Sam Backo
Encyclopedia
Sam Backo is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1980s who has been named as one of the greatest Aboriginal players of the 20th century. He represented Australia and Queensland, and played club football in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
for the Canberra Raiders
and Brisbane Broncos
, primarily as a prop forward. Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series and since his retirement was named in an Indigenous Australian team of the century.
, Backo is the son of former chairwoman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Evelyn Scott
. He was a forward for Cairns in the Queensland Rugby League
's Northern Division
before moving south to Woden Valley
in the New South Wales Country Rugby League
's Group 8
competition in 1981. The following year he returned to his home state to play for Yeppoon in the Central Division
competition.
in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership, in 1983 Backo was given his first opportunity in the NSWRFL, playing five matches at second-row for new club, the Canberra Raiders in their second season. He made his debut on 19 March against the South Sydney Rabbitohs
at Redfern Oval
. From 1984, he was a regular member of the starting line-up at Canberra and appeared in his, and the club's, first grand final appearance against Manly
in 1987.
While in his final season at Canberra, Backo was first selected to play State of Origin
football for the Queensland Maroons in the 1988 series
. He played in all three games at prop forward, scoring one try in game II and two tries in game III. Queensland won the series in a three game whitewash. In games II and III Backo won consecutive man-of-the-match awards, one of only a handful of players to do so. Selected for the test series against Great Britain
played in Australia in 1988, Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series. At the end of the 1988 season Backo was the Dally M front rower of the year. During his career with Canberra, Backo scored a total of 15 tries in 115 first-grade matches.
in the 1988–89 Rugby Football League season. Backo's final two seasons of top-level football, 1989 and 1990, were spent in Queensland, with the Brisbane Broncos
. Backo also participated in the 1989 tour of New Zealand
. Backo played in a further four games for the Maroons - games II and III of the 1989 series
and games II and III of the 1990 series
despite his knee problems, which limited his participation with his club to only five appearances during 1990 and eventually forced his retirement at the end of the season. Although selected for the 1990 Australia team to play France
, he was forced to withdraw because of his ongoing knee injury. In total, Backo played in six Tests and scored three tries.
In 1991, Backo made a short-lived return to football to play for Logan Scorpions
in the Brisbane competition.
in 2000 for his contribution to Australia's standing in rugby league.
The Indigenous Team of the Century was announced in 2001 with Backo included in the starting line-up which also included Arthur Beetson
, Gorden Tallis
and John Ferguson.
In 2004, Backo was named in the Canberra Raider's All Indigenous team.
His son, Daniel Backo
is currently signed to the North Queensland Cowboys
.
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 1980s who has been named as one of the greatest Aboriginal players of the 20th century. He represented Australia and Queensland, and played club football in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
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...
and 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...
, primarily as a prop forward. Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series and since his retirement was named in an Indigenous Australian team of the century.
Early career
Originally from Ingham, QueenslandIngham, Queensland
Ingham is a town in the Great Green Way region of North Queensland, Australia. The town was founded in 1864, gazetted a shire in 1879, and is the service centre for many sugarcane plantations, pioneered in the 1870s by William Ingham, for whom the town is named...
, Backo is the son of former chairwoman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Evelyn Scott
Evelyn Scott
Evelyn Scott was an American novelist, playwright and poet. She also wrote under the pseudonyms Ernest Souza and Elsie Dunn.-External links:**...
. He was a forward for Cairns in the Queensland Rugby League
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League and selects the members of Queensland State of Origin teams....
's Northern Division
Queensland Rugby League Northern Division
The Northern Division of the Queensland Rugby League is responsible for administering the game of rugby league in North Queensland, specifically in the area from Sarina in the south to Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands in the north and west to Mount Isa as well as into the Gulf Communities...
before moving south to Woden Valley
Woden Valley
Woden Valley is a district of Canberra, the capital city of Australia. Its name is taken from the name of a nearby homestead owned by Dr James Murray who named the homestead after the Old English god Woden in October 1837. He named it this as he was to spend his life in the pursuit of wisdom and...
in the New South Wales Country Rugby League
New South Wales Country Rugby League
-2011 Tier 2 Championships:-History:Newcastle was the first city outside Sydney to start a league competition, being involved in the Sydney Premiership in 1908-09 and then starting their own competition in 1910....
