Ian Schubert
Encyclopedia
Ian 'Shoey' Schubert is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1970s and 80s.
Schubert had a long career which began with a sensational opening season for the Eastern Suburbs
club, before fading out and re-inventing himself with Manly and Western Suburbs so well that he regained his Australian jumper after having a year ago been in reserve grade. By the time his career closed Schubert had played 269 first grade games, which stood as the third highest in the history of the NSWRL.
Originally from the timber town of Wauchope
, Schubert was selected to play for the Australian Schoolboys team
in 1972. He was first recommended to Eastern Suburbs coach Jack Gibson
in 1974. Although not out of school at the time, Schubert instantly became a regular first grader on the wing
- in the process relegating the previous season's leading try
scorer Bill Mullins
to reserve grade! When Easts
rugby union convert fullback Russell Fairfax
was injured, Schubert was shifted to fullback
with devastating effect. He scored fourteen tries that year and set up many others. In the grand final against St George the youngster was named as 'Man Of The Match' for his outanding performance. Schubert's performance in that match earned him a place in the Australian team for that season's World Cup. In a match against Wales in Swansea he scored a hat-trick. In the tournament he did extremely well, twice scoring three tries in one match against Wales and briefly moving to lock forward - a move that foreshadowed his post-Eastern Suburbs career.
During the 1976 NSWRFL season, Schubert played at fullback as a wing three-quarter back for Eastern Suburbs in their unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge
match against British champions St Helens RFC
in Sydney.
The following years saw Schubert fail to maintain the form of his debut season. However, his pace out wide was still good enough for him to be selected for the 1978 Kangaroo tour
, on which he played ten matches but could not displace the incomparable Eadie from his Test place, nor even Chris Anderson from his wing berth. His return to Australia in 1979, however, saw such a decline that by the time Easts had returned to the top under the coaching of Bob Fulton
, Schubert had been relegated to reserve grade and he was not seen in the club's 1980 grand final loss to Canterbury-Bankstown
. Easts did not have him in their plans for 1981, but Schubert signed with Western Suburbs and, despite not being consistent, played in the club's reserve grade grand final win.
However, it was a surprise when Schubert, returning to Easts after having put on quite a bit of weight, re-invented himself as a skilful ball-playing forward to such effect that, despite injuries preventing him playing in a second grand final, was chosen for his second Kangaroo tour in 1982. He was not as effective as on his previous tour and signed with the big-spending Manly club for 1983, playing a significant part in a most impressive season that faltered only at the last hurdle. Schubert was also Player of the Series in the 1983 KB Cup
, but the following year he declined to yet again lose his first grade berth.
Believing himself still with something to offer, Ian Schubert returned to Western Suburbs - who in the previous two years had been exceedingly lucky to remain in the NSWRL competition after losing almost all of their best players - to regain a first grade spot and offer experience to a youthful side. In the period 1986 to 1988, Schubert's experience was very valuable to Western Suburbs and undoubtedly helped develop many of the young players who moved the club off the bottom in the early 1990s. He was their leading pointscorer for the three years from 1986 to 1988 - remarkable for someone who was previously not a regular goalkicker. In fact, in his fifth-last appearance in first grade, Schubert kicked a field goal for the first time in his fourteen-year career. Schubert was later named as a second-rower and as vice-captain in the Western Suburbs Team of the Eighties.
Even before he retired as a player in 1989, Schubert had been coaching Western Suburbs' reserve grade side. He showed his talent as a lower grade coach with Canterbury-Bankstown in the early 1990s but with the Super League
split and Chris Anderson's tight grip could never get to coach first grade. In recent years Schubert has been back in the headlines in his new role as auditor for the National Rugby League
's salary cap and a number of unsavoury comments concerning breaches of the regulations.
On April 22, 2010, he discovered that the Melbourne Storm
had been cheating the salary cap system for over five years, thus making headlines not only in New South Wales and Queensland but also the rest of the country and even overseas.
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 1970s and 80s.
Schubert had a long career which began with a sensational opening season for the Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
club, before fading out and re-inventing himself with Manly and Western Suburbs so well that he regained his Australian jumper after having a year ago been in reserve grade. By the time his career closed Schubert had played 269 first grade games, which stood as the third highest in the history of the NSWRL.
Originally from the timber town of Wauchope
Wauchope, New South Wales
-People from Wauchope:* Iva Davies - Musician, Icehouse* Alison Langdon - Channel Nine News Reader - Today Show* Phil Jamieson - Musician, Grinspoon* Andrew Stoner - NSW National Party of Australia leader, Member for Oxley...
