Chris McKenna
Encyclopedia
Chris McKenna is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for Queensland and Australia as well as club sides the Brisbane Broncos
, South Queensland Crushers
and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. His usual position was second row, though while he played in Australia he usually played at centre. He also played for Doncaster in National League Two having signed at the beginning of the 2008 from Bradford Bulls
.
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
.
and the London Broncos
in the English competition as well as for the South Queensland Crushers
in the Australian competition.
and played for them in the only Australian super league grand final in 1997. In the second game of the 2002 State of Origin series he was named man-of-the-match. At the end of that year, he joined the Leeds Rhinos from NRL
side the Cronulla Sharks
after a rumored falling out with then coach Chris Anderson and was the only 2002 Test player to move to Super League
.
in 2003, making an impressive start to his Rhinos career before picking up a pectoral injury which meant he missed a month of the season but left him in extreme discomfort for a number of months following the initial injury.
He returned to his best form at the back end of the 2003 season which also saw a switch to the pack. In his début season he scored just six tries in 25 appearances, however during the Rhinos' Super League winning season he improved on this with 9 tries in 25. In 2004 Chris played 23 games for the Rhinos and scored 9 tries including 2 in the memorable 40–12 win over Bradford at Headingley
, which also earned him the man of the match accolade. Chris' efforts were rewarded with a place in the Grand Final winning squad.
In 2005 he has once again scored nine tries in 29 appearances. In total he made 80 appearances for Leeds, with four off the bench and scored 24 tries. He left Leeds at the end of 2005, scoring a try in his final appearance for the Rhinos at Headingley in the win over Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
on the last day of the season and then made his last ever Rhinos appearance at Old Trafford in the Grand Final defeat against Bradford Bulls
.
McKenna signed a 2 year part time contract with Doncaster starting from 2008.
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...
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for Queensland and Australia as well as club sides the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
, South Queensland Crushers
South Queensland Crushers
The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1992 it was decided that the team would be admitted into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, along with three other teams, as part of the League's expansion plans for professional...
and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. His usual position was second row, though while he played in Australia he usually played at centre. He also played for Doncaster in National League Two having signed at the beginning of the 2008 from Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
.
1993
McKenna made his first grade début for the Brisbane Broncos, as well as playing for the Sheffield Eagles. During the 1994 NSWRL season, McKenna played from the interchange bench for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions WiganWigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
1994 World Club Challenge
The 1994 MMI World Club Challenge was a replay of the 1992 World Club Challenge, with 1993–94 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan facing the 1993 NSWRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, this time in Australia. Wigan were clearly the dominant club in the English game, having won the...
.
1994–1996
He made appearances for the Sheffield EaglesSheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
and the London Broncos
London Broncos
London Broncos are a professional rugby league football club based in London, England. The club has competed in the Super League competition since its introduction in 1996...
in the English competition as well as for the South Queensland Crushers
South Queensland Crushers
The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1992 it was decided that the team would be admitted into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, along with three other teams, as part of the League's expansion plans for professional...
in the Australian competition.
1997–2002
McKenna played in the centres for the Cronulla SharksCronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
and played for them in the only Australian super league grand final in 1997. In the second game of the 2002 State of Origin series he was named man-of-the-match. At the end of that year, he joined the Leeds Rhinos from NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
side the Cronulla Sharks
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
after a rumored falling out with then coach Chris Anderson and was the only 2002 Test player to move to Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
.
2003–2005
Chris made his début for Leeds against WhitehavenWhitehaven RLFC
Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...
in 2003, making an impressive start to his Rhinos career before picking up a pectoral injury which meant he missed a month of the season but left him in extreme discomfort for a number of months following the initial injury.
He returned to his best form at the back end of the 2003 season which also saw a switch to the pack. In his début season he scored just six tries in 25 appearances, however during the Rhinos' Super League winning season he improved on this with 9 tries in 25. In 2004 Chris played 23 games for the Rhinos and scored 9 tries including 2 in the memorable 40–12 win over Bradford at Headingley
Headingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road...
, which also earned him the man of the match accolade. Chris' efforts were rewarded with a place in the Grand Final winning squad.
In 2005 he has once again scored nine tries in 29 appearances. In total he made 80 appearances for Leeds, with four off the bench and scored 24 tries. He left Leeds at the end of 2005, scoring a try in his final appearance for the Rhinos at Headingley in the win over Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
on the last day of the season and then made his last ever Rhinos appearance at Old Trafford in the Grand Final defeat against Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
.
2006–2007
He joined the Bradford Bulls. It was announced in September 2007 that Chris will leave Bradford at the end of 2007 season.McKenna signed a 2 year part time contract with Doncaster starting from 2008.
Representative games
- State Of Origin: Played 7 games in total for Queensland
- International: Played 2 Test matches (2000, 2002) and several games for Australia during its victorious 2000 World Cup campaign.