The A to Z of Forgotten NRL Rugby League Players

The Gurgler has many loves – sport, rugby league and remembering and celebrating the forgotten or obscure people, things, events and sports people. What better way to combine all of those loves into our A to Z of Forgotten Rugby League players.

All these players are great, you have to be to play first grade in Australia and/or England, they are just forgotten names from the past. Some of them were quite big at one time or another, but for some reason their name is only mentioned by Rugby League tragics thinking of back in the day. None of these players will become Immortals, and probably not even a hall of fame or all time XIII for their club, but they do deserve a nod of appreciation, as to be not forgotten for just a short moment in time.

Very few got the chance to taste State of Origin, or play for one of the three major international rugby league teams, and they may not have even won a great deal or anything in their career. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve our love.

For some reason a lot of these players ventured over to the UK Super League, it is a coincidence only, but we are glad to know they shared their talents on two continents.

We’ve selected a handful of players for each letter of the alphabet that tickled our fancy for the many reader of The Gurgler as we attempt to come up with an all-time A to Z rugby league team. Ours are a suggestion only and we are calling on you, the reader, to get our ultimate side of A to Z Forgotten players. Our comments form is at the end of the list, so why not let us know your thoughts on our players selected or suggest your own before the best Forgotten A to Z side is selected by The Gurgler Competitions Committee.

All stats provided by the sensational website – Rugby League Project. If you ever need to remember anything from Rugby League then take a peek at the encyclopaedia of League.

A

Glen AIR
Won 2003 Minor Premiership for Country Championship for Thirroul Butchers
45 Games for Illawarra, Wests Tigers + 76 for London

Graham APPO
Broke scoring records for Adelaide and in the UK.
52 Games for Adelaide, Canberra, North Qld, Roosters – 85 for Huddersfield, Warrington

Phil ADAMSON
Brother of Matt Adamson
108 Games for Parramatta, Penrith, Manly + 2 for St Helens

B

David BOUVENG
43 Games for Gold Coast, North Qld + 53 for Halifax

Anthony BELLA
Lesser known brother of Martin Bella
25 Games for the SQ Crushers

Michael BANI
41 Games for Manly, North Qld

C

PAUL CARIAGE
61 Games for Illawarra, Parramatta + 27 for Salford City

CHRIS CARUANA
157 for North Sydney, South Sydney

MICHAEL COOREY
25 for Brisbane, North Qld + 2 Games for Lebanon

EION CROSSAN
Gola kicking winger and not much else. Could kick though.
45 Games for South Sydney, Cronulla

D

Matthew DAYLIGHT
36 Games for Cronulla, Western Reds, Adelaide + 52 Games for Hull FC, Gateshead + 3 Games for Scotland

Andrew DUNNEMANN
78 Games for North Qld, Gold Coast, South Sydney, Canberra + 193 Games for Halifax, Leeds, Salford City

Sid DOMIC
92 Games for Brisbane, Penrith + 144 Games for Wakefield, Warrington, Hull FC

Jason DEATH
201 Games for Canberra, North Qld, Auckland/NZ, South Sydney

E

St John ELLIS
High profile signing for Crushers, low profile exit not long after.
9 Games for South Qld Crushers + Appearances for Castleford, Halifax, Bradford Northern, Hunslet + 3 Games for GB

Steve EDMED
157 Games for Balmain, North Qld + Games for Sheffield Eagles

Andrew EVERINGHAM
Burst onto scene, but since has disappeared.
40 Games for South Sydney

F

Butch FATNOWNA
2 Games for Brisbane + Games for Workington, London, Hunslet

Dale Fritz
154 Games for Illawarra, Wests, Western Reds, North Qld + 133 Games for Castleford

Gary FRENCH
27 Games for Brisbane + Games for Castleford

Steve FENECH
Now editor of www.techguide.com.au and current brother of Mario Fenech
11 Games for South Sydney

