Luke Priddis
Encyclopedia
Luke Priddis is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin
representative hooker, he played club football in the National Rugby League
for the Canberra Raiders
, Brisbane Broncos
(with whom he won the 2000 NRL Premiership) and Penrith Panthers
(with whom he won the 2003 NRL Premiership and Clive Churchill Medal
) and, finally, the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
, winning the club's rookie of the year award in his debut season. He later moved to the Brisbane Broncos
and then the Penrith Panthers
.
Priddis has represented Australia and also gained representative honours playing for New South Wales in the State of Origin
.
In the 2003 NRL grand final
, Priddis won the Clive Churchill Medal
when the Penrith Panthers defeated the Sydney Roosters
18–6. He scored one try and set up both other tries for winger Luke Rooney
. After this match be became the only Panther to have played in two successful Grand Finals, having won with Brisbane in 2000. No hooker had previously won the Clive Churchill Medal since it was instigated in 1986, though two others have won it since.
Priddis made his debut for Australia in 2005's ANZAC Test
.
In 2009 Priddis was re-united with his former coach at the Broncos, Wayne Bennett, after they both transferred to the Dragons.
Despite being advised by Dragons coach Wayne Bennett to retire at the end of the 2009 season, Priddis went on to make his 300th NRL appearance in 2010. While Priddis did not play in the 2010 Grand Final, he played a very important role in the team's success after taking over from Nathan Fien, who suffered a broken leg in Round 1 which kept him out most of the season. By not playing in the Dragons' victorious Grand Final squad, he missed a golden opportunity to have won three Grand Finals at three different clubs, a feat not achieved since Glenn Lazarus
did so with the Broncos, Canberra Raiders
and Melbourne Storm
. Priddis retired at the end of the season.
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 Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin
State of Origin
State of Origin is the name used in Australia for one existing sporting event which involves domestic representative teams. The term, when used in isolation, usually refers to rugby league football, and occassionally Australian Football matches, in which players are selected for the Australian...
representative hooker, he played club football in 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...
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...
, Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
(with whom he won the 2000 NRL Premiership) and Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
(with whom he won the 2003 NRL Premiership and Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
) and, finally, the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
Playing career
Priddis started his career with the Canberra RaidersCanberra 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...
, winning the club's rookie of the year award in his debut season. He later moved to the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
and then the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
.
Priddis has represented Australia and also gained representative honours playing for New South Wales in the 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...
.
In the 2003 NRL grand final
2003 NRL grand final
The 2003 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding match of the 2003 NRL season. In what was a contest of Sydney's east versus west, defending premiers and match favourites, the Sydney Roosters played against minor premiers and underdogs, the Penrith Panthers...
, Priddis won the Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
when the Penrith Panthers defeated 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...
18–6. He scored one try and set up both other tries for winger Luke Rooney
Luke Rooney
Luke Rooney is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for RC Toulonnais in the Top 14 competition as of 2012. His previous teams include Melbourne Rebels and the Penrith Panthers.-Rugby League:...
. After this match be became the only Panther to have played in two successful Grand Finals, having won with Brisbane in 2000. No hooker had previously won the Clive Churchill Medal since it was instigated in 1986, though two others have won it since.
Priddis made his debut for Australia in 2005's ANZAC Test
ANZAC Test
The Anzac Test is an annual rugby league football test match . The test match is played annually between Australia and New Zealand on or around Anzac Day for the Bill Kelly Memorial Trophy.-Origins:Australia and New Zealand had competed in Rugby League Tests since 1908...
.
In 2009 Priddis was re-united with his former coach at the Broncos, Wayne Bennett, after they both transferred to the Dragons.
Despite being advised by Dragons coach Wayne Bennett to retire at the end of the 2009 season, Priddis went on to make his 300th NRL appearance in 2010. While Priddis did not play in the 2010 Grand Final, he played a very important role in the team's success after taking over from Nathan Fien, who suffered a broken leg in Round 1 which kept him out most of the season. By not playing in the Dragons' victorious Grand Final squad, he missed a golden opportunity to have won three Grand Finals at three different clubs, a feat not achieved since Glenn Lazarus
Glenn Lazarus
Glenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin...
did so with the Broncos, 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...
and 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....
. Priddis retired at the end of the season.