Andrew Leeds
Encyclopedia
Andrew Leeds is a former Australian rugby union
and professional rugby league
player. He has played for the Western Suburbs Magpies
, Parramatta Eels
and Penrith Panthers
, primarily as a goal-kicking fullback, and has represented at national level for the Wallabies
.
with the Northmead club,Merrylands JRU and James Ruse Agricultural High School
.
Joining the Parramatta Two Blues
, Leeds played in the 1985 and 1986 premiership winning sides, and went on to play for Sydney, New South Wales and Australia in 1986. Leeds made three tours with the Wallabies
, appearing in fourteen tests, and played in the 1987 Rugby World Cup
.
Converting to rugby league
, Leeds joined the Parramatta Eels
for the 1989 season. He spent 3 years with the Eels, but failed to perform when played at Centre or Five-eighth. After a year spent with the Penrith Panthers
, Leeds joined Wests
from 1993 onwards.
Leeds was a player with deceptive pace and skill. He was "safe, reliable and a match-winner with the boot." He scored over 500 points for the Magpies, often in under-performing teams, before announcing his retirement in 1999. He is the fourth highest point-scorer for the club.
Leeds later joined the Wests Tigers
as their physiotherapist and rehab manager, and did similar unpaid work with the Two Blues
As of 2012, Leeds was the Wests Tigers' longest serving employee, having missed only one game since the club started in 2000.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player. He has played for the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
and Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
, primarily as a goal-kicking fullback, and has represented at national level for the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
.
Playing career
Leeds played junior rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
with the Northmead club,Merrylands JRU and James Ruse Agricultural High School
James Ruse Agricultural High School
James Ruse Agricultural High School is one of four New South Wales Government agricultural high schools. It is a selective, co-educational public high school located at Carlingford, New South Wales, Australia...
.
Joining the Parramatta Two Blues
Parramatta Two Blues
Parramatta Two Blues Rugby are a rugby union club based in the second CBD of Sydney, Parramatta.-History:The club was originally formed in 1879 as Cumberland but changed their name to Parramatta when the District competition was implemented in 1900....
, Leeds played in the 1985 and 1986 premiership winning sides, and went on to play for Sydney, New South Wales and Australia in 1986. Leeds made three tours with the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, appearing in fourteen tests, and played in the 1987 Rugby World Cup
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
.
Converting to rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, Leeds joined the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
for the 1989 season. He spent 3 years with the Eels, but failed to perform when played at Centre or Five-eighth. After a year spent with the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
, Leeds joined Wests
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
from 1993 onwards.
Leeds was a player with deceptive pace and skill. He was "safe, reliable and a match-winner with the boot." He scored over 500 points for the Magpies, often in under-performing teams, before announcing his retirement in 1999. He is the fourth highest point-scorer for the club.
Leeds later joined the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
as their physiotherapist and rehab manager, and did similar unpaid work with the Two Blues
Parramatta Two Blues
Parramatta Two Blues Rugby are a rugby union club based in the second CBD of Sydney, Parramatta.-History:The club was originally formed in 1879 as Cumberland but changed their name to Parramatta when the District competition was implemented in 1900....
As of 2012, Leeds was the Wests Tigers' longest serving employee, having missed only one game since the club started in 2000.