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Jeremy Smith (rugby league 2)
Encyclopedia
Jeremy Jon Oscar Smith (born 14 April 1980 in Christchurch
, New Zealand) is a professional rugby league
footballer who currently plays for the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks of the National Rugby League
. A New Zealand international representative lock or 2nd-row forward, he previously played for the Melbourne Storm
, winning the 2007 NRL Grand Final
with them before moving to the Dragons, with whom he won the 2010 NRL Grand Final
. Smith is not to be confused with compatriot and namesake Jeremy James Smith. Both Jeremy Smiths were named in the rugby league
Centenary clash of 14 October 2007, Souths' Smith in the number 7 jersey, and Melbourne's Grand Final winning Smith in the number 13 jersey.
heritage, Smith was born in New Zealand. There is confusion over his actual age. His date of birth on his current Sharks profile page is 14 April 1985. He is a cousin of Kalifa Faifai Loa.
on Queensland's Gold Coast
, Smith played some of his junior rugby league with the Altona Roosters club in Melbourne
.
debut for the Melbourne Storm
in Round 23 of the 2004 Telstra Premiership against Canberra
. The Storm reached 2006 NRL Grand Final and Smith was selected to play from the interchange bench in the loss to Brisbane. He played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final
win over Manly. Post-season he went on the 2007 All Golds tour
. The following year Smith played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final
defeat to Manly. In August 2008, Smith was chosen in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
, and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad. Smith was a member of the World Cup-winning New Zealand team beating Australia in the 2008 World Cup final at Suncorp Stadium
, Brisbane.
Player of the Year, ahead of five teammates from the world champion Kiwi side who were nominated as finalists. Smith has played for the St George Illawarra Dragons
from 2009 onward after signing a 3-year deal in 2008. In August 2010, Smith signed with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. He played in the 2010 NRL Grand Final
win over the Sydney Roosters
, marking his second premiership after the Storm's 2007 title. He has played in more grand finals than any other New Zealander. Smith spent the post-season playing for New Zealand in their successful 2010 Four Nations campaign.
, Smith was chosen to represent New Zealand in May's 2011 ANZAC Test
.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand) is a professional rugby league
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 who currently plays for the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks of 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...
. A New Zealand international representative lock or 2nd-row forward, he previously played for 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....
, winning the 2007 NRL Grand Final
2007 NRL grand final
The 2007 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive, premiership-deciding match of the 2007 NRL season. Played between the first-placed Melbourne Storm and second-placed Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Telstra Stadium on September 30, in front of 81,392 spectators. It was the fourth NRL Grand Final played...
with them before moving to the Dragons, with whom he won the 2010 NRL Grand Final
2010 NRL Grand Final
The 2010 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2010 NRL season. Played on Sunday, 3 October at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, the match was contested by the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters. It was the first time the two sides met in a grand final. They...
. Smith is not to be confused with compatriot and namesake Jeremy James Smith. Both Jeremy Smiths were named in the rugby league
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...
Centenary clash of 14 October 2007, Souths' Smith in the number 7 jersey, and Melbourne's Grand Final winning Smith in the number 13 jersey.
Biography
Of Tongan and SamoanSamoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
heritage, Smith was born in New Zealand. There is confusion over his actual age. His date of birth on his current Sharks profile page is 14 April 1985. He is a cousin of Kalifa Faifai Loa.
Playing career
Recruited by the Storm from Runaway BayRunaway Bay
Runaway Bay may refer to:* Runaway Bay, Jamaica* Runaway Bay, Queensland, Australia* Runaway Bay, Texas, United States* Runaway Bay , children's television series...
on Queensland's Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Smith played some of his junior rugby league with the Altona Roosters club in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Melbourne Storm
Smith made his National Rugby LeagueNational 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...
debut for 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....
in Round 23 of the 2004 Telstra Premiership against Canberra
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...
. The Storm reached 2006 NRL Grand Final and Smith was selected to play from the interchange bench in the loss to Brisbane. He played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final
2007 NRL grand final
The 2007 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive, premiership-deciding match of the 2007 NRL season. Played between the first-placed Melbourne Storm and second-placed Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Telstra Stadium on September 30, in front of 81,392 spectators. It was the fourth NRL Grand Final played...
win over Manly. Post-season he went on the 2007 All Golds tour
2007 All Golds Tour
The 2007 All Golds Tour was conducted as part of the celebrations of a century of rugby league in New Zealand. It was a re-creation of the original New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain in 1907. The New Zealand Kiwis toured Great Britain and France playing four test matches. They lost the...
. The following year Smith played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final
2008 NRL Grand Final
The 2008 NRL Grand Final was a rugby league football match played between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm, held on Sunday, 5 October at ANZ Stadium in Sydney to determine the 2008 Telstra Premiership....
defeat to Manly. In August 2008, Smith was chosen in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad. Smith was a member of the World Cup-winning New Zealand team beating Australia in the 2008 World Cup final at Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
, Brisbane.
St. George Illawarra Dragons
In January 2009, Smith was named the 2008 New Zealand Rugby LeagueNew Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
Player of the Year, ahead of five teammates from the world champion Kiwi side who were nominated as finalists. Smith has played for the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
from 2009 onward after signing a 3-year deal in 2008. In August 2010, Smith signed with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. He played in the 2010 NRL Grand Final
2010 NRL Grand Final
The 2010 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2010 NRL season. Played on Sunday, 3 October at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, the match was contested by the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters. It was the first time the two sides met in a grand final. They...
win over the Sydney Roosters
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...
, marking his second premiership after the Storm's 2007 title. He has played in more grand finals than any other New Zealander. Smith spent the post-season playing for New Zealand in their successful 2010 Four Nations campaign.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Having moved to the Sharks for the 2011 NRL season2011 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...
, Smith was chosen to represent New Zealand in May's 2011 ANZAC Test
2011 ANZAC Test
The 2011 ANZAC Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand on 6 May 2011 at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast. Australia won their tenth straight Anzac test with a score of 20–10.-Pre-game:...
.