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Nathan Brown (rugby league footballer)
Encyclopedia
Nathan Brown is an Australian professional rugby league
football coach currently with the Huddersfield Giants
of Super League
. He previously coach the club he played at, the St. George Illawarra Dragons of the National Rugby League
until he was replaced by Wayne Bennett at the end of the 2008 season. His primary position was hooker.
, and the 1999 Grand Final for the newly-formed St George Illawarra Dragons; however he was never on the winning side, beaten by Brisbane
, Manly
and Melbourne
, respectively. He was forced to retire following a neck injury in a trial game in 2001.
, Brett Firman
and Lance Thompson
on the sideline in the 53rd minute with the scores locked up at 12-all. Brown slapped Barrett across the cheek and grabbed the jerseys of Barrett and Thompson. The incident was seen by the crowd and other players on the big screen and proved a decisive turning point as Manly ran in five second half tries to win 38-12. After the match, Brown was apologetic to Barrett and was later fined $5,000 by the NRL.
After finishing second in the 2005 competition, Brown's team lost the preliminary final to the eventual premiers, Wests Tigers
. Following many injuries and team losses throughout the 2007 season
, he was under pressure to keep his job heading into the 2008 season
.
On 1 April 2008, it was announced that Brown would not coach the Dragons in the 2009 season, which ended an association with the club that stretches back to the start of the joint venture. He was replaced by Wayne Bennett.
on 18 July 2008 it was announced that Brown had signed a 3 year deal with English Super League
team, Huddersfield Giants
, the same club Tigers superstar Brett Hodgson
joined.
In his first season at Huddersfield he took the team to the 2009 Challenge Cup
final.
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...
football coach currently with the Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
of Super League
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...
. He previously coach the club he played at, the St. George Illawarra Dragons 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...
until he was replaced by Wayne Bennett at the end of the 2008 season. His primary position was hooker.
Playing
Brown played in the 1993 and 1996 Grand Finals for the St. George DragonsSt. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
, and the 1999 Grand Final for the newly-formed St George Illawarra Dragons; however he was never on the winning side, beaten by Brisbane
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...
, Manly
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
and Melbourne
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....
, respectively. He was forced to retire following a neck injury in a trial game in 2001.
Coaching
Brown was appointed coach of the Dragons for the 2003 season, becoming the youngest non-playing coach in years in the NRL at age 29. During his first season, at a match on Sunday 13, April 2003 against Manly at WIN Stadium, a frustrated Nathan Brown berated skipper Trent BarrettTrent Barrett
Trent Barrett is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s...
, Brett Firman
Brett Firman
Brett Firman is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 2000s. He now plays for the Helensburgh Tigers of the Illawarra Rugby League. He previously played in the National Rugby League, primarily in the halves, for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters, North...
and Lance Thompson
Lance Thompson
Lance Thompson is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the St. George Dragons, the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Cronulla Sharks...
on the sideline in the 53rd minute with the scores locked up at 12-all. Brown slapped Barrett across the cheek and grabbed the jerseys of Barrett and Thompson. The incident was seen by the crowd and other players on the big screen and proved a decisive turning point as Manly ran in five second half tries to win 38-12. After the match, Brown was apologetic to Barrett and was later fined $5,000 by the NRL.
After finishing second in the 2005 competition, Brown's team lost the preliminary final to the eventual premiers, Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
. Following many injuries and team losses throughout the 2007 season
National Rugby League season 2007
The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
, he was under pressure to keep his job heading into the 2008 season
National Rugby League season 2008
The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
.
On 1 April 2008, it was announced that Brown would not coach the Dragons in the 2009 season, which ended an association with the club that stretches back to the start of the joint venture. He was replaced by Wayne Bennett.
on 18 July 2008 it was announced that Brown had signed a 3 year deal with English Super League
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...
team, Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
, the same club Tigers superstar Brett Hodgson
Brett Hodgson
Brett Hodgson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Super League...
joined.
In his first season at Huddersfield he took the team to the 2009 Challenge Cup
2009 Challenge Cup
The 2009 Carnegie Challenge Cup began in January 2009. The Challenge Cup is the most prestigious knock-out competition in European rugby league. Teams from England, Scotland, Wales, France and Russia are included in the tournament....
final.