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Julian O'Neill (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
Julian O'Neill is a former professional rugby league footballer who spent most of his career playing in Super League
. His position of preference was at .
before making the Waitakere City Raiders
side in the Lion Red Cup
.
He was an Auckland Warriors
junior but did not break into first grade and instead played for the reserve grade team.
competition. O'Neill went on to play in 82 games for the Saints, including being involved in the side that won the 1997 Challenge Cup
and the 1999
and 2000 Super League
titles.
but this move was not successful and O'Neill decided to move again at the end of the year, joining the Widnes Vikings
.
O'Neill spent four years at the Vikings, playing in 96 games for the club. In 2003 he played alongside namesake Julian O'Neill
, who adopted the nickname Jules to avoid confusion.
, playing for the Auckland Lions
in the Bartercard Cup
. He also made the New Zealand Residents side that competed in the 2006 Trans Tasman Quadrangular Series. He scored a try in the Auckland Lions 2007 Bartercard Cup Grand Final win over Harbour League
.
In 2009 O'Neill played in the Fox Memorial competition for the Mt Albert Lions
.
.
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...
. His position of preference was at .
Early years
After attending Liston College, O'Neil started his career with the Marist SaintsMarist Saints
The Marist Saints is a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. They regularly feature in the Fox Memorial, the premier division in Auckland Rugby League...
before making the Waitakere City Raiders
Waitakere City Raiders
The Waitakere City Raiders were a New Zealand rugby league club that represented Waitakere City in the Lion Red Cup from 1994 to 1996.-Notable players:...
side in the Lion Red Cup
Lion Red Cup
The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994-1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being accepted into the Winfield Cup. The competition was a...
.
He was an Auckland Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
junior but did not break into first grade and instead played for the reserve grade team.
St Helens
In 1997 O'Neill moved to England and joined the St. Helens in the Super LeagueSuper 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...
competition. O'Neill went on to play in 82 games for the Saints, including being involved in the side that won the 1997 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....
and the 1999
Super League IV
-End of season mergers:Huddersfield managed to avoid relegation again despite finishing bottom due to the merger with Sheffield Eagles to form Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants. Also at the end of this season Gateshead Thunder and Hull Sharks were merged to form Hull F.C...
and 2000 Super League
Super League V
-Wide to West:St Helens, who finished second in the regular season table, hosted Bradford Bulls for the qualifying play-off in week one of the play-offs. One of Super League's most well known tries was scored in the final seconds of the match. Bradford led the game 11–10 into the final minute when,...
titles.
Widnes
In 2001 O'Neill joined the Wakefield Trinity WildcatsWakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
but this move was not successful and O'Neill decided to move again at the end of the year, joining the Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
.
O'Neill spent four years at the Vikings, playing in 96 games for the club. In 2003 he played alongside namesake Julian O'Neill
Julian O'Neill
O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995...
, who adopted the nickname Jules to avoid confusion.
Return to Auckland
In 2006 he returned to AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, playing for the Auckland Lions
Auckland Lions
The Auckland Lions were a rugby league club that had teams in both the New Zealand Bartercard Cup and the NSWRL Premier League. They were mostly based around the Mt Albert Lions Rugby League club...
in the Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
. He also made the New Zealand Residents side that competed in the 2006 Trans Tasman Quadrangular Series. He scored a try in the Auckland Lions 2007 Bartercard Cup Grand Final win over Harbour League
Harbour League
Harbour League were a franchise in the now defunct Bartercard Cup rugby league competition in New Zealand. They represented Aucklands North Shore City...
.
In 2009 O'Neill played in the Fox Memorial competition for the Mt Albert Lions
Mt Albert Lions
The Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. The Lions home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial....
.
Representative career
O'Neill also represented the United States national rugby league teamUnited States national rugby league team
-2008 & 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying:In October 2006, The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. As a result, The Atlantic qualifying pool was reduced to a single game...
.