Hazem El Masri
Encyclopedia
Hazem El Masri (born 1 April 1976) is a Lebanese-Australian retired professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australia and Lebanon
international, and New South Wales State of Origin
representative winger, he played his entire club football career with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs with whom he won the 2004 NRL Premiership. The greatest goal-kicker of all time, in 2009 (his final season in the NRL) El Masri took the record for the highest-ever point scorer in premiership history and for a record sixth time was the League's top point scorer for the season. He primarily played on the wing, but he has also played at fullback.
El Masri is a self-identified devout Muslim
. He is widely respected for his community work with young people, winning the NRL's
Ken Stephen Award in 2002. The award recognises players who contribute to the betterment of their community away from rugby league. For his point scoring record alone he has to be one of the greatest wingers of all time, but he also had a knack for saving tries, something that is often overlooked.
on 1 April 1976 and emigrated to Australia with his family from there in 1988 when he was 12 years old. He began playing soccer
at an early age but during his senior years in high school switched to rugby league, joining a local club side, the Enfield
Federals.
side. The following year he was quickly elevated to the President's Cup squad. He debuted in the Bulldogs' first grade team in 1996 but would not be a regular member of the squad until 1998.
El Masri was not the first choice goal kicker at the Bulldogs for his first five seasons at the club because the club also featured renowned sharp shooter Daryl Halligan. It was not until Halligan was injured in 1997 that El Masri first kicked for the Bulldogs. In that year's Super League season El Masri scored a memorable hat-trick of tries against English club Halifax
.
In 2002 El Masri topped the League's point-scoring table for the first time and rejected a $2 million offer from the South Sydney Rabbitohs
, opting to stay with the Bulldogs.
El Masri broke the National Rugby League
point scoring record for a single season with 342 points (16 tries and 139 goals) in the 2004 season. He also holds the club career points record, surpassing Daryl Halligan
in 2005, and most goals scored by a Bulldogs player in a single match with 11 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs
in Round 21, 2003.
In 2006, El Masri broke another two club records: the most points scored for a single game (34 points, Rd 2 vs Wests Tigers
) and the most first grade tries for the Bulldogs (123, Rd 13 vs Newcastle Knights
). He also kicked his 600th goal during that match.
El Masri broke the 1900 point record after scoring 14 points in Round 8, 2007 against the Newcastle Knights
, defeating them 30–16 and becoming the sixth player to ever surpass that point, along with Graham Eadie
, Mick Cronin
, Daryl Halligan
, Jason Taylor and Andrew Johns
. He broke the all-time highest NRL career point scoring record in front of a crowd of 19,791 against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
in round 1, 2009, with a penalty goal on a rainy Saturday night, giving him 2,208 points.
On Friday 15 May 2009, El Masri played his 300th game in the Bulldogs 20–18 loss to the Dragons at Win Jubilee Stadium. His 300th game marked another record broken; becoming the first Bulldogs player to reach this milestone. He joined the exclusive '300' club behind, Darren Lockyer
(355), Terry Lamb
(349), Steve Menzies (349), Brad Fittler
(336), Cliff Lyons
(332), Andrew Ettingshausen
(328), Geoff Gerard
(320), Jason Croker
(318), Paul Langmack
(315), Ruben Wiki
(312), Steve Price (306) and Luke Ricketson
(301).
fixture on five occasions and captained the Lebanese team
in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
. In 2002, he played for the Australian team against New Zealand
.
El Masri was called up to Game 3 of the 2007 State of Origin
to make his debut after Jamie Lyon
was ruled out through injury. He kicked three conversions from the sideline, and scored the final try, giving him 10 points in total.
Lebanon Cedars' coach John Elias
approached El Masri to play a one-off European Cup tie for Lebanon
against Russia
in Tripoli
in October, 2009. El Masri considered accepting this invitation but found himself unable to do so.
He was part of the Lebanese squad at their first ever Rugby League World Cup, the 2000 Rugby League World Cup held in England, Ireland and France as Captain. He played in all 3 of Lebanon's World Cup games. He played in the Lebanese first ever World Cup Match against New Zealand and lost 64-0. He scored a try and kicked 3 goals in their 24-22 loss to Wales. He scored 2 tries and kicked 3 goals in their 22-22 draw against the Cook Islands. At the end of the Group Stage, Lebanon finished on 1 point and it was not enough for them to advance to the Knockout Stage. At the end of the World Cup his stat was 3 tries and 6 goals for 24 points for Lebanon.
in the preliminary final in front of a crowd of 74,549 people, the largest finals crowd ever recorded for a non-grand final. Following his retirement, El Masri was approached to stand as the Liberal
candidate for the seat of Lakemba
at the 2011 state election
.
El Masri made an appearance, kicking a goal, in the opening ceremony of Melbourne's new AAMI Park before the 2010 ANZAC Test
.
. In 2007, Bill Woods
published an authorised biography
, El Magic: the life of Hazem El Masri.
