David Furner
Encyclopedia
David Furner is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Canberra Raiders
of the NRL. Furner spent his whole Australian playing career with the Raiders as well and left the club as the greatest point-scoring forward in Australian rugby league history before enjoying a successful career in England.
David Furner is the son of former Canberra Raiders
and Australian Kangaroos coach, Don Furner
.
Furner switched to rugby league in 1991 when he joined the Canberra Raiders. He made his first-grade debut in round 2 of the 1992 season against Manly-Warringah
.
Furner was part of the 1994 Canberra Raiders premiership team, winning the Clive Churchill Medal
for Man of the Match. Furner's strong performance led to his selection for the 1994 Kangaroo tour
squad. Furner's father, Don, chairman of selectors, abstained from voting.
When Furner left Canberra at the end of the 2000 season, he had surpassed Bernie Purcell
's record as the highest point-scoring forward in the game with 1218 points. Also in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league.
After leaving Canberra, Furner moved to England's Super League
where he played for the Wigan Warriors
. With them he won the Challenge Cup
. After that he joined the Leeds Rhinos
, with whom he won the Super League Grand Final
.
's appointment as coach for the North Queensland Cowboys
, Furner was named as Canberra's coach for 2009. A year earlier his brother, Don Furner, Jr., was appointed CEO of the Raiders.
Following a poor start to the Raiders' 2009 NRL season, with Canberra only winning 4 games from 13, Furner has found himself criticised for the style the Raiders play and how different it is to their 2008 season style.
The back end of the 2009 season, gave Canberra Raiders fans optimism that 2010 would be successful, this has eventuated with Furner leading the Raiders into the semi finals.
Yet again the Raiders' start to a season was considered a massive under achievement with only 1 win from 8 games, despite many backing the Raiders to finish in the top four for the 2011 NRL season
.
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
of the NRL. Furner spent his whole Australian playing career with the Raiders as well and left the club as the greatest point-scoring forward in Australian rugby league history before enjoying a successful career in England.
David Furner is the son of former Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
and Australian Kangaroos coach, Don Furner
Don Furner
Don Furner is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. As a player he represented Queensland on nine occasions and also toured with the 1956–57 Kangaroos....
.
Playing career
Furner attended St. Edmund's College, Canberra. Before embarking on a successful career in rugby league, Furner was a Queanbeyan Whites rugby union junior and a member of the Australian under-17 and under-21 rugby union team.Furner switched to rugby league in 1991 when he joined the Canberra Raiders. He made his first-grade debut in round 2 of the 1992 season against Manly-Warringah
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
.
Furner was part of the 1994 Canberra Raiders premiership team, winning the Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
for Man of the Match. Furner's strong performance led to his selection for the 1994 Kangaroo tour
1994 Kangaroo Tour
The 1994 Kangaroo Tour was the last played in the conventional format, where the Australian side plays a number of matches against British and French clubs or provincial outfits, in additions to the Test matches...
squad. Furner's father, Don, chairman of selectors, abstained from voting.
When Furner left Canberra at the end of the 2000 season, he had surpassed Bernie Purcell
Bernie Purcell
Bernie Purcell was an Australian rugby league premiership winning footballer and coach. He was a goal-kicking second-row forward of the 1950s for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Australian national representative and New South Wales state sides....
's record as the highest point-scoring forward in the game with 1218 points. Also in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
Australian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league.
After leaving Canberra, Furner moved to England's 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...
where he played for the Wigan Warriors
Wigan 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....
. With them he won the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
. After that he joined the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, with whom he won the Super League Grand Final
Super League Grand Final
The Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...
.
Coaching career
On his return to Australia from England, Furner took on a role as assistant-coach at the Canberra Raiders in 2006. In 2008, following Neil HenryNeil Henry
Neil Henry is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. Since 2009 he has been head coach for the North Queensland Cowboys of the National Rugby League. Henry previously played for, then coached the Canberra Raiders.Henry was a foundation player of the Raiders,...
's appointment as coach for 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...
, Furner was named as Canberra's coach for 2009. A year earlier his brother, Don Furner, Jr., was appointed CEO of the Raiders.
Following a poor start to the Raiders' 2009 NRL season, with Canberra only winning 4 games from 13, Furner has found himself criticised for the style the Raiders play and how different it is to their 2008 season style.
The back end of the 2009 season, gave Canberra Raiders fans optimism that 2010 would be successful, this has eventuated with Furner leading the Raiders into the semi finals.
Yet again the Raiders' start to a season was considered a massive under achievement with only 1 win from 8 games, despite many backing the Raiders to finish in the top four for the 2011 NRL season
2011 NRL season
The 2011 NRL season was the 105th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth run by the National Rugby League. The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, was contested by sixteen teams for the...
.