G

Brett GOLDSPINK
60 Games for Illawarra, South Sydney, Western Reds + Games for Oldham, Halifax, Wigan, St Helens

Craig GRAUF
11 Games for Brisbane, Gold Coast

Glenn GRIEF
145 Games for Wests, Newcastle, South Sydney

Nigel GAFFEY
177 Games for Canberra, Roosters, Crushers, Penrith

H

Brett HORSNELL
154 Games for Gold Coast, Crushers, Parramatta

Harvey HOWARD
A British/English International + some appearances in the NRL.
77 Games for Easts, Wests, Brisbane + Many Games for Widnes, Leeds, Bradford, Wigan + 7 Internationals

Terry HERMANSSON
150 Games for South Sydney, Roosters, Auckland + 7 Games for NZ/NZ Maori

I

Brad IZZARD
206 Games for Penrith + 4 for NSW

Craig IZZARD
119 Games for Penrith, Parramatta, Balmain, Illawarra + Games for Leeds

Grant IZZARD
21 Games for Penrith, Illawarra.

J

Steve JACKSON
1989 Grand Final Hero for Canberra
78 Games for Canberra, Wests, Gold Coast + 9 Games for Queensland

Brian JELLICK
48 Games for North Qld + 3 for NZ

K

Joe KILROY
Speedy Winger around for too short a time. Images of him hugging a young Allan Langer in Origin.
31 Games for Brisbane + 5 Games for Queensland

Shaun KEATING
5 Games for Brisbane + Games for London

Craig KIMMORLEY
12 Games for Newcastle, Adelaide, Roosters

L

Brett LE MAN
First try scorer for Broncos in 1988
38 Games for Brisbane

David LOMAX
Brother of the slightly more remembered John.
34 Games for Canberra, Western Reds, Newcastle + 2 Games for NZ

Graham LYONS
RLP – a State of Origin rep in 1990, who was rated one of the fastest backs in the game when he won an invitation sprint race at the beginning of 1993.
96 Games for South Syndey, Penrith, Balmain + 3 Games for NSW

M

Cherry MESCIA
Real name Ciriaco
128 Games for Wests, Wests Tigers

Kieran MEYER
Distant relative of one of The Gurgler writers + scored a try on debut for Broncos
6 Games for Brisbane, Penrith, Gold Coast

Rod MAYBON
Reliable fullback for a number of clubs
148 Games for South Sydney, St George, Adelaide, Parramatta, Canberra

Ewen McGRADY
Probably holds the record for fewest games played in total for a player of the year, which he won in 1991
64 Games for Canterbury, Wests

N

Chris NAHI
Great mullet – hijacked a garbage truck in his post playing days.
46 Games for Gold Coast + 2 Games for NZ Maori + 1 Game for Rest of the World

Billy NOKE
An original Bronco in 1988 – Second Rower of the year in 1985
113 Games for St George, Brisbane, South Sydney, Wests

George NDAIRA
RLP – 1997 Developing Nations Player of the Year
25 Games for Dragons, South Sydney, Newcastle + 9 Games for Lebanon

O

Lee OUDENRYN
Beat Martin Offiah in a sprint race on a British tour in the 90’s.
132 Games for Parramatta, Auckland, North Qld, Gold Coast

Clinton O’BRIEN
Part of the 97 Smokiest Qld Origin side of all time
130 Games for Roosters, Crushers, Gold Coast, Newcastle

P

Wes PATTEN
91 Games for Tigers, South Sydney, Gold Coast, Dragons

Scott Pethybriidge
108 Games for Penrith, Norths, Auckland, Northern Eagles

Darren PLOWMAN
Lesser known brother of Brett.
22 Games for Brisbane, Crushers.

