Allan Langer
Encyclopedia
Allan "Alfie" Langer AM
(born 30 July 1966 in Ipswich, Queensland
) is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league
footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos
. He was one of the pre-eminent half-backs of his era, representing Australia on several occasions and taking the record for most State of Origin
appearances of any player. Langer played most of his career as captain of the Brisbane Broncos
, with whom he won the 1992 Clive Churchill Medal
and Rothmans Medal
, as well as four premierships and the club's player of the year award a record five times. The Allan Langer Medal, which is the Ipswich Jets
' player of the year award was named in his honour. Alfie's Bar at the Broncos Leagues Club is also named after him.
. He grew up playing football at Ipswich's Northern Suburbs Tigers alongside brothers and future Brisbane Broncos
(as well as Queensland Maroons and Australian Kangaroos) team mates Kevin
and Kerrod Walters
. This combination of players would become known famously as "The Ipswich Connection". He was selected as an Australian schoolboy representative in 1982. At 15 Langer's first job out of school was a truckie's offsider, delivering whitegoods. He then worked for the council making roads, but continued playing football.
by former Australian international halfback Tommy Raudonikis
, Langer became a key player for the club when he was only 17, and was playing first grade in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership by 1986. The following year Langer's selection from left field for the Wayne Bennett-coached Queensland side
in the 1987 State of Origin series was questioned by several key figures in the Maroons camp. It was Raudonikis who stood up for him, backing Langer's selection and he made his State of Origin debut in the 1987 series while still playing for the Jets. His superb performance, including a man-of-the-match award in the decider, saw him signed on with the newly-established Brisbane Broncos
team who would enter the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
in 1988
.
at the Broncos, Langer developed further skill with the ball and learnt much from his mentors, and his two tries in Game I of the 1988 State of Origin series saw him named man-of-the-match again. He scored tries in the other two Origin fixtures as well and also made his debut for the Australian test side against Papua New Guinea
due to a shoulder injury to Peter Sterling
. This made him the first Bronco to earn international representative honours. At the end of the 1988 NSWRL season Langer was named the Broncos' player of the year, then went on to score two tries in Australia's win in the 1988 World Cup final over New Zealand.
Suffering a broken leg in 1989, Langer missed a lot of football that season. He recovered to go on the 1990 Kangaroo tour.
, the diminutive Langer became captain of the Broncos in 1992. Alfie then played in all three matches of 1992's State of Origin series (scoring one try and kicking the match-winning field goal in Game II), helped Australia retain The Ashes during the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, won the Rothmans Medal
for best and fairest player in the Winfield Cup
competition that season and, along with Steve Renouf
, was the year's top try scorer for the Broncos. He also steered his team to their maiden Premiership, winning the Clive Churchill Medal
for best and fairest player on the field in the grand final.
Later in the year he also played in Australia's 1992 Rugby League World Cup final victory, and captained the Broncos to victory in the 1992 World Club Challenge
, the first time Australian premiers had won the title on British soil. By this time Allan Langer's fame was such that he starred with his mother in the advertising campaign for Australia's top-selling bread and also had his own doll on toy store shelves.
The following season saw the Little General again lead the Broncos to a Premiership, the first time a team which had finished 5th in the regular season had gone on to win the competition.
Premiership. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Langer played at halfback for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
and lost. Langer then lost his position in the test squad to Ricky Stuart
after an opening loss to Great Britain
in the Ashes series
of the 1994 Kangaroo tour
.
In 1995, Alfie, along with many other high-profile players, lost their representative positions because they had signed contracts to play for the newly-formed Super League
. However Langer won the Broncos' player of the year award every year from 1993 to 1996. He was also made captain of the Queensland State of Origin team in 1996 and was named by Rugby League Week
as that season's player of the year.
. In the first game of the 1998 State of Origin series Langer was named man-of-the-match. Also that year, for the second time, Langer captained the Broncos to a second consecutive premiership when they won the 1998 NRL grand final
. In 1998, Langer was also appointed Australian national team captain. That year he and his mentor, Broncos, Queensland and Australian coach, Wayne Bennett, became the first captain-coach combination to win the NRL Premiership, State of Origin and Test series in the same year.
, Langer announced his retirement from rugby league mid-year, leaving many, including teammates, bewildered as to why. His departure prompted the Queensland Premier and even the Australian Prime Minister to eulogise his contribution to the sport. However, Alfie soon came out of retirement to play in the English Super League
competition for the Warrington Wolves
.
Langer captained Warrington Wolves and took them to within one match of the Challenge Cup
Final in 2000.
Also in 2000, Langer was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia
"for service to Rugby League football as a player at national and international levels, and as a supporter of charities, particularly those raising funds for cancer research". Later that year he was also awarded the Australian Sports Medal
.
