Nathan Friend
Encyclopedia
Nathan Friend, is an Australia
n professional rugby league
footballer who currently plays for the Gold Coast Titans
of the National Rugby League
. He plays the position of Hooker. He will join the New Zealand Warriors
in 2012.
feeder club, the Toowoomba Clydesdales
and in 2002 he moved to Brisbane
to train full-time with the Broncos. He made his first-grade debut later that year.
in 2003. In 2005 he announced that he would be one of the founding members of the Titans in 2007.
The 2006 season was the first season where Friend played regular first grade football. Out of the Storm's 29 matches in 2006, Friend played in 21 of the games including all three of the Storm's finals series matches. Friend only lost two games out of the 21 he played in 2006. He played in the 2006 NRL Grand Final for the Melbourne Storm
as one of their interchange players. Melbourne lost the match 15-8 to the Brisbane Broncos
.
In 2007, Friend played on the interchange bench in the Titans inaugural game, a 20-18 home loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons
. He continued to play on the bench for the first eight games of the season. In Round 9, he replaced Clint Amos
as the Titans' starting hooker. He remained first choice hooker for the rest of the season. The Titans' Round 20 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
was the only game in the 2007 season that Friend did not play.
In 2008, Friend remained first choice hooker for the Titans and abandoned his role as a utility bench player to be a starting hooker. Friend scored his first ever try in first grade in the Titans' 30-12 away loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons
in Round 2.
2009 was Friend's best year in the NRL. He played as starting hooker in all of the Titans matches in 2009 and the Titans reached the finals for the first time, finishing in third place. He scored more tries in 2009 than he did in the rest of his NRL career, scoring four tries. His season ended in disappointment with the Titans losing both of their finals games to the Brisbane Broncos
and Parramatta Eels
respectively. Friend won the Paul Broughton
Medal for the Gold Coast Titans' player of the year in 2009.
In 2010, Friend again played in all of the Titans' games in that season. This meant that he had played 56 consecutive games for the Gold Coast Titans. Friend was also given an opportunity to play State of Origin due to an injury to first choice hooker Cameron Smith
before game one. Friend was up against other Queensland hookers such as Matt Ballin
, Andrew McCullough
, Jake Friend
, Kevin Kingston
and Aaron Payne
. Matt Ballin
was selected ahead of Friend mainly due to his age.
The Titans had a slow start to the 2011 season, losing all of their first three games. Friend was injured and unable to play in all of these games and many attribute the losses to the fact that Friend was absent and his replacement Riley Brown
did not have the same impact as Friend. His injury also meant that his run of 56 consecutive matches for the Titans came to an end.
Friend has played the most games for the Gold Coast Titans in their history. He has played for the team 102 times and has played for them since their inaugural season in 2007. Friend is known as being a "tackling machine" for his tireless work in defence and consistently high number of tackles per game. (Friend was the first player to play 100 games for the Titans
On the 11 April 2011 Friend sighned with New Zealand Warriors
for the 2012 and 2013 seasons with an option for 2014.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professional rugby league
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 who currently plays for the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
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...
. He plays the position of Hooker. He will join the New Zealand 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...
in 2012.
Early years
Born and raised in Toowoomba, Friend started playing league at the age of five for Wests Juniors, staying with the club until under-15 level. He was then picked for the Toowoomba under-17 side, subsequently playing one season in the local A-grade competition. In 2000 he joined the Brisbane BroncosBrisbane 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...
feeder club, the Toowoomba Clydesdales
Toowoomba Clydesdales
The Toowoomba Clydesdales are a rugby league football club based in Toowoomba, Queensland, named after the Scottish horse breed. They played in the Queensland Wizard Cup since the competition began in 1996 but no longer play in this competition....
and in 2002 he moved to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
to train full-time with the Broncos. He made his first-grade debut later that year.