Brett PLOWMAN
Blockbusting winger and father of Lachlan Maranta
103 Games for Brisbane, Parramatta, Gold Coast

Neil PICCINELLI
188 Games for Illawarra, Hunter Mariners, Newcastle

Todd POLGLASE
48 Games for Bulldogs, South Sydney, Newcastle

Q

Anthony QUINX
Hard to find some Q players with some achievement but still slightly forgotten. This fellow played over 200 games.
210 for Newcastle, Melbourne + 3 Games for NSW

R

Steele RETCHLESS
Won The Gurgler’s Poll on the Manliest name and deservedly so.
33 Games for Brisbane, Crushers + 201 Games for London.

Nigel ROY
157 Games for Illawarra, North Sydney, Northern Eagles + 100+ Games for London

Grant RIX
20 games for Brisbane + Games for Halifax

Paul RAUHIHI
Played a huge 16 games for NZ, on top of plenty in the NRL and Super League.
131 Games for Newcastle, Bulldogs, North Qld + 16 for NZ + 3 for NZ Maori + 95 Games for Warrington

S

Dean SCHIFFILITTI
Queensland journeyman did tour a tour in Adelaide before they folded.
184 Games for Illawarra, South Sydney, Adelaide, North Qld, Parramatta

Jeremy SCHLOSS
Part of the 1997 Qld Origin Team – the most obscure rep side of all time.
114 Games for Gold Coast, South Sydney, North Qld + 3 Games for Queensland

Ryan STIG
Disappointed pun headline writers everywhere when he never player again after 2011.
13 Games for Newcastle.

Charlie SAAB
Not quite as speedy as the sportscar name sake
38 Games for South Sydney, Cronulla, Wests

T

Wes TILLOTT
16 Games for North Sydney, South Sydney

Rohan TEEVAN
Even more obscure than his brother Craig who played for Queensland.
22 Games for Brisbane

Rex TERP
Precluded the merger as he played for both St George and Illawarra. Wauchope Rookie of the Year in 1988.
39 Games for St George, Illawarra

Jason TWIST
13 Games for Gold Coast

Andrew but not Brad TESSMAN
Vaguely remember very high shorts.
34 Games for Brisbane

Brad TESSMAN
Had a great 1983 playing for Australia and Queensland from the Brisbane comp.
61 Games for Roosters, Brisbane + 6 Games for Queensland + 1 for Australia

U

MATT UTAI
Small in stature but scored loads of tries until teams worked out to kick bombs to him.
167 Games for Bulldogs, Tigers

Paul UPFIELD
87 Games for Illawarra, Gold Coast, Dragons, Balmain

V

Adrian VOWLES
Now lends his voice to Queensland Cup, played Origin and International football.
79 Games for Gold Coast, North Qld + 1 Game for Queensland + 3 Games for Scotland

Richard Villisanti
One of the smokiest Australian players of all time
116 Games for Tigers, Warriors, Cronulla + 1 Game for Australia

Joe VITANZA
91 Games for Penrith, Gold Coast, Cronulla

W

Craig WESTON
Utility back who had more success in the UK than Australia
53 Games for Gold Coast, Easts, Crushers + 85 Games for Huddersfield, Doncaster, Widnes

Daniel WAGON
Played a shitload more games than we thought, and three more Origins than we thought too.
232 Games for St George, Parramatta + 3 Games for Queensland

Shane WHEREAT
From RLP: “He could have been an Australian version of Martin Offiah”
73 Games for Roosters, Parramatta

X

Anthony XUEREB
A shoe in to represent X.
34 Games for Penrith, Wests.

Y

Nick YOUNGQUEST
37 Games for Cronulla, St George Illawarra, Penrith, Bulldogs + 70 Games for Gateshead, Castleford, Crusaders,

Trent YOUNG
15 Games for South Sydney

Z

Nick ZISTI
72 Games for St George, South Sydney, Hunter Mariners, Cronulla + 9 Games for Bradford

Scott ZAHRA
Token Z Player not from Russia
6 Games for Gold Coast

Vote for your favourite or name someone we’ve missed. We’ll announce the ultimate A to Z of Forgotten Rugby League players team soon, once The Gurgler Competitions Committee sits.

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