Dave Watson (rugby league)

Dave Watson
Personal information
Full name David Thomas Watson
Born 24 May 1966
Playing information
Position Fullback, Centre, Stand-off
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Waitara Bears (TRL)
Manukau Magpies
1988–1989 Whitehaven 1 0 0 4
1989–1990 York 1 0 0 4
1990–1991 Hull KR 13 0 0 52
1991–1992 Halifax 16 0 0 64
1992–1995 Bradford Northern 20 0 0 80
1994 Cronulla Sharks 9 0 0 0 0
1995 Sydney Tigers 2 0 0 0 0
1996 Gold Coast 16 6 0 0 24
1997 South Queensland 13 1 0 0 4
1998–1999 Sheffield Eagles 50 4 0 0 16
2000 Workington Town 1 0 0 0 0
2001 Rochdale Hornets 1 1 0 0 4
Total 27 57 0 0 228
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
198?–1993 Taranaki
198?–1991 Auckland
1986–1990 New Zealand Māori
1989–1993 New Zealand 15 6 0 0 24
Source: RLP

David Thomas Watson (born 24 May 1966) is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1980s and 1990s.

Playing career

Watson began his career playing for the Waitara Bears in the Taranaki Rugby League before moving north and playing in the Auckland Rugby League competition.[1] Watson joined the Manukau Magpies and in 1986 won the ARLs most improved back award.

In 1990 he signed with Hull KR for the 1990/91 season. He returned to England the next winter to play for the Halifax RLFC. While playing for Halifax Watson tested positive for cannabis and received a three-month ban.[2] In 1992 he began an association with Bradford Northern that lasted three seasons.[3]

In 1993 Watson returned to Taranaki and played in the North Island Second Division.[4] This made him eligible to participate in the Kiwi trials that year and he was selected for the series against Australia.

In 1994 Watson began playing in the Australian competition, spending time with the Cronulla Sharks, Sydney Tigers, Gold Coast Chargers and South Queensland Crushers.

In 1998 he returned to England, joining the Sheffield Eagles. In 1998 Watson, along with fellow 1989 Kiwi Whetu Taewa, was part of the Sheffield Eagles side that upset Wigan to win the Challenge Cup.[5]

Representative career

Watson was a Taranaki and Auckland representative before being selected to represent New Zealand Māori in the 1986 Pacific Cup.[6] He again represented the Māori against Great Britain in 1990.[7]

Watson was selected for the New Zealand Kiwis in 1989. He went on to make 15 appearances for the Kiwis, his last being in the 1993 test series against Australia.[8]

Legacy

In 2008 he was named in the Taranaki Rugby League Team of the Century.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Taranaki Grand Final Countdown rleague.com, 11 July 2003
  2. ↑ Watson back on the case for Bradford Northern The Independent, 31 October 1992
  3. ↑ Team-by-Team Guide to the Stones Bitter Championship The Independent, 29 August 1992
  4. ↑ Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1993, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1993. p.p.173-174
  5. ↑ Coffey, John; Wood, Bernie (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. p. 300. ISBN 978-1-86969-331-2.
  6. ↑ Coffey, John; Wood, Bernie (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. p. 245. ISBN 978-1-86969-331-2.
  7. ↑ Coffey, John; Wood, Bernie (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. p. 261. ISBN 978-1-86969-331-2.
  8. ↑ Watson, David Thomas 1989 - 91, 1993 - Kiwi #612 nzleague.co.nz
  9. ↑ "Dream team of century is named". Taranaki Daily News. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2011.