Shaun Timmins
Encyclopedia
Shaun Timmins is an Australian retired professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative centre, he played his club football with the Illawarra Steelers
and the St George Illawarra Dragons
.
Timmins played 86 games for the Illawarra Steelers
and was a foundation player in the joint venture St George Illawarra Dragons
in 1999, playing in that year's Grand Final loss to the Melbourne Storm
. He played 124 games for the St George Illawarra Dragons before retiring from the NRL at the end of 2006.
Timmins played a total of 210 first grade games, scoring 55 tries, kicking 11 goals and 1 field goal for a total of 243 points.
In 2000, Timmins suffered an injury which revealed a chronic knee condition. His representative ascendancy came to a halt when he was sidelined for 18 months including the whole 2001 season.
He returned to the field in 2002 and showed tremendous ability to again represent NSW
and Australia in a Test match against Great Britain. He was named the Dragon's best player in 2002.
In 2003 after just one club game in the five eighth role, Timmins was selected for Country and then for NSW at five eighth. A 2003 recurrence (in the other knee) of his condition prevented his national selection for the Kangaroo Tour that year and threatened the end of his career.
Following five knee operations in total, Timmins made a remarkable recovery in the 2003–2004 off-season. His return to form led to selection for Australia in the 2004 ANZAC Test
against New Zealand. He also played for New South Wales that year and entered State of Origin
folklore in game I by kicking the winning field goal in extra time. It was only the second field-goal of his career.
Timmins was a powerful runner in his early career and ruthless defender throughout. He often played himself to a stand-still demonstrating leadership by physical example. He proudly played a number of games as stand-in captain for the Dragons.
qualifier against Melbourne
.
Timmins' contract discussions with the Castleford Tigers
for the 2007 season in the UK ended following that club's relegation to second division and after speculative talks with the Gold Coast Titans he was forced into retirement due to the condition of his knees.
In March, 2007, Timmins once again felt he was ready to compete in the NRL and offered his services to the Dragons following a pectoral muscle injury to Mark Gasnier
. The offer was not accepted.
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 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative centre, he played his club football with the Illawarra Steelers
Illawarra Steelers
The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football...
and 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...
.
Club career
Timmins played junior football in Kiama and debuted as a seventeen-year old for the Steelers in round 18 of 1994 against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Timmins was a versatile player, performing at five-eighth, centre, lock, and second-row at representative and club levels.Timmins played 86 games for the Illawarra Steelers
Illawarra Steelers
The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football...
and was a foundation player in the joint venture 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 1999, playing in that year's Grand Final loss to 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....
. He played 124 games for the St George Illawarra Dragons before retiring from the NRL at the end of 2006.
Timmins played a total of 210 first grade games, scoring 55 tries, kicking 11 goals and 1 field goal for a total of 243 points.
Representative career
Timmins first represented Australia in 1999 and New South Wales in 2000. He played nine State of Origin games for the New South Wales Blues from 2000 to 2004 and eight Tests for Australia from 1999 to 2004.In 2000, Timmins suffered an injury which revealed a chronic knee condition. His representative ascendancy came to a halt when he was sidelined for 18 months including the whole 2001 season.
He returned to the field in 2002 and showed tremendous ability to again represent NSW
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
and Australia in a Test match against Great Britain. He was named the Dragon's best player in 2002.
In 2003 after just one club game in the five eighth role, Timmins was selected for Country and then for NSW at five eighth. A 2003 recurrence (in the other knee) of his condition prevented his national selection for the Kangaroo Tour that year and threatened the end of his career.
Following five knee operations in total, Timmins made a remarkable recovery in the 2003–2004 off-season. His return to form led to selection for Australia in the 2004 ANZAC Test
ANZAC Test
The Anzac Test is an annual rugby league football test match . The test match is played annually between Australia and New Zealand on or around Anzac Day for the Bill Kelly Memorial Trophy.-Origins:Australia and New Zealand had competed in Rugby League Tests since 1908...
against New Zealand. He also played for New South Wales that year and entered 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...
folklore in game I by kicking the winning field goal in extra time. It was only the second field-goal of his career.
Timmins was a powerful runner in his early career and ruthless defender throughout. He often played himself to a stand-still demonstrating leadership by physical example. He proudly played a number of games as stand-in captain for the Dragons.
End of career
Following the 2004 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, France and the USA, Timmins announced his retirement from representative football, expressing a focused intention to win a premiership with the Dragons. However, Timmins' last game with the Dragons was the loss in the 2006 Grand FinalGrand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
qualifier against 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....
.
Timmins' contract discussions with the Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
for the 2007 season in the UK ended following that club's relegation to second division and after speculative talks with the Gold Coast Titans he was forced into retirement due to the condition of his knees.
In March, 2007, Timmins once again felt he was ready to compete in the NRL and offered his services to the Dragons following a pectoral muscle injury to Mark Gasnier
Mark Gasnier
Mark Gasnier is an Australian former rugby league player, a state and national representative centre three-quarter. He played eleven top-grade seasons with the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, interrupted by two seasons of rugby union played with the French club Stade Français. He was a...
. The offer was not accepted.