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. An Australia and Lebanon
Lebanon national rugby league team
The Lebanon national rugby league team is the representative side of Lebanon in rugby league football. They are nicknamed "The Cedars" after the Lebanon Cedar tree, which is also on the Lebanese flag. The team has been participating in international competition since 1998 and has quickly became one...
international, and New South Wales 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...
representative winger, he played his entire club football career with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs with whom he won the 2004 NRL Premiership. The greatest goal-kicker of all time, in 2009 (his final season in the NRL) El Masri took the record for the highest-ever point scorer in premiership history and for a record sixth time was the League's top point scorer for the season. He primarily played on the wing, but he has also played at fullback.
El Masri is a self-identified devout Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. He is widely respected for his community work with young people, winning the NRL's
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...
Ken Stephen Award in 2002. The award recognises players who contribute to the betterment of their community away from rugby league. For his point scoring record alone he has to be one of the greatest wingers of all time, but he also had a knack for saving tries, something that is often overlooked.
Early life
El Masri was born in Tripoli, LebanonTripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in Lebanon. Situated 85 km north of the capital Beirut, Tripoli is the capital of the North Governorate and the Tripoli District. Geographically located on the east of the Mediterranean, the city's history dates back...
on 1 April 1976 and emigrated to Australia with his family from there in 1988 when he was 12 years old. He began playing soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
at an early age but during his senior years in high school switched to rugby league, joining a local club side, the Enfield
Enfield, New South Wales
Enfield is a suburb, in the Inner-West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Enfield is located 13 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Burwood Council.-History:...
Federals.
Rugby league career
In 1994, he was spotted by Bulldogs development officers while playing for Belmore Boys High School and was invited to trials for the Jersey FleggJersey Flegg
Henry Harry "Jersey" Flegg was an English-Australian rugby league identity. Both a player and administrator, he was a leading figure in the birth of the sport in Australia....
side. The following year he was quickly elevated to the President's Cup squad. He debuted in the Bulldogs' first grade team in 1996 but would not be a regular member of the squad until 1998.
El Masri was not the first choice goal kicker at the Bulldogs for his first five seasons at the club because the club also featured renowned sharp shooter Daryl Halligan. It was not until Halligan was injured in 1997 that El Masri first kicked for the Bulldogs. In that year's Super League season El Masri scored a memorable hat-trick of tries against English club Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
.
In 2002 El Masri topped the League's point-scoring table for the first time and rejected a $2 million offer from 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...
, opting to stay with the Bulldogs.
El Masri broke 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...
point scoring record for a single season with 342 points (16 tries and 139 goals) in the 2004 season. He also holds the club career points record, surpassing Daryl Halligan
Daryl Halligan
Daryl Halligan is a rugby league football commentator and former professional player. A New Zealand international winger, he was the pre-eminent goal-kicker of his era, retiring as the highest point scorer in Australian premiership history...
in 2005, and most goals scored by a Bulldogs player in a single match with 11 against 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 Round 21, 2003.
In 2006, El Masri broke another two club records: the most points scored for a single game (34 points, Rd 2 vs Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
) and the most first grade tries for the Bulldogs (123, Rd 13 vs Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
). He also kicked his 600th goal during that match.
El Masri broke the 1900 point record after scoring 14 points in Round 8, 2007 against the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
, defeating them 30–16 and becoming the sixth player to ever surpass that point, along with Graham Eadie
Graham Eadie
Graham "Wombat" Eadie , is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century...
, Mick Cronin
Mick Cronin (rugby league)
Michael William "Mick" Cronin OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a goal-kicking centre for the Australian national team and a stalwart for the Parramatta Eels club. He played in 22 Tests and 11 World Cup matches between 1973 and 1982...
, Daryl Halligan
Daryl Halligan
Daryl Halligan is a rugby league football commentator and former professional player. A New Zealand international winger, he was the pre-eminent goal-kicker of his era, retiring as the highest point scorer in Australian premiership history...
, Jason Taylor and Andrew Johns
Andrew Johns
Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years...
. He broke the all-time highest NRL career point scoring record in front of a crowd of 19,791 against the 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...
in round 1, 2009, with a penalty goal on a rainy Saturday night, giving him 2,208 points.
On Friday 15 May 2009, El Masri played his 300th game in the Bulldogs 20–18 loss to the Dragons at Win Jubilee Stadium. His 300th game marked another record broken; becoming the first Bulldogs player to reach this milestone. He joined the exclusive '300' club behind, Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He was the captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his National Rugby League club, the Brisbane Broncos. His professional career spanned between 1995 and 2011...
(355), Terry Lamb
Terry Lamb
Terry Lamb OAM, is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played 349 games , with Wests , and Canterbury . Lamb was known for his support of the ball-carrier - his ability to be in the right place at the right time netted him 164 tries. This earned him the moniker...
(349), Steve Menzies (349), Brad Fittler
Brad Fittler
Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales...
(336), Cliff Lyons
Cliff Lyons
Cliff Lyons is an indigenous Australian former international-level rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s...
(332), Andrew Ettingshausen
Andrew Ettingshausen
Andrew Ettingshausen is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He played his first grade Australian club football for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, retiring with the record of most games at a single club, with 328...
(328), Geoff Gerard
Geoff Gerard
Geoff Gerard is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football with Sydney clubs Parramatta, Manly-Warringah and Penrith, and also spent time with Engish clubs...
(320), Jason Croker
Jason Croker
Jason Croker is a former Australian professional rugby league footballer. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative utility player, he previously played club football in the NRL for the Canberra Raiders, with whom he won the 1994 Winfield Cup and set club...
(318), Paul Langmack
Paul Langmack
Paul Langmack is an Australian former rugby league coach and representative and premiership-winning player.-Playing Career:While attending Fairfield Patrician Brothers, Langmack played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1982....
(315), Ruben Wiki
Ruben Wiki
Ruben Wiki, ONZM is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative centre-turned-prop forward, he retired with the record for most number of international appearances of any rugby league player in history...
(312), Steve Price (306) and Luke Ricketson
Luke Ricketson
Luke Ricketson is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian and Ireland international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative back-rower, he played his entire club football career for the Sydney Roosters of the NRL...
(301).
Representative career
El Masri has played for the City representative side in the annual City vs Country OriginCity vs Country Origin
City vs Country is an annual Australian rugby league football match that takes place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represents the Sydney metropolitan area...
fixture on five occasions and captained the Lebanese team
Lebanon national rugby league team
The Lebanon national rugby league team is the representative side of Lebanon in rugby league football. They are nicknamed "The Cedars" after the Lebanon Cedar tree, which is also on the Lebanese flag. The team has been participating in international competition since 1998 and has quickly became one...
in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
. In 2002, he played for the Australian team 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...
.
El Masri was called up to Game 3 of the 2007 State of Origin
2007 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 2007 State of Origin series was the 26th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules. Queensland won the series by winning the...
to make his debut after Jamie Lyon
Jamie Lyon
Jamie Lyon is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League...
was ruled out through injury. He kicked three conversions from the sideline, and scored the final try, giving him 10 points in total.
Lebanon Cedars' coach John Elias
John Elias (rugby league)
John Elias is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. During the 1980s and 90s he played for clubs in Sydney, Brisbane, England and France where he also coached, and also played and coached for the Lebanon national team.-Biography:...
approached El Masri to play a one-off European Cup tie for Lebanon
Lebanon national rugby league team
The Lebanon national rugby league team is the representative side of Lebanon in rugby league football. They are nicknamed "The Cedars" after the Lebanon Cedar tree, which is also on the Lebanese flag. The team has been participating in international competition since 1998 and has quickly became one...
against Russia
Russia national rugby league team
-2008 World Cup Qualifying:In 2006 Russia were involved in Europe Round One, defeating Netherlands national rugby league team and Serbia national rugby league team to finish second and keep their World Cup dream alive. They then went through to Europe Round Two in Europe Pool Two with Ireland and...
in Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
in October, 2009. El Masri considered accepting this invitation but found himself unable to do so.
He was part of the Lebanese squad at their first ever Rugby League World Cup, the 2000 Rugby League World Cup held in England, Ireland and France as Captain. He played in all 3 of Lebanon's World Cup games. He played in the Lebanese first ever World Cup Match against New Zealand and lost 64-0. He scored a try and kicked 3 goals in their 24-22 loss to Wales. He scored 2 tries and kicked 3 goals in their 22-22 draw against the Cook Islands. At the end of the Group Stage, Lebanon finished on 1 point and it was not enough for them to advance to the Knockout Stage. At the end of the World Cup his stat was 3 tries and 6 goals for 24 points for Lebanon.
NRL retirement
In June, 2009, El Masri announced that he would retire from the NRL at the end of the 2009 season. El Masri played his 317th and final game on 25 September 2009 against the Parramatta EelsParramatta 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 preliminary final in front of a crowd of 74,549 people, the largest finals crowd ever recorded for a non-grand final. Following his retirement, El Masri was approached to stand as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
candidate for the seat of Lakemba
Electoral district of Lakemba
Lakemba is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's Inner West. It has been held by the Australian Labor Party since its creation in 1927...
at the 2011 state election
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
.
El Masri made an appearance, kicking a goal, in the opening ceremony of Melbourne's new AAMI Park before the 2010 ANZAC Test
2010 ANZAC Test
The 2010 ANZAC Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand on 7 May 2010. The match coincided with the official opening of AAMI Park in Melbourne. The match was won by Australia with a score of 12–8.-The teams:...
.
Personal life
El Masri is married to Arwa with three children Lamya, Zayd, and Serine. He was one of the first Lebanese Australians to step forward in the name of friendship and understanding in the wake of the racially motivated 2005 Cronulla riots2005 Cronulla riots
The 2005 Cronulla riots were a series of sectarian clashes and mob violence originating in Cronulla, New South Wales and spreading, over the next few nights, to additional Sydney suburbs....
. In 2007, Bill Woods
Bill Woods
William "Bill" Woods is an Australian television broadcaster.Woods is currently the presenter of Network Ten's Ten News at Five in Sydney, alongside Sandra Sully.-Early Career:...
published an authorised biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
, El Magic: the life of Hazem El Masri.