Darryl Brohman
Encyclopedia
Darryl Brohman (born 22 June 1956) is an Australian former rugby league
footballer, commentator
and media personality. Brohman is best known for his time playing for the Penrith Panthers
and the Queensland rugby league team
. At present, he is working for 2GB
on its Continuous Call Team
broadcasts, on the Nine Networks
's NRL Footy Show program and makes guest appearances on the Australian version of the ESPN
show Pardon The Interruption
.
in the Brisbane competition. He was awarded the Norths Player of the Year in 1976 and won Brisbane's Rothmans Medal
as the best and fairest player, also in 1976.
He then moved to Sydney
and played for the Penrith Panthers
, from 1979 to 1983 (being the club's captain from 1982-83) and again from 1986 to 1987, and the Canterbury Bulldogs
in 1984 and 1985. Brohman played two State of Origin
matches for Queensland
in 1983 and 1986.
In his Origin debut in the opening match of the 1983 series, Brohman had his jaw broken by an elbow tackle from Les Boyd
, which saw him sidelined for the rest of the season. At the time, Brohman had been tipped to make his Test debut in the series against New Zealand
starting two days later, and would have been the Panthers' first international had this eventuated. That honour later went to hooker Royce Simmons
in 1986. Brohman returned to the playing field for the 1984 season
with the Canterbury Bulldogs
, where his skills as a talented ball-playing forward under the leadership of Steve Mortimer
helped the club to their Grand Final win against the Parramatta Eels
. His final match was for Penrith Panthers
in the 1987 Reserve Grade Final. For the next two seasons, he turned his hand to coaching at the newly formed Brisbane Broncos
in 1988 and Canterbury Bulldogs
in 1989. Brohman's style resembled that of the 1960s where ball-playing forwards were far more commonplace. Strong and hard to tackle, with great touch and subtlety and an excellent understanding of tactics, Brohman was one of the game's best ball-playing forwards of the modern era, up there with Arthur Beetson
. Rugby league "Immortal"
Bob Fulton
has described Brohman as one of the best players he has ever seen.
After he retired from playing, he took up coaching for two seasons. Firstly, he coached Brisbane
's reserve grade side in 1988, before returning to Canterbury in 1989 to coach their reserve grade team.
In 2006, he was nominated as the one of front rowers in the 40th Anniversary Penrith Panthers "Team of Legends" but lost out to Terry Geary (8 seasons - 1969-76) and Tim Sheens
(13 seasons - 1970-82).
where he has worked for several radio stations across Sydney. Brohman's media career includes stints at 2KA
, ABC Local Radio
, 2UE
, 2SM
and once before at 2GB
. He is currently a host on the Nine Network
's The NRL Footy Show
(since 2010). He has been part of the menswear chain Lowes
's advertising campaigns, which also feature other retired Rugby League players.
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, commentator
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
and media personality. Brohman is best known for his time playing for 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...
and the Queensland rugby league team
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
. At present, he is working for 2GB
2GB
2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. It is one of Australia's most popular talk-back radio stations, and is the number one station in Sydney.-History:The station commenced broadcasting in August 1926...
on its Continuous Call Team
Continuous Call Team
The Continuous Call Team is an Australian radio sports program, covering the news and live games of the National Rugby League. It is produced and broadcast by 2GB Sydney, and is relayed to stations in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and Papua New Guinea.The team have...
broadcasts, on the Nine Networks
TCN
TCN stands for:* Take Care Now, a private company providing out-of-hours medical cover in England* TanenbaumCHAT North Campus, a private Hebrew high school in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada* TCN-9, a Sydney television station...
's NRL Footy Show program and makes guest appearances on the Australian version of the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
show Pardon The Interruption
Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption is a sports television show that airs weekdays on various ESPN TV channels, TSN, ESPN America, XM, and Sirius satellite radio services, and as a downloadable podcast. It is hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, who discuss, and frequently argue over, the top stories...
.
Playing career
Brohman attended Wavell High School in Wavell Heights, one of Brisbane's northern suburbs, and completed his Senior year in 1973. While there, he played first grade for NorthsNorths Devils
The Northern Suburbs Devils, Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They play in the Queensland Wizard Cup, and, through their predecessors, are one of the oldest clubs in...
in the Brisbane competition. He was awarded the Norths Player of the Year in 1976 and won Brisbane's Rothmans Medal
Rothmans Medal
The Rothmans Medal was the premier individual award in both the New South Wales Rugby League and Brisbane Rugby League competitions, and later in the Australian Rugby League, which was given to the player voted by referees as the best and fairest in those competitions for that year.The award was...
as the best and fairest player, also in 1976.