's Group 8
Group 8 Rugby League
The Canberra Region Rugby League competition is more commonly known as the Canberra Raiders Cup, covering the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding New South Wales towns Queanbeyan, Goulburn and Yass. The competition is run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League and players are...
competition in 1981. The following year he returned to his home state to play for Yeppoon in the Central Division
Queensland Rugby League Central Division
The Central Division of the Queensland Rugby League is responsible for the promotion, administration and facilitation of rugby league throughout Central Queensland. The Division's boundaries take in Miriam Vale and Gladstone to the south, out to Winton in the west and north to Moranbah. There are...
competition.
BRL and Canberra
After playing with ValleysFortitude Valley Diehards
The Fortitude Valley Diehards were an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley.-History:...
in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership, in 1983 Backo was given his first opportunity in the NSWRFL, playing five matches at second-row for new club, the Canberra Raiders in their second season. He made his debut on 19 March against 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...
at Redfern Oval
Redfern Oval
Redfern Oval is a football ground located in Sydney suburb of Redfern, New South Wales. The South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Football Club played at Redfern Oval between 1948 and 1987...
. From 1984, he was a regular member of the starting line-up at Canberra and appeared in his, and the club's, first grand final appearance against 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...
in 1987.
While in his final season at Canberra, Backo was first selected to play 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...
football for the Queensland Maroons in the 1988 series
1988 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 1988 State of Origin series was the 9th annual 'series contested between New South Wales and Queensland.Queensland enjoyed their first ever 3–0 series whitewash mirroring a feat New South Wales had first achieved two years earlier...
. He played in all three games at prop forward, scoring one try in game II and two tries in game III. Queensland won the series in a three game whitewash. In games II and III Backo won consecutive man-of-the-match awards, one of only a handful of players to do so. Selected for the test series against Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
played in Australia in 1988, Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series. At the end of the 1988 season Backo was the Dally M front rower of the year. During his career with Canberra, Backo scored a total of 15 tries in 115 first-grade matches.
RFL and Brisbane
Moving to England, Backo played for LeedsLeeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
in the 1988–89 Rugby Football League season. Backo's final two seasons of top-level football, 1989 and 1990, were spent in Queensland, with 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...
. Backo also participated in the 1989 tour of New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. Backo played in a further four games for the Maroons - games II and III of the 1989 series
1989 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 1989 State of Origin series was the 10th annual 'series contested between New South Wales and Queensland. It was Queensland's second consecutive Origin clean-sweep and an unpleasant inauguration for New South Wales' new coach Jack Gibson who along with a new captain in Gavin Miller and eight...
and games II and III of the 1990 series
1990 Rugby League State of Origin series
Game I at the Sydney Football Stadium was a typical Origin arm-wrestle and resulted in the lowest score in the series' 10 year history to that point. Queensland's Wally Lewis withdrew pre-match due to a hamstring tear , Maroon's hero Gene Miles had retired and Tony Currie, Michael Hancock and...
despite his knee problems, which limited his participation with his club to only five appearances during 1990 and eventually forced his retirement at the end of the season. Although selected for the 1990 Australia team to play France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
, he was forced to withdraw because of his ongoing knee injury. In total, Backo played in six Tests and scored three tries.
In 1991, Backo made a short-lived return to football to play for Logan Scorpions
Logan Scorpions
The Logan Scorpions were an Australian rugby league football club from the suburb of Slacks Creek in Logan City, Queensland. Due to financial difficulties, the club ceased operation at the end of the 2002 Queensland Cup season, and merged with the Souths Magpies to form a new team, the Souths Logan...
in the Brisbane competition.
Post playing
Backo was awarded the Australian Sports MedalAustralian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
in 2000 for his contribution to Australia's standing in rugby league.
The Indigenous Team of the Century was announced in 2001 with Backo included in the starting line-up which also included Arthur Beetson
Arthur Beetson
Arthur Henry "Artie" Beetson, OAM , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He represented Australia and Queensland from 1964 to 1981. His position was at prop. Beetson became the first Indigenous Australian to captain his country in any sport. and is frequently cited as the best...
, Gorden Tallis
Gorden Tallis
Gorden James Tallis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played from 1992 to 2004. He captained Australia and Queensland as well as the Brisbane Broncos club, with whom he won three premierships and one Clive Churchill Medal...
and John Ferguson.
In 2004, Backo was named in the Canberra Raider's All Indigenous team.
His son, Daniel Backo
Daniel Backo
Daniel Backo is an Australian professional rugby league footballer. Son of former international forward Sam Backo, he currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League competition.While attending Palm Beach Currumbin, Backo played for the Australian Schoolboys team in...
is currently signed to the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
.