Geoff Bugden
Encyclopedia
Geoff Bugden is a former professional rugby league
player. Bugden played for the Newtown Jets
and the Parramatta Eels
in the Australian New South Wales Rugby League
competition. He primarily played in the front-row.
He was the first ever forward to win the NSW Rugby Leagues best and fairest player award, the Rothmans Medal, in 1980.
As a reserve for the Newtown Jets, Bugden played in the 1981 Grand Final against the Parramatta Eels
, a match that Newtown lost. The next year, 1982, Bugden returned to the Sydney Cricket Ground
playing for Parramatta in their Grand Final win over Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
.
A serious injury to his chest in 1983 forced Bugden to announce his retirement from the game but two years later, he was back for Parramatta only to break his arm. In 1986 Bugden was on the field once more and was part of the Eels' 1986 Grand Final win over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, in which he played against his brother Mark and earned himself five-minutes in the sin-bin for tackling Steve Mortimer
without the ball.
Bugden was selected to represent New South Wales for games I and III of the 1983 State of Origin
series.
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. Bugden played for the Newtown Jets
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
and 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...
in the Australian New South Wales Rugby League
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
competition. He primarily played in the front-row.
He was the first ever forward to win the NSW Rugby Leagues best and fairest player award, the Rothmans Medal, in 1980.
As a reserve for the Newtown Jets, Bugden played in the 1981 Grand Final 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...
, a match that Newtown lost. The next year, 1982, Bugden returned to the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
playing for Parramatta in their Grand Final win over Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
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...
.
A serious injury to his chest in 1983 forced Bugden to announce his retirement from the game but two years later, he was back for Parramatta only to break his arm. In 1986 Bugden was on the field once more and was part of the Eels' 1986 Grand Final win over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, in which he played against his brother Mark and earned himself five-minutes in the sin-bin for tackling 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...
without the ball.
Bugden was selected to represent New South Wales for games I and III of the 1983 State of Origin
1983 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 1983 State of Origin series was the 2nd annual interstate representative series between rivals New South Wales and Queensland to be played under "state of origin" selection rules.-Game I:...
series.