Michael Maguire (rugby league)

Michael Maguire
Personal information
Nickname Madge
Born 5 February 1974 (1974-02-05) (age 38)
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Playing information
Position Fullback, Wing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1992–96 Canberra Raiders 11 4 0 0 16
1997 Adelaide Rams 5 1 0 0 4
1998 Canberra Raiders 2 1 0 0 4
Total 18 6 0 0 24
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
2010–11 Wigan Warriors 33 26 0 7 79
2012– South Sydney 0 0 0 0
Total 33 26 0 7 79
Source: RLP

Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently head coach for the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the National Rugby League (NRL). After serving as assistant coach of the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy, in 2009 he became the head coach of the Wigan Warriors in England's Super League. In his first year as Wigan's coach he won the 2010 Super League Grand Final.[1] In his second year he won the 2011 Challenge Cup before linking up with South Sydney.

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Playing career

After initially starting playing in rugby union Michael signed for NSWRL club the Canberra Raiders in 1991 and made his Winfield Cup début for the club off the bench against Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in a narrow 14-15 loss.

Maguire did not feature again until 1994 when he came off the bench again against Penrith Panthers. He had a more consistent season the following year, making six appearances in total, most of which he started as either Wing or Centre. Maguire's first try came as a centre against the Parramatta Eels.

In 1997 Maguire left Canberra and signed for the new Adelaide Rams club of the breakway Australian Super League competition. He made his début at fullback against the North Queensland Cowboys which Adelaide lost. Maguire also participated in the World Club Challenge for the Rams that year. He went on to play four more games for Adelaide and scored one try before returning to Canberra in 1998.

Maguire made two appearances for Canberra in 1998 before retiring after persistent neck problems.

Coaching career

When Maguire retired from playing rugby league he initially left the game and taught Physical Education before signing as a Strength & Conditioning coach for Canberra and later became assistant coach for the Canberra Raiders reserve grade under Mal Meninga. Maguire was eventually promoted to assistant coach of the Canberra first team alongside Matthew Elliott before leaving the club in 2004 to take the assistant coaching job at Melbourne Storm under former Raiders teammate, Craig Bellamy.

Maguire was an integral part in Melbourne's stripped NRL grand final victories and took control of first team affairs when head coach Bellamy took up representative duties for the Blues in State of Origin. This earned him plaudits from senior coaches in the NRL and Maguire was linked with a move to Brisbane Broncos as head coach in 2008.[2] He was heavily linked with a move to English club Wigan Warriors towards the end of the 2009 season and signed a three-year deal with the Super League side on 7 October 2009.[3]

Wigan Warriors

"Madge" made the perfect start to his Warriors coaching career with a victory against Crusaders in his first home match of the season. He ended the Halliwell Jones hoodoo against Warrington Wolves in a thrilling match which Wigan won 22-20. He won RLW coach of the month for February. Maguire then recorded his biggest victory as a Wigan coach, beating nearest rivals St Helens in the last ever Good Friday derby match at Knowsley Road.

Michael Maguire and his assistant Shaun Wane helped guide Wigan to the League Leaders Shield in 2010. This was the first time Wigan topped the table in 10 years and marked a trophy winning start to "Madge's" Wigan coaching tenure. Maguire has also guided Wigan to their first Super League Grand Final appearance in 7 years as the Warriors beat Leeds Rhinos at Headingley by a scoreline of 26-6 on 25 September 2010.

Maguire was crowned Coach of the Year 2010 at the annual Super League 'Man of Steel' awards dinner.

Michael Maguire Managed the Wigan Warriors side to their first Super League Grand Final win in over 10 years beating their arch rivals Saint Helens 22-10 in the 2010 Super League Grand Final. The following February his Wigan side took on 2010 NRL premiers St. George Illawarra Dragons in the 2011 World Club Challenge but were defeated.

Maguire announced his resignation from Wigan in 2011 to accept the head coach position for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League for the 2012 season.[4]

Maguire coached the Wigan side to a 28 - 18 Challenge Cup win over Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium on the 27th of August 2011[5].

South Sydney Rabbitohs

Maguire joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs in October 2011, after the end of the NRL and Super League seasons. He had signed a contract with the club earlier in the year, to replace the retiring John Lang.[6]

References

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