Daniel Fitzhenry
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| Fitzhenry in 2005 | ||||||
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Daniel Thomas Fitzhenry | |||||
| Born | 8 December 1979 Macksville, New South Wales, Australia | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Height | 179 cm (5 ft 10 in) | |||||
| Weight | 87 kg (13 st 10 lb) | |||||
| Position | Centre, Wing, Fullback, Five-eighth, Hooker | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2002–07 | Wests Tigers | 119 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 172 |
| 2008–09 | Hull KR | 53 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 72 |
| 2010 | Wests Tigers | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | 190 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 248 | |
| Source: League Central Rugby League Project | ||||||
Daniel Fitzhenry (born 8 December 1979) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 2000s. He played for the Wests Tigers in the NRL and Hull KR in the Super League. He primarily played on the wing.
Playing career
Daniel Fitzhenry played Jersey Flegg for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and had spent a period playing with Limoux Rugby League in France before being injured in a car accident.
After coming through the joint venture Wests Tigers' ranks with the Western Suburbs Magpies, Fitzhenry made his debut in the National Rugby League playing at centre in Round 14 of the 2002 NRL season against the Penrith Panthers at Leichhardt Oval. Fitzhenry played at fullback for several games in 2002. His versatility has seen him play off the bench, as hooker and once as halfback (2004 against The Bulldogs). Injuries to the club's first choice player Benji Marshall saw Daniel used as a makeshift 5/8th at times.
Fitzhenry's most successful position has been on the wing. Initially Fitzhenry was placed under much pressure in the position with many opposition clubs targeting his defensive weaknesses, including his shifting defence and a perceived inability to catch bombs. However Fitzhenry improved over several seasons with his defence becoming solid.
Fitzhenry was a member of Wests Tigers team that won the 2005 NRL Grand Final, defeating the North Queensland Cowboys 30-16. He scored a try in the 63rd minute to give Wests a 12 point lead. He also scored a try in the 2006 World Club Challenge which the Tigers lost to Bradford.
Fitzhenry held the record for the most tries scored by a player at the Wests Tigers, with 43, before being surpassed by Benji Marshall in 2010. Despite his try-scoring feats, he has been described as receiving "constant hate mail" and being "targeted more than almost any other player in the NRL."[1]
In 2010, Fitzhenry returned to the Wests Tigers after two seasons playing with Hull KR.[2] He played in 18 games during the season, but was often named as a reserve back, getting little time on the field.
At the end of the season, Fitzhenry retired from the NRL, signing a two year contract to captain-coach Southcity in the Group 9 competition.[3] He won a premiership in his first season with the club.[4]
Career highlights
- Junior Club: Dorrigo & Nambucca Heads
- First Grade Debut: Round 14, Wests Tigers v Penrith at Leichhardt Oval, 15 June 2002
- Career Highlight: Wests Tigers Leading Tryscorer; try in the 2005 NRL Grand Final
- Premierships: 2005 (West Tigers v North Queensland Cowboys)
External links
- Daniel Fitzhenry NRL Profile(no longer a valid link)
- Official Daniel Fitzhenry Playing Statistics
References
- ↑ "Fitzy blitzes fans in the proper forum". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 May 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ↑ "Liam Fulton, Daniel Fitzhenry return to Tigers". ABC Grandstand. 16 October 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ↑ "Fitzhenry to join Southcity in Wagga". ABC. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
- ↑ Pamela Whaley (5 January 2012). "Wests Tigers sign Wagga's Tim Hurst". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- Cousins, Wayne. "Fitzy reaches 100 games for Wests Tigers". Wests Tigers. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-06-01.
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