In 2001, as coach of the Maroons, Wayne Bennett made a surprise selection of Langer – then still playing in England – for the Queensland side in the third and deciding State of Origin match of that year. His comeback was arranged by Bennett under a shroud of secrecy. There were doubts as to whether Langer, in the twilight of his playing career, would be able to withstand the physical rigours of State of Origin football. Some Sydney journalists, such as Phil Gould
, questioned the state of Queensland's football talent, given that they had needed to "bring back 35-year-olds to win." However on the night Langer set up two tries and scored one himself, leading Queensland to victory only a year after they had suffered their worst ever State of Origin defeat.
Langer was subsequently lured back to the Broncos for one final season in 2002
. In doing so he became the NRL's oldest player that year at 36 years and 60 days. He was named man-of-the-match in the third and deciding game of that year's State of Origin series and became the oldest player to play in State of Origin football. However despite his good form, Brisbane were unable to win the Premiership, falling four points short of the Grand Final (losing the preliminary final to eventual premiers the Sydney Roosters
by a scoreline of just 16-12).
At the time of his retirement, Langer had made the most appearances as captain for the Brisbane Broncos and became only the third player to have been named man-of-the-match in a State of Origin game more than three times.
.
During the 2007 season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to date which included Langer.
In February 2008, Langer was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
and ARL
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. In June 2008, he was chosen in the Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century
at halfback. A few months later the Brisbane Broncos appointed Allan Langer, along with Shane Webcke
as full-time assistant coaches to work alongside new head coach Ivan Henjak
from the 2009 season
. He has also been named as a Queensland Maroons' assistant coach under Mal Meninga for the 2009 State of Origin series. In 2009 Langer could frequently be seen running water out to Broncos players during NRL matches, and even for Australia at the end of season Four Nations tournament.
On 29 March 2010, Langer was charged with drink driving
. At the time of the incident, Langer was ambassador for Lion Nathan
brewery. He went to the Normandy Hotel in inner Brisbane
, where he was photographed dancing in his underpants in front of patrons. Langer drank 8 to 10 glasses of XXXX
beer and a couple of vodkas, before driving his car. He had intended to drive all the way to his home on the Sunshine Coast
, but a police patrol pulled him over in the Brisbane suburb of Everton Park
. The police found Langer to be 3 times over the legal blood alcohol
limit. Langer pleaded guilty to the offence in Brisbane Magistrates Court
. Lion Nathan cancelled Langer's brewery ambassadorship, and he was suspended from his coaching position with the Broncos. The court banned Langer from driving a motor vehicle for eight months. However no criminal conviction was recorded, as the judge accepted Langer's argument that a conviction would hurt his football coaching career. By the following weekend Langer had returned to work as Broncos assistant coach.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 30 July 1966 in Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
) is an Australian former multi-award-winning 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 of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team 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...
. He was one of the pre-eminent half-backs of his era, representing Australia on several occasions and taking the record for most 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...
appearances of any player. Langer played most of his career as captain of 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...
, with whom he won the 1992 Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
and Rothmans Medal
Rothmans Medal
The Rothmans Medal was the premier individual award in both the New South Wales Rugby League and Brisbane Rugby League competitions, and later in the Australian Rugby League, which was given to the player voted by referees as the best and fairest in those competitions for that year.The award was...
, as well as four premierships and the club's player of the year award a record five times. The Allan Langer Medal, which is the Ipswich Jets
Ipswich Jets
The Ipswich Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Ipswich, Queensland.Their name comes from nearby RAAF Base Amberley, one of the largest airbases in Australia. The Jets compete in the Queensland Cup competition...
' player of the year award was named in his honour. Alfie's Bar at the Broncos Leagues Club is also named after him.
Early years
The youngest of Queensland Rail worker, Harry Langer's four sons, Allan Langer was born and raised in Ipswich, QueenslandIpswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
. He grew up playing football at Ipswich's Northern Suburbs Tigers alongside brothers and future 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...
(as well as Queensland Maroons and Australian Kangaroos) team mates Kevin
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the...
and Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships...
. This combination of players would become known famously as "The Ipswich Connection". He was selected as an Australian schoolboy representative in 1982. At 15 Langer's first job out of school was a truckie's offsider, delivering whitegoods. He then worked for the council making roads, but continued playing football.
Early days
Coached at the Ipswich JetsIpswich Jets
The Ipswich Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Ipswich, Queensland.Their name comes from nearby RAAF Base Amberley, one of the largest airbases in Australia. The Jets compete in the Queensland Cup competition...
by former Australian international halfback Tommy Raudonikis
Tommy Raudonikis
Tommy Raudonikis OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played over twenty-nine Tests and World Cup games as Australia representative halfback and captained his country in two Tests of the 1973 Kangarooo tour.-Early life and club playing career:Raudonikis is the son of a...
, Langer became a key player for the club when he was only 17, and was playing first grade in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership by 1986. The following year Langer's selection from left field for the Wayne Bennett-coached Queensland side
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
in the 1987 State of Origin series was questioned by several key figures in the Maroons camp. It was Raudonikis who stood up for him, backing Langer's selection and he made his State of Origin debut in the 1987 series while still playing for the Jets. His superb performance, including a man-of-the-match award in the decider, saw him signed on with the newly-established 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...
team who would enter 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...
in 1988
Brisbane Broncos 1988
The 1988 Brisbane Broncos season was the first in the club's history. The new venture team, competed in the New South Wales Rugby League's 1988 Winfield Cup premiership and, despite a strong start to the season, failed to make the finals...
.
With the Broncos
Coached by Bennett and captained under Wally LewisWally Lewis
Walter James "Wally" Lewis AM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Currently a commentator of the sport, he is widely regarded as the greatest rugby league player of all time...
at the Broncos, Langer developed further skill with the ball and learnt much from his mentors, and his two tries in Game I of the 1988 State of Origin series saw him named man-of-the-match again. He scored tries in the other two Origin fixtures as well and also made his debut for the Australian test side 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...
due to a shoulder injury to Peter Sterling
Peter Sterling
Peter Maxwell John "Sterlo" Sterling OAM is an Australian rugby league commentator and former player. He was one of the all-time great halfbacks and a major contributor to Parramatta Eels' dominance of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership in the 1980s. Sterling played nineteen Tests for...
. This made him the first Bronco to earn international representative honours. At the end of the 1988 NSWRL season Langer was named the Broncos' player of the year, then went on to score two tries in Australia's win in the 1988 World Cup final over New Zealand.
Suffering a broken leg in 1989, Langer missed a lot of football that season. He recovered to go on the 1990 Kangaroo tour.
Premiership captain
Following the axing of Lewis from the Broncos and later the retirement of Gene MilesGene Miles
Gene Miles is a retired Australian rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative centre, he played his club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership before joining the Brisbane Broncos whom he captained.-BRL:A...
, the diminutive Langer became captain of the Broncos in 1992. Alfie then played in all three matches of 1992's State of Origin series (scoring one try and kicking the match-winning field goal in Game II), helped Australia retain The Ashes during the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, won the Rothmans Medal
Rothmans Medal
The Rothmans Medal was the premier individual award in both the New South Wales Rugby League and Brisbane Rugby League competitions, and later in the Australian Rugby League, which was given to the player voted by referees as the best and fairest in those competitions for that year.The award was...
for best and fairest player in the Winfield Cup
Winfield Cup
The Winfield Cup was an Australian rugby league trophy awarded to the winner of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership's Grand Final from 1982 to 1994, and to the winner of the Australian Rugby League Grand Final in 1995...
competition that season and, along with Steve Renouf
Steve Renouf
Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest...
, was the year's top try scorer for the Broncos. He also steered his team to their maiden Premiership, winning the Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
for best and fairest player on the field in the grand final.
Later in the year he also played in Australia's 1992 Rugby League World Cup final victory, and captained the Broncos to victory in the 1992 World Club Challenge
1992 World Club Challenge
The 1992 World Club Challenge match was contested by the 1991–92 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan and the 1992 NSWRL season's premiers, the Brisbane Broncos...
, the first time Australian premiers had won the title on British soil. By this time Allan Langer's fame was such that he starred with his mother in the advertising campaign for Australia's top-selling bread and also had his own doll on toy store shelves.
The following season saw the Little General again lead the Broncos to a Premiership, the first time a team which had finished 5th in the regular season had gone on to win the competition.
1994–1996 difficulties
The years 1994–1996 were characterised by successive failures by the Broncos to win the Australian Rugby LeagueAustralian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
Premiership. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Langer played at halfback for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
1994 World Club Challenge
The 1994 MMI World Club Challenge was a replay of the 1992 World Club Challenge, with 1993–94 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan facing the 1993 NSWRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, this time in Australia. Wigan were clearly the dominant club in the English game, having won the...
and lost. Langer then lost his position in the test squad to Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
after an opening loss to 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"....
in the Ashes series
Rugby League Ashes
The Ashes is the name given to the trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-three series of rugby league football test series between Great Britain and Australia...
of the 1994 Kangaroo tour
1994 Kangaroo Tour
The 1994 Kangaroo Tour was the last played in the conventional format, where the Australian side plays a number of matches against British and French clubs or provincial outfits, in additions to the Test matches...
.
In 1995, Alfie, along with many other high-profile players, lost their representative positions because they had signed contracts to play for the newly-formed Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
. However Langer won the Broncos' player of the year award every year from 1993 to 1996. He was also made captain of the Queensland State of Origin team in 1996 and was named by Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week is the second highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, behind major competitor Big League...
as that season's player of the year.
Success returns
Langer again captained the Broncos to victory in the 1997 World Club Championship and the Super League premiershipSuper League (Australia) season 1997
The 1997 Super League season was the 90th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the first and only to be run by the News Limited-controlled Super League organisation...
. In the first game of the 1998 State of Origin series Langer was named man-of-the-match. Also that year, for the second time, Langer captained the Broncos to