Laurie Daley
Encyclopedia
Laurie Daley OA
(born 20 October 1969 in Junee, New South Wales
) is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of Indigenous Australian
descent. He represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest players of the 20th century. Daley played primarily as a centre and then five-eighth for the Canberra Raiders
during their most successful period in the 1990s.
by 1987. Daley was playing representative rugby league before his 19th birthday in 1988. He was the second highest try-scorer the following year with sixteen tries. He tasted premiership success with the raiders the following year and in the ensuing celebrations dropped the Winfield Cup
from a moving car.http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,22725720-5006066,00.html Daley disappointed in his first State of Origin
games for New South Wales
that year, but in 1990 he made his Australian début against France. At the end of the 1990 NSWRL season Daley also won the Raiders' player of the year award and went on the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
. He missed Australia's opening loss to Great Britain at Wembley Stadium due to a broken hand suffered in a previous tour match, but played centre for the last four tests on tour (two against Great Britain and two against France).
During 1991, Daley was shifted from centre to five-eighth at the Raiders. During the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, he helped Australia retain The Ashes. Affected severely by a knee injury in 1992, Daley captained Australia in the absence of Mal Meninga
in the first Test against New Zealand in 1993, kicking the match-saving field goal. 1994 was again plagued by injury, but he returned in time to win the title with the Raiders, contributing a vital try. He was selected, along with six of his Canberra team-mates, to the 1994 Kangaroo Tour
of Great Britain and France.
Controversy raged in 1995 when Ricky Stuart
was preferred for the Canberra captaincy, even though Daley had captained both New South Wales and Australia ahead of Stuart. Furthermore, the outbreak of Super League
and Daley's subsequent support for the rival organisation saw him barred from representative games in 1995. Nonetheless, Daley was awarded Rugby League Week
's Player of the Year award in 1995 and the Raiders' player of the year award
in 1995, 1996 and 1997.
In 1996, Super League players were once again allowed to compete in representative fixtures sanctioned by the Australian Rugby League
, allowing Daley to compete in State of Origin
. Even though Daley was the incumbent New South Wales captain prior to 1995, Brad Fittler
was preferred to the captaincy. The following year, the Super League competition was launched, and Daley was appointed to captain the Super League representative teams of both New South Wales and Australia, winning their respective competitions. In the opening match of the Super League Test series
against Great Britain
at the end of the 1997 season, The Australian side wore black armbands in memory of Daley's grandmother who'd died two days before. He captained the side and scored a hat-trick that match in The Kangaroos' emphatic victory. Daley also scored a try in Australi's victory in the third and deciding match.
In 1998, Super League and the Australian Rugby League agreed to combine to launch the National Rugby League
competition. Daley took over the Canberra captaincy on a full-time basis after Stuart signed with Canterbury in 1999 and was once again named the Raiders' player of the year. Although Daley continued to make representative appearances, injuries began to limit his appearances; and he was forced into retirement in 2000. In September of that year, his book, Laurie: Always a Winner was published.
Daley is now assistant coach of the New South Wales Blues and coach of the Country Origin
team.
In September 2007, Daley left his commentary position with Fox Sports
and signed a contract with the Nine Network
to co-present much of their rugby league coverage, from appearing on the weekly rugby league topic show The Footy Show
, to commentating on Nine's weekend league coverage.
In 2009 Daley left the Nine Network and returned to Foxtel.
In 2010 he stepped down as NSW
team selector. He was the first person from the disgraced and shamed New South Wales administration to quit after five consecutive series defeats.
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and ARL
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
In August 2008, Daley was named at five-eight in the Indigenous Team of the Century.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 20 October 1969 in Junee, New South Wales
Junee, New South Wales
Junee is a medium sized town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The town's prosperity and mixed services economy is based on a combination of agriculture, rail transport, light industry and government services, and in particular correctional services...
) is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of Indigenous Australian
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
descent. He represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest players of the 20th century. Daley played primarily as a centre and then five-eighth for the Canberra Raiders
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...
during their most successful period in the 1990s.