Playing career
Friend joined the Melbourne StormMelbourne 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....
in 2003. In 2005 he announced that he would be one of the founding members of the Titans in 2007.
The 2006 season was the first season where Friend played regular first grade football. Out of the Storm's 29 matches in 2006, Friend played in 21 of the games including all three of the Storm's finals series matches. Friend only lost two games out of the 21 he played in 2006. He played in the 2006 NRL Grand Final for the 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....
as one of their interchange players. Melbourne lost the match 15-8 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...
.
In 2007, Friend played on the interchange bench in the Titans inaugural game, a 20-18 home loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
. He continued to play on the bench for the first eight games of the season. In Round 9, he replaced Clint Amos
Clint Amos
Clint Amos is a former Australian professional rugby league player. He played for the North Queensland Cowboys and the Gold Coast Titans in the Australian National Rugby League competition...
as the Titans' starting hooker. He remained first choice hooker for the rest of the season. The Titans' Round 20 loss 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...
was the only game in the 2007 season that Friend did not play.
In 2008, Friend remained first choice hooker for the Titans and abandoned his role as a utility bench player to be a starting hooker. Friend scored his first ever try in first grade in the Titans' 30-12 away loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
in Round 2.
2009 was Friend's best year in the NRL. He played as starting hooker in all of the Titans matches in 2009 and the Titans reached the finals for the first time, finishing in third place. He scored more tries in 2009 than he did in the rest of his NRL career, scoring four tries. His season ended in disappointment with the Titans losing both of their finals games 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 Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
respectively. Friend won the Paul Broughton
Paul Broughton
Paul Broughton is an Australian rugby league football identity. A former player, coach and club chief executive, he is chairman of the Gold Coast Titans of the NRL. He also serves on the board of the North Queensland Cowboys....
Medal for the Gold Coast Titans' player of the year in 2009.
In 2010, Friend again played in all of the Titans' games in that season. This meant that he had played 56 consecutive games for the Gold Coast Titans. Friend was also given an opportunity to play State of Origin due to an injury to first choice hooker Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League...
before game one. Friend was up against other Queensland hookers such as Matt Ballin
Matt Ballin
Matthew Ballin is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League . He primarily plays at hooker.-Early years:...
, Andrew McCullough
Andrew McCullough
Andrew McCullough is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League. He usually plays at hooker. While attending Brisbane State High School, McCullough played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2007...
, Jake Friend
Jake Friend
Jake Friend is a rugby league player for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League. He plays as a hooker.On March 17, 2009, Friend was found guilty of drink-driving. He was disqualified from driving for 16 months....
, Kevin Kingston
Kevin Kingston
Kevin Kingston is an Australian professional rugby league player for Pia XIII and the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League competition. He has previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the Parramatta Eels. Kingston primarily plays at hooker.He played in the Eels 2009 NRL...
and Aaron Payne
Aaron Payne
Aaron Payne is an Australian rugby league player. He has played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League competition throughout his professional career. His preferred position is hooker....
. Matt Ballin
Matt Ballin
Matthew Ballin is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League . He primarily plays at hooker.-Early years:...
was selected ahead of Friend mainly due to his age.
The Titans had a slow start to the 2011 season, losing all of their first three games. Friend was injured and unable to play in all of these games and many attribute the losses to the fact that Friend was absent and his replacement Riley Brown
Riley Brown
Riley Brown is an Australian professional rugby league player who is currently contracted with the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League . He primarily plays at Hooker.-Playing career:...
did not have the same impact as Friend. His injury also meant that his run of 56 consecutive matches for the Titans came to an end.
Friend has played the most games for the Gold Coast Titans in their history. He has played for the team 102 times and has played for them since their inaugural season in 2007. Friend is known as being a "tackling machine" for his tireless work in defence and consistently high number of tackles per game. (Friend was the first player to play 100 games for the Titans
On the 11 April 2011 Friend sighned with New Zealand 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...
for the 2012 and 2013 seasons with an option for 2014.