He then moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and played for 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...
, from 1979 to 1983 (being the club's captain from 1982-83) and again from 1986 to 1987, and the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
in 1984 and 1985. Brohman played two State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
matches for Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in 1983 and 1986.
In his Origin debut in the opening match of the 1983 series, Brohman had his jaw broken by an elbow tackle from Les Boyd
Les Boyd
Les Boyd is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played representative football for the Australian national side in international matches as well as the New South Wales side in the State of Origin...
, which saw him sidelined for the rest of the season. At the time, Brohman had been tipped to make his Test debut in the series against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
starting two days later, and would have been the Panthers' first international had this eventuated. That honour later went to hooker Royce Simmons
Royce Simmons
Royce Simmons is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player, currently the head coach of St Helens RLFC in the European Super League...
in 1986. Brohman returned to the playing field for the 1984 season
New South Wales Rugby League season 1984
The 1984 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the seventy-seventh season of professional rugby league football in Australia. With the departure of the Newtown Jets from the first grade competition at the close of the previous season, 1984 saw thirteen teams compete for the J J Giltinan...
with the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
, where his skills as a talented ball-playing forward under the leadership of Steve Mortimer
Steve Mortimer
Steve Mortimer OAM, , nicknamed Turvey after Turvey Park in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, where he hailed from, is an Australian former rugby league halfback. Mortimer played a Canterbury-Bankstown club record 272 first grade games between 1976–88. Mortimer's two younger brothers Peter and Chris...
helped the club to their Grand Final win against 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...
. His final match was for 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...
in the 1987 Reserve Grade Final. For the next two seasons, he turned his hand to coaching at the newly formed 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...
in 1988 and Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
in 1989. Brohman's style resembled that of the 1960s where ball-playing forwards were far more commonplace. Strong and hard to tackle, with great touch and subtlety and an excellent understanding of tactics, Brohman was one of the game's best ball-playing forwards of the modern era, up there with Arthur Beetson
Arthur Beetson
Arthur Henry "Artie" Beetson, OAM , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He represented Australia and Queensland from 1964 to 1981. His position was at prop. Beetson became the first Indigenous Australian to captain his country in any sport. and is frequently cited as the best...
. Rugby league "Immortal"
The Immortals (rugby league)
A major Australian rugby league magazine Rugby League Week in 1981 selected an exclusive group of players dubbed "The Immortals". The group consisted of Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, and Johnny Raper...
Bob Fulton
Bob Fulton
Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
has described Brohman as one of the best players he has ever seen.
After he retired from playing, he took up coaching for two seasons. Firstly, he coached Brisbane
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...
's reserve grade side in 1988, before returning to Canterbury in 1989 to coach their reserve grade team.
In 2006, he was nominated as the one of front rowers in the 40th Anniversary Penrith Panthers "Team of Legends" but lost out to Terry Geary (8 seasons - 1969-76) and Tim Sheens
Tim Sheens
Tim Sheens is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently coaches the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League and in 2009 was appointed coach of the Australian national team, the Kangaroos...
(13 seasons - 1970-82).
Media career
Brohman has found his home in the mediaMass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
where he has worked for several radio stations across Sydney. Brohman's media career includes stints at 2KA
2KA
2KA was an Australian radio station, licensed to Katoomba, New South Wales, and serving the Blue Mountains area of western Sydney. It was launched on 7 September 1935.In December 1937 the station moved from 1160kHz to 780kHz...
, ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
, 2UE
2UE
2UE is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by Fairfax Media. It is Sydney's and Australia's oldest commercial radio station, first broadcasting on 26 January 1925 on 1025 kHz AM before moving to 950 kHz in 1935 when virtually all Australian radio stations were assigned new...
, 2SM
2SM
2SM is an Australian radio station, licensed to and serving Sydney, New South Wales, broadcasting on 1269 kilohertz on the AM band. It is owned and operated by Broadcast Operations Group...
and once before at 2GB
2GB
2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. It is one of Australia's most popular talk-back radio stations, and is the number one station in Sydney.-History:The station commenced broadcasting in August 1926...
. He is currently a host on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's The NRL Footy Show
The NRL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award-winning Australian sports variety television programme, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates. Following the success of the AFL program of the same name, the Nine Network quickly developed a version for the rugby league market. The rugby league version has...
(since 2010). He has been part of the menswear chain Lowes
Lowes Menswear
Lowes Menswear is an Australian menswear chain established in 1898. They primarily sell workwear, suits, clothes for larger men, and schoolwear. Lowes has recently added ladieswear, surfwear, and boyswear....
's advertising campaigns, which also feature other retired Rugby League players.