Chris Sandow
Encyclopedia
Chris Sandow is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league
player who previously played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
in the National Rugby League
competition (NRL) but from the 2012 NRL season
, Sandow will play for the Parramatta Eels
. He plays as a half-back.
. He later moved to Brisbane where he attended Marsden State High School
and played Colts and Queensland Cup
rugby for the Souths Logan Magpies. Sandow received Junior representative honors when he was selected for the Queensland Under-17 & Under-19 Squads. In 2006, while in year 12 at Marsden State High School
where his classmates were Israel Folau
and Antonio Winterstein
, Sandow was selected for the Australian Schoolboys Squad that toured Wales, England and France, where he was awarded the man-of-the-match award in the game against the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) squad.
Sandow's first contract was signed with the Gold Coast Titans
where he spent two years in the lower grades. He was touted as a first-string back-up for star NRL half-back Scott Prince
but his contract was terminated in early 2008 due to poor discipline. It was later revealed through the media that Sandow's partner had given birth to their first child and he was struggling with the distance away from his partner and first-born.
suffered a near season-ending injury and Sandow was named to replace him in the Rabbitohs’ NRL team. At the time Sandow was to make his debut the club was sitting at the bottom of the ladder after having slumped to 11 losses from 12 matches.
In Round 13 during the 2008 season
, Sandow made his first-grade debut against the Warriors
in Auckland, New Zealand at Mt. Smart Stadium. On debut, Sandow kicked the game-sealing field goal in the dying seconds of the match to record Souths second victory of the season, defeating the Warriors 35-28. This marked the first time since 1999 the Rabbitohs had beaten the Warriors. In the following match, Sandow scored his first NRL career try against the Gold Coast Titans
helping his side to a tight 24-23 victory that saw them come off the bottom of the table for the first time all season. Sandows fairy-tale start to the NRL continued a week later in Round 16, when after trailing 28-4 to the North Queensland Cowboys
and coming back to level the scores at 28-28, he kicked the game-winning field goal to win 29-28 in what became the second biggest comeback victory in the history of the National Rugby League.
Sandow finished his debut season in the NRL by winning the 2008 Dally M Award
Rookie of the Year Award. He was recognised in the Toyota Cup Team of the Year as the starting half-back and received the inaugural George Green
Medal for the Indigenous Rising Star of 2008.
Sandow earned selection in the Dreamtime team, the Indigenous Australian team that defeated New Zealand Maori 34-26 in a curtain raiser game at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
opening ceremony in October.
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 who previously played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in the National Rugby League
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...
competition (NRL) but from the 2012 NRL season
2012 NRL season
The 2012 NRL season will be the 106th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fifteenth run by the National Rugby League. The NRL will be contested by sixteen teams for the sixth consecutive year...
, Sandow will play for 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...
. He plays as a half-back.
Junior career
Sandow grew up in Queensland playing rugby league in the Aboriginal community of Cherbourg, a three hour drive north west of BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. He later moved to Brisbane where he attended Marsden State High School
Marsden State High School
Marsden State High School is a secondary school in Logan City, Queensland for students between years 8 and 12. Marsden State High School is located on Muchow Road between the suburbs of Marsden and Waterford West. The school was established in 1987 and—as of 2008—has 1,900...
and played Colts and Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
rugby for the Souths Logan Magpies. Sandow received Junior representative honors when he was selected for the Queensland Under-17 & Under-19 Squads. In 2006, while in year 12 at Marsden State High School
Marsden State High School
Marsden State High School is a secondary school in Logan City, Queensland for students between years 8 and 12. Marsden State High School is located on Muchow Road between the suburbs of Marsden and Waterford West. The school was established in 1987 and—as of 2008—has 1,900...
where his classmates were Israel Folau
Israel Folau
Israel Folau is a professional Australian rules footballer currently listed with the Greater Western Sydney Football Club in the Australian Football League . He previously played Rugby league for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League from 2007 to 2008 where he broke the record for most...
and Antonio Winterstein
Antonio Winterstein
Antonio Winterstein is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys of the NRL. A speedy outside back who played under-20s with the Roosters in 2008, his usual position is on the wing...
