Mitch Brennan
Encyclopedia
Mitch Brennan is an Australian former rugby league
footballer and coach. A Queensland State of Origin representative three-quarter, he played club football during the 1970s and 80s in Queensland for Souths and Redcliffe and in New South Wales for South Sydney, Canberra and St. George, with whom he won the 1978 premiership. After playing he became coach of Wakefield Trinity
from 1996 to 1997.
side the Toronto Argonauts
in 1975 and was offered a contract before visa restrictions prevented his American football career. He returned to Australia and was graded with Brisbane Souths.
His NSWRL
career began controversially when in the 1977 pre-season, he was coaxed by his former coach Harry Bath
to play for St George in a trial match at Grafton
. Brennan played under the pseudonym
'Mickey Lane' because he was still in contract negotiations with Brisbane Souths. He was recognised and fined $500. He joined St George in 1978.
He was a twice winner of the mid-week competition
's ‘golden try’ award in 1978 & 1981. He was the NSWRL's equal leading try-scorer (16t) in season 1979 and played on the wing and scored a try in St George's Grand Final win over Canterbury
that year.
Brennan switched to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
in 1981 and played 41 first grade matches over two seasons. He returned to Queensland in 1983 and played with the Redcliffe Dolphins
and captaining them until 1985. In 1986 Brennan returned to the NSWRL with the Canberra Raiders
. His three seasons there up till retirement in 1988 were significantly interrupted by injury and he made only 8 first grade appearances.for Canberra.
debut for Queensland
in the sole game played under Origin criteria in 1981. He appeared in games I and III of 1982 at centre and full-back respectively and in game III of 1983 on the wing. He scored three tries in his four Origin appearances.
http://www.bulldogs.com.au/main.php Bulldogs Player Histories (Official Site)
http://www.raiders.com.au/www/history/alltime Canberra Raiders All Time Player List (Official Site)
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 and coach. A Queensland State of Origin representative three-quarter, he played club football during the 1970s and 80s in Queensland for Souths and Redcliffe and in New South Wales for South Sydney, Canberra and St. George, with whom he won the 1978 premiership. After playing he became coach of Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield 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...
from 1996 to 1997.
Club career
A stylish three-quarter with a great turn of pace, Mitch Brennan trialed with the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
side the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
in 1975 and was offered a contract before visa restrictions prevented his American football career. He returned to Australia and was graded with Brisbane Souths.
His NSWRL
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
career began controversially when in the 1977 pre-season, he was coaxed by his former coach Harry Bath
Harry Bath
Harry Bath , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach who rose to prominence in the mid-Twentieth Century...
to play for St George in a trial match at Grafton
Grafton, New South Wales
The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached...
. Brennan played under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
'Mickey Lane' because he was still in contract negotiations with Brisbane Souths. He was recognised and fined $500. He joined St George in 1978.
He was a twice winner of the mid-week competition
Amco Cup
The Amco Cup was a mid-week rugby league competition held in Australia between 1974 and 1989. The format was usually a straight knock-out, but various group formats were used between 1979 and 1982...
's ‘golden try’ award in 1978 & 1981. He was the NSWRL's equal leading try-scorer (16t) in season 1979 and played on the wing and scored a try in St George's Grand Final win over Canterbury
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...
that year.
Brennan switched to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in 1981 and played 41 first grade matches over two seasons. He returned to Queensland in 1983 and played with the Redcliffe Dolphins
Redcliffe Dolphins
The Redcliffe Dolphins are a rugby league team from the city of Redcliffe in Queensland, Australia. The Redcliffe Dolphins were founded in 1947, accepted into the Brisbane Rugby League premiership in 1960, and since 1996 have played in the Queensland Cup....
and captaining them until 1985. In 1986 Brennan returned to the NSWRL with 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...
. His three seasons there up till retirement in 1988 were significantly interrupted by injury and he made only 8 first grade appearances.for Canberra.
Origin career
He made his State of OriginRugby 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...
debut for Queensland
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
in the sole game played under Origin criteria in 1981. He appeared in games I and III of 1982 at centre and full-back respectively and in game III of 1983 on the wing. He scored three tries in his four Origin appearances.
Sources
http://www.showroom.com.au/dragons/dragonshistory Dragons History sitehttp://www.bulldogs.com.au/main.php Bulldogs Player Histories (Official Site)
http://www.raiders.com.au/www/history/alltime Canberra Raiders All Time Player List (Official Site)