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Tony Williams (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Tony Williams is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
of the National Rugby League
(NRL). An Australian international
representative utility player, he previously played club football for the Parramatta Eels
.
Prior to the 2011 NRL season
, Williams primarily played on the wing and only moved to the forwards when he played for Tonga
in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
, but Manly coach Des Hasler
has moved the 6'4" (192 cm), 114kg giant from the wing to the second row, a move that has been expected of the giant Williams almost since his debut for Parramatta in 2008.
. Williams had signed with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
before that however, while playing for the Under 20's in the National Youth Competition. That season he was named at centre in the NYC Team of the Year.
. Williams' form in 2010, scoring 16 tries for the Sea Eagles on the wing saw him selected to play for the Prime Minister's XIII
against Papua New Guinea
at the end of the 2010 season.
After playing in the centres for the first two games of the 2011 NRL season
Williams missed the next 3 through injury. When he returned to the side Manly coach Des Hasler
permanently moved Williams from the wing to the 2nd Row and his form blossomed. Over his next 18 games (he missed rounds 11 and 16-21 through injury), Williams started from the bench 12 times and in the 2nd row 6 times, including starting in the 2011 NRL Grand Final
24-10 win over the New Zealand Warriors. In the Grand Final, Williams played 47 minutes, made 7 hit ups for 40m gained and made 12 tackles.
At the end of the 2011 season, Williams shoulder charge on North Queensland's
6'4" (193 cm), 107kg forward Tariq Sims
at Townsville's Dairy Farmers Stadium
in Round 8 of the 2011 season which saw Sims go flying backwards was featured on the NRL's official website as one of the "Best shoulder charges of 2011".
where he not only played lock forward but also took on the responsibility of being the Tongan goal kicker with success. He again represented Tonga in a 2009 Test match against the New Zealand Kiwis.
Following Manly's 24-10 win over the Warriors in the Grand Final on 2 October, Williams was named in Australia's 2011 Four Nations squad. He made his test debut off the bench for Australia in a one off test against New Zealand at Newcastle's
Ausgrid Stadium on 16 October, before scoring his first try for the Kangaroos in the opening match of the Four Nations tournament in Warrington
on 28 October.
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 for the 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...
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...
(NRL). An Australian international
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
representative utility player, he previously played club football for the 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...
.
Prior to the 2011 NRL season
2011 NRL season
The 2011 NRL season was the 105th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth run by the National Rugby League. The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, was contested by sixteen teams for the...
, Williams primarily played on the wing and only moved to the forwards when he played for Tonga
Tonga national rugby league team
The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...
in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, but Manly coach Des Hasler
Des Hasler
Des Hasler is an Australian former professional rugby league player and current head coach of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He played in 309 matches in a first-grade career spanning 16 seasons. Most of his career was spent with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, with whom he won two premierships...
has moved the 6'4" (192 cm), 114kg giant from the wing to the second row, a move that has been expected of the giant Williams almost since his debut for Parramatta in 2008.
Early life
Williams attended Marsden Road Public School, Liverpool Boys High School and Westfield Sports High. He played his junior league for Fairfield Pats, Cabramatta and Mounties.Parramatta Eels
Williams made his NRL debut playing on the wing for Parramatta in round 13 of the 2008 NRL season against the Canberra RaidersCanberra 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...
. Williams had signed with the 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...
before that however, while playing for the Under 20's in the National Youth Competition. That season he was named at centre in the NYC Team of the Year.
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Williams was selected in the New Zealand Kiwis squad for the 2010 Four Nations. However, he declared his desire to play for both Australia and New South WalesNew 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...
. Williams' form in 2010, scoring 16 tries for the Sea Eagles on the wing saw him selected to play for the Prime Minister's XIII
Prime Minister's XIII
Prime Minister's XIII or the PM's XIII is the name of a representative rugby league team selected on an annual basis by the Prime Minister of Australia that consists of mainly young Australian players drawn from the National Rugby League competition to take on the Papua New Guinea national rugby...
against Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
at the end of the 2010 season.
After playing in the centres for the first two games of the 2011 NRL season
2011 NRL season
The 2011 NRL season was the 105th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth run by the National Rugby League. The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, was contested by sixteen teams for the...
Williams missed the next 3 through injury. When he returned to the side Manly coach Des Hasler
Des Hasler
Des Hasler is an Australian former professional rugby league player and current head coach of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He played in 309 matches in a first-grade career spanning 16 seasons. Most of his career was spent with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, with whom he won two premierships...
permanently moved Williams from the wing to the 2nd Row and his form blossomed. Over his next 18 games (he missed rounds 11 and 16-21 through injury), Williams started from the bench 12 times and in the 2nd row 6 times, including starting in the 2011 NRL Grand Final
2011 NRL Grand Final
The 2011 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the NRL's 2011 Telstra Premiership season. It was played between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the New Zealand Warriors on the afternoon of Sunday, 2 October, and it was the first time the two sides have met in a...
24-10 win over the New Zealand Warriors. In the Grand Final, Williams played 47 minutes, made 7 hit ups for 40m gained and made 12 tackles.
At the end of the 2011 season, Williams shoulder charge on North Queensland's
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...
6'4" (193 cm), 107kg forward Tariq Sims
Tariq Sims
Tariq Sims is an Australian rugby league player. He plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League...
at Townsville's Dairy Farmers Stadium
Dairy Farmers Stadium
The Willows Sports Complex, currently known as Dairy Farmers Stadium due to sponsorship rights, is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has historically been used mainly for rugby league, and is the home ground of the National Rugby League club the North...
in Round 8 of the 2011 season which saw Sims go flying backwards was featured on the NRL's official website as one of the "Best shoulder charges of 2011".
Representative Career
Williams was also named in the Tonga squad for the post-season 2008 Rugby League World Cup2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
where he not only played lock forward but also took on the responsibility of being the Tongan goal kicker with success. He again represented Tonga in a 2009 Test match against the New Zealand Kiwis.
Following Manly's 24-10 win over the Warriors in the Grand Final on 2 October, Williams was named in Australia's 2011 Four Nations squad. He made his test debut off the bench for Australia in a one off test against New Zealand at Newcastle's
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
Ausgrid Stadium on 16 October, before scoring his first try for the Kangaroos in the opening match of the Four Nations tournament in Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
on 28 October.