Phil Sigsworth
Encyclopedia
Phil Sigsworth is an Australia
n former professional rugby league
footballer. He played primarily in the fullback position.
in 1977, enjoying a stellar season in 1981 when he made his Test and State of Origin debut while helping take the Jets to the grand final, which they lost 20–11 to Parramatta.
He was selected for the New South Wales Blues for three State of Origin
games from 1981 to 1983 and two Tests with the Australian Kangaroos in 1981, he also played in two Interstate Series games that year as well.
The utility back moved to Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
in 1983, where he was judged the Rugby League Week player of the year and runner up in the Dally M Medal as well as scoring his team's sole try in their Grand Final loss that season, again to the Eels. After two seasons with the Sea Eagles he joined the then-premiers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 1985. His time at Belmore is remembered for his send-off in the 1986 grand final for a high tackle on Brett Kenny
. He is the last player to have been sent off in a rugby league grand final. The Bulldogs suffered a 4–2 defeat to the Eels.
Sigsworth has the distinction of being the only Australian player to participate in three grand finals for three different teams, losing all three matches against the same team (the Eels) but was a member of the victorious Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs team in 1985 which was against the St George Dragons.
Sigsworth spent one season with Balmain Tigers
in 1987 before drawing the curtain on his Sydney first-grade career because of an in-operable knee injury.
as assistant coach to Wayne Pearce
. The club merged with Western Suburbs
and after one season in 2000 at Wests Tigers
, Pearce stepped down as coach and Sigsworth also left. Sigsworth has not been involved with an NRL club since.
Sigsworth remains involved in rugby league as the chairman of the New South Wales Origin Legends who support various charities with their regular events such as re-unions, luncheons, golf days.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Sigsworth was named in the Newtown Jets
18-man team of the century.
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 former 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. He played primarily in the fullback position.
Playing career
Sigsworth made his first grade debut for Newtown JetsNewtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
in 1977, enjoying a stellar season in 1981 when he made his Test and State of Origin debut while helping take the Jets to the grand final, which they lost 20–11 to Parramatta.
He was selected for the New South Wales Blues for three 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 from 1981 to 1983 and two Tests with the Australian Kangaroos in 1981, he also played in two Interstate Series games that year as well.
The utility back moved to Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
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...
in 1983, where he was judged the Rugby League Week player of the year and runner up in the Dally M Medal as well as scoring his team's sole try in their Grand Final loss that season, again to the Eels. After two seasons with the Sea Eagles he joined the then-premiers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 1985. His time at Belmore is remembered for his send-off in the 1986 grand final for a high tackle on Brett Kenny
Brett Kenny
Brett Kenny is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He was a five-eighth for the Australian national team, the New South Wales Blues representative side and the Parramatta Eels. He played in 17 Tests, made 17 State of Origin appearances and won 4...
. He is the last player to have been sent off in a rugby league grand final. The Bulldogs suffered a 4–2 defeat to the Eels.
Sigsworth has the distinction of being the only Australian player to participate in three grand finals for three different teams, losing all three matches against the same team (the Eels) but was a member of the victorious Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs team in 1985 which was against the St George Dragons.
Sigsworth spent one season with Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
in 1987 before drawing the curtain on his Sydney first-grade career because of an in-operable knee injury.
Post-playing career
Sigsworth then moved into coaching, in 1996 he joined English club Hull and coached the team to their first First Division championship title in 1997. Sigsworth parted ways with the club in mid 1999 and returned to Australia where he linked up again with the Balmain TigersBalmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
as assistant coach to Wayne Pearce
Wayne Pearce
Wayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'...
. The club merged with Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
and after one season in 2000 at 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...
, Pearce stepped down as coach and Sigsworth also left. Sigsworth has not been involved with an NRL club since.
Sigsworth remains involved in rugby league as the chairman of the New South Wales Origin Legends who support various charities with their regular events such as re-unions, luncheons, golf days.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Sigsworth was named in the Newtown Jets
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
18-man team of the century.