Playing career
Spotted playing first grade for the Junee Diesels in 1986 at the age of sixteen, and after being signed by the Raiders, he developed as a centre and was playing first grade for CanberraCanberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
by 1987. Daley was playing representative rugby league before his 19th birthday in 1988. He was the second highest try-scorer the following year with sixteen tries. He tasted premiership success with the raiders the following year and in the ensuing celebrations dropped the Winfield Cup
Winfield Cup
The Winfield Cup was an Australian rugby league trophy awarded to the winner of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership's Grand Final from 1982 to 1994, and to the winner of the Australian Rugby League Grand Final in 1995...
from a moving car.http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,22725720-5006066,00.html Daley disappointed in his first 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...
games for New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
that year, but in 1990 he made his Australian début against France. At the end of the 1990 NSWRL season Daley also won the Raiders' player of the year award and went on the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
1990 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France
The 1990 Kangaroo Tour was the seventeenth Kangaroo Tour, where the Australian national rugby league team travelled to Europe and played eighteen matches against British and French rugby league teams, in addition to three Test matches...
. He missed Australia's opening loss to Great Britain at Wembley Stadium due to a broken hand suffered in a previous tour match, but played centre for the last four tests on tour (two against Great Britain and two against France).
During 1991, Daley was shifted from centre to five-eighth at the Raiders. During the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, he helped Australia retain The Ashes. Affected severely by a knee injury in 1992, Daley captained Australia in the absence of Mal Meninga
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga AM is an Australian former rugby league test captain and current coach of Queensland's State of Origin team. As a player he was a legendary goal-kicking centre, counted amongst the finest footballers of the 20th century...
in the first Test against New Zealand in 1993, kicking the match-saving field goal. 1994 was again plagued by injury, but he returned in time to win the title with the Raiders, contributing a vital try. He was selected, along with six of his Canberra team-mates, to the 1994 Kangaroo Tour
1994 Kangaroo Tour
The 1994 Kangaroo Tour was the last played in the conventional format, where the Australian side plays a number of matches against British and French clubs or provincial outfits, in additions to the Test matches...
of Great Britain and France.
Controversy raged in 1995 when Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
was preferred for the Canberra captaincy, even though Daley had captained both New South Wales and Australia ahead of Stuart. Furthermore, the outbreak of Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
and Daley's subsequent support for the rival organisation saw him barred from representative games in 1995. Nonetheless, Daley was awarded Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week is the second highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, behind major competitor Big League...
's Player of the Year award in 1995 and the Raiders' player of the year award
Mal Meninga Medal
The Mal Meninga Medal is the name of the award that goes to the Canberra Raiders' Player of the Year. The award was named after former Raiders captain and coach, Mal Meninga and was first awarded in 2008. Before this there was no name for the award but was still awarded...
in 1995, 1996 and 1997.
In 1996, Super League players were once again allowed to compete in representative fixtures sanctioned by the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
, allowing Daley to compete in 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...
. Even though Daley was the incumbent New South Wales captain prior to 1995, 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...
was preferred to the captaincy. The following year, the Super League competition was launched, and Daley was appointed to captain the Super League representative teams of both New South Wales and Australia, winning their respective competitions. In the opening match of the Super League Test series
Super League Test series
The Super League Test series was a three-Test match series between the Great Britain national rugby league team and Super League's Australian national team held during November 1997 in England...
against Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
at the end of the 1997 season, The Australian side wore black armbands in memory of Daley's grandmother who'd died two days before. He captained the side and scored a hat-trick that match in The Kangaroos' emphatic victory. Daley also scored a try in Australi's victory in the third and deciding match.
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...
competition. Daley took over the Canberra captaincy on a full-time basis after Stuart signed with Canterbury in 1999 and was once again named the Raiders' player of the year. Although Daley continued to make representative appearances, injuries began to limit his appearances; and he was forced into retirement in 2000. In September of that year, his book, Laurie: Always a Winner was published.
Post-playing
City 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...
team.
In September 2007, Daley left his commentary position with Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
and signed a contract with the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
to co-present much of their rugby league coverage, from appearing on the weekly rugby league topic show The Footy Show
The NRL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award-winning Australian sports variety television programme, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates. Following the success of the AFL program of the same name, the Nine Network quickly developed a version for the rugby league market. The rugby league version has...
, to commentating on Nine's weekend league coverage.
In 2009 Daley left the Nine Network and returned to Foxtel.
In 2010 he stepped down as NSW
New South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
team selector. He was the first person from the disgraced and shamed New South Wales administration to quit after five consecutive series defeats.
Accolades
In February 2008, Daley was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRLNational 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...
and ARL
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
In August 2008, Daley was named at five-eight in the Indigenous Team of the Century.