, Sandow was selected for the Australian Schoolboys Squad that toured Wales, England and France, where he was awarded the man-of-the-match award in the game against the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) squad.
Sandow's first contract was signed with the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
where he spent two years in the lower grades. He was touted as a first-string back-up for star NRL half-back Scott Prince
Scott Prince
Scott Prince is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and current captain of the Gold Coast Titans club of the National Rugby League...
but his contract was terminated in early 2008 due to poor discipline. It was later revealed through the media that Sandow's partner had given birth to their first child and he was struggling with the distance away from his partner and first-born.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Sandow's junior rep performance had not gone unnoticed and South Sydney's recruitment manager Mark Hughes signed Sandow to a minor $30,000 contract with the club. Sandow began playing in the National Youth Competition for the Rabbitohs squad from the beginning of the 2008 season. In June 2008, the team's star half-back Craig WingCraig Wing
Craig Wing is an Australian rugby union player. He currently plays rugby union in Japan. A former rugby league player for New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international utility player, Wing played for South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters.-South Sydney Rabbitohs:Craig Wing was a...
suffered a near season-ending injury and Sandow was named to replace him in the Rabbitohs’ NRL team. At the time Sandow was to make his debut the club was sitting at the bottom of the ladder after having slumped to 11 losses from 12 matches.
In Round 13 during the 2008 season
National Rugby League season 2008
The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
, Sandow made his first-grade debut against the Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
in Auckland, New Zealand at Mt. Smart Stadium. On debut, Sandow kicked the game-sealing field goal in the dying seconds of the match to record Souths second victory of the season, defeating the Warriors 35-28. This marked the first time since 1999 the Rabbitohs had beaten the Warriors. In the following match, Sandow scored his first NRL career try against the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
helping his side to a tight 24-23 victory that saw them come off the bottom of the table for the first time all season. Sandows fairy-tale start to the NRL continued a week later in Round 16, when after trailing 28-4 to the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
and coming back to level the scores at 28-28, he kicked the game-winning field goal to win 29-28 in what became the second biggest comeback victory in the history of the National Rugby League.
Sandow finished his debut season in the NRL by winning the 2008 Dally M Award
Dally M Awards
The Dally M Awards are the official annual player awards for the National Rugby League competition. The most prestigious of these awards is the Dally M Medal which is only ever awarded to Australian born Players...
Rookie of the Year Award. He was recognised in the Toyota Cup Team of the Year as the starting half-back and received the inaugural George Green
George Green (rugby league)
Edward George Green , is reputed to have been the first Indigenous Australian to play rugby league at first-grade level in Australia...
Medal for the Indigenous Rising Star of 2008.
Sandow earned selection in the Dreamtime team, the Indigenous Australian team that defeated New Zealand Maori 34-26 in a curtain raiser game at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
opening ceremony in October.
Parramatta Eels
Sandow has signed a four-year deal with the Parramatta Eels reportedly worth between $1.6 and $2.2 million. Sandow stated that the reason he was leaving was to ensure his children are well provided for in the future.Awards and accolades
- 2008National Rugby League season 2008The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
: Peter MoorePeter Bullfrog MoorePeter "Bullfrog" Moore OAM was an Australian rugby league administrator, particularly associated with the Canterbury Bulldogs, where he was Chief Executive from 1969-1995, serving a record 26 years at the helm...
Award - Dally M Rookie of the Year - 2008National Rugby League season 2008The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
: George Green MedalGeorge Green (rugby league)Edward George Green , is reputed to have been the first Indigenous Australian to play rugby league at first-grade level in Australia...
for the Indigenous Rising Star of 2008 - 2008: Toyota Cup Halfback of the Year