, Schubert was selected to play for the Australian Schoolboys team
Australia national schoolboy rugby league team
The Australian Schoolboys rugby league team is the national rugby league football team for secondary school students in Australia.The Australian Schoolboys or Australia Schoolboys represent Australia on a national level at rugby league at youth level...
in 1972. He was first recommended to Eastern Suburbs coach Jack Gibson
Jack Gibson (rugby league)
Jack Arthur Gibson OAM was an Australian rugby league identity – a player, commentator and most notably a coach...
in 1974. Although not out of school at the time, Schubert instantly became a regular first grader on the wing
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
- in the process relegating the previous season's leading try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
scorer Bill Mullins
Bill Mullins
William "Bill" Mullins was a rugby league footballer in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, the major rugby league competition in Australia at the time....
to reserve grade! When Easts
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
rugby union convert fullback Russell Fairfax
Russell Fairfax
Russell Lance Fairfax was an Australian professional rugby league footballer and coach of the 1970s and 80s....
was injured, Schubert was shifted to fullback
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
with devastating effect. He scored fourteen tries that year and set up many others. In the grand final against St George the youngster was named as 'Man Of The Match' for his outanding performance. Schubert's performance in that match earned him a place in the Australian team for that season's World Cup. In a match against Wales in Swansea he scored a hat-trick. In the tournament he did extremely well, twice scoring three tries in one match against Wales and briefly moving to lock forward - a move that foreshadowed his post-Eastern Suburbs career.
During the 1976 NSWRFL season, Schubert played at fullback as a wing three-quarter back for Eastern Suburbs in their unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge
1976 World Club Challenge
The inaugural World Club Challenge was actually an unofficial trial of the concept, with 1975 NSWRFL season premiers, Eastern Suburbs playing against 1975–76 Northern Rugby Football League season Challenge Cup winners St. Helens...
match against British champions St Helens RFC
St Helens RFC
St Helens Rugby League Football Club are a professional rugby league club from St Helens, Merseyside, North West England who play in the Super League. Nicknamed Saints, they were a founder member of the Northern Rugby Football Union. They have been league champions on 12 occasions and runners up...
in Sydney.
The following years saw Schubert fail to maintain the form of his debut season. However, his pace out wide was still good enough for him to be selected for the 1978 Kangaroo tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
, on which he played ten matches but could not displace the incomparable Eadie from his Test place, nor even Chris Anderson from his wing berth. His return to Australia in 1979, however, saw such a decline that by the time Easts had returned to the top under the coaching of 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...
, Schubert had been relegated to reserve grade and he was not seen in the club's 1980 grand final loss to Canterbury-Bankstown
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...
. Easts did not have him in their plans for 1981, but Schubert signed with Western Suburbs and, despite not being consistent, played in the club's reserve grade grand final win.
However, it was a surprise when Schubert, returning to Easts after having put on quite a bit of weight, re-invented himself as a skilful ball-playing forward to such effect that, despite injuries preventing him playing in a second grand final, was chosen for his second Kangaroo tour in 1982. He was not as effective as on his previous tour and signed with the big-spending Manly club for 1983, playing a significant part in a most impressive season that faltered only at the last hurdle. Schubert was also Player of the Series in the 1983 KB Cup
1983 KB Cup
-Format:The competition reverted to a straight knock-out. 4 teams played a preliminary round. There was a random draw for all rounds.-Preliminary round:-Round 1:-Quarter finals:-Semi finals:-Final:...
, but the following year he declined to yet again lose his first grade berth.
Believing himself still with something to offer, Ian Schubert returned to Western Suburbs - who in the previous two years had been exceedingly lucky to remain in the NSWRL competition after losing almost all of their best players - to regain a first grade spot and offer experience to a youthful side. In the period 1986 to 1988, Schubert's experience was very valuable to Western Suburbs and undoubtedly helped develop many of the young players who moved the club off the bottom in the early 1990s. He was their leading pointscorer for the three years from 1986 to 1988 - remarkable for someone who was previously not a regular goalkicker. In fact, in his fifth-last appearance in first grade, Schubert kicked a field goal for the first time in his fourteen-year career. Schubert was later named as a second-rower and as vice-captain in the Western Suburbs Team of the Eighties.
Even before he retired as a player in 1989, Schubert had been coaching Western Suburbs' reserve grade side. He showed his talent as a lower grade coach with Canterbury-Bankstown in the early 1990s but with the 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...
split and Chris Anderson's tight grip could never get to coach first grade. In recent years Schubert has been back in the headlines in his new role as auditor for 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...
's salary cap and a number of unsavoury comments concerning breaches of the regulations.
On April 22, 2010, he discovered that the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
had been cheating the salary cap system for over five years, thus making headlines not only in New South Wales and Queensland but also the rest of the country and even overseas.
External reference
- Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen; The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players (3rd edition); published 1998 by Gary Allen Pty. Ltd.; 9 Cooper Street, Smithfield, New South Wales, 2164.