Steve Simpson (rugby league)

Steve Simpson
Personal information
Born (1979-09-27) 27 September 1979
Maitland, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 104 kg (16 st 5 lb)
Position second-row, prop, lock
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1999–10 Newcastle Knights 216 32 0 0 128
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2001–05 Country NSW 3 0 0 0 0
2002–08 New South Wales 13 0 0 0 0
2002–07 Australia 7 1 0 0 4
Source: Rugby League Project

Steve Simpson (born 27 September 1979 in Maitland, New South Wales) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative second-row forward, he could also play prop and lock and played his entire club career for the Newcastle Knights, with whom he won the 2001 NRL Premiership.

Simpson played for the Newcastle Knights at second-row forward in their 2001 NRL Grand Final victory over the Parramatta Eels. Having won the 2001 NRL Premiership, the Knights travelled to England to play the 2002 World Club Challenge against Super League champions, the Bradford Bulls. Simpson played at second-row forward in Newcastle's loss. He was first selected to represent New South Wales as a second-rower for all three games of the 2002 State of Origin series. Simpson made his test debut in Australia's 64–10 defeat of Great Britain in July 2002.

At the end of the 2003 NRL season, he went on the 2003 Kangaroo tour.

Injuries prevented Simpson from being available for the 2003 and 2004 State of Origin series, he played in all games of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 series. He also participated in the 2006 ANZAC Tests against New Zealand. Simpson was selected to play for the Australian national team from the interchange bench in the 2007 ANZAC Test match victory against New Zealand.[1] In August 2008, Simpson was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[2][3] He was selected for Country in the City vs Country match on 8 May 2009.[4] However, he did not play in the match after withdrawing with injury.[5]

He was offered to play for the Ireland national rugby league team in the 2008 Rugby World Cup but declined.[6]

On 10 August 2010, Simpson announced his retirement after an ongoing knee injury did not respond well to treatment.[7] In his career Simpson has played 216 games and scored 32 tries.

References

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Anzac Test match 2007". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Liam FitzGibbon (1 August 2008). "Surprises in Kangaroos squad". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  3. ↑ "Veteran Lockyer named in Australian squad". International Herald Tribune. 1 August 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  4. ↑ Balym, Todd (3 May 2009). "Blues halfback duel in two as Mitchell Pearce misses selection". Fox Sports. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
  5. ↑ "St George Illawarra five-eighth Jamie Soward called up for Country". Fox Sports. 4 May 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
  6. ↑ http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/knights-star-steve-simpson-chooses-family-before-country/1232037.aspx
  7. ↑ http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=28884&title=simpson-announces-retirement
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