96 tries crossed 4 consecutive seasons betwixt 1998 and 2001, topping the leaderboard successful 1999 (24), 2000 (25) and 2001 (21). The electrical winger scored 1 of the top expansive last tries of each clip arsenic the Dragons met the Storm successful the 1999 decider, collecting a Brett Kimmorley spot footwear astatine a frenetic gait and moving 70 metres to dot down. If determination was thing much spectacular than his tries it was however helium celebrated them. Just similar indigenous teammate Anthony Mundine, helium often followed a effort with a backmost flip oregon beforehand flip. Yet contempt his heroics successful reddish and white, and the information helium played 2 Tests with Australia successful 2001, helium ne'er earned a NSW State of Origin call-up. Across his 4 consecutive sparkling seasons betwixt 1998 and 2001, Rod Wishart, Adam MacDougall, Darren Albert, Matt Geyer and Jamie Ainscough eclipsed him successful the contention for a helping spot. Blacklock made a daze power from the Dragons to the Waratahs successful 2002, and portion the assemblage favourite scored an unthinkable chip-and-chase effort successful the Super Rugby, the experimentation was a nonaccomplishment and helium was backmost astatine the Dragons wrong 12 months.
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Preston Campbell
A miniature 20-year-old from Inverell, whose scorching speed, slick skills and monolithic bosom made him a deed with the fans, arrived astatine the Gold Coast Chargers up of the 1998 season, successful which helium made his first-grade debut. It was 3 years later, successful 2001, that the superb Preston Campbell produced the champion play of his 267-game career, starring with the Sharks connected his mode to winning the Dally M Medal. Playing chiefly astatine halfback alongside five-eighth Adam Dykes successful 2001, Campbell snared 17 tries and bobbed up successful galore others. But NSW State of Origin selectors ever questioned however Campbell, who measured successful astatine conscionable 167 centimetres and 75 kilograms, would fare successful the Origin cauldron. Therefore, helium was overlooked by the likes of Mark Hughes, Anthony Minichiello and Brett Stewart successful the fullback race, and Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler, Trent Barrett, Brett Kimmorley and Shaun Timmins for a spot successful the halves. Campbell played with the Chargers, Sharks and Panthers, wherever helium won a premiership successful 2003, earlier being unveiled arsenic the archetypal signing of the Gold Coast Titans successful 2005. His son, Jayden Campbell, made his NRL debut with the Titans this season.
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Nathan Friend
Nathan Friend was a beardown defender and ball-carrier who was unfortunate to play passim the Cameron Smith epoch and was astir apt down the likes of Matt Ballin and Aaron Payne successful the pecking bid for the Maroons No.9 jersey. The Broncos, Warriors, Storm and Titans hooker went connected to play successful 242 games passim his 15-year career. The 85-kilogram hooker played good supra his value during his 242-game NRL career, which spanned 15 years. The Toowoomba-born dummy-half played for the Broncos, Storm, Warriors and Titans.
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Luke Patten
Luke Patten was a fullback of elite consistency during his 282-match vocation with the Illawarra Steelers, Dragons and Bulldogs, truthful overmuch truthful that helium earned the nickname 'The General'. While the New South Welshman didn't person the velocity oregon spark of Billy Slater oregon Anthony Minichiello, helium was highly reliable successful his positioning, shot handling and defence. In possibly the champion play of Patten's career, Canterbury's 2004 premiership-winning campaign, Patten was beaten to the NSW State of Origin No.1 jumper by Ben Hornby for Game One. Anthony Minichiello past donned the jersey for the 2nd and 3rd games of the 2004 series. In different years helium mislaid retired to the likes of Brett Hodgson, Brett Stewart and Kurt Gidley successful the conflict to play astatine fullback for the Blues. Patten's lone typical footy came with NSW Country, with whom helium played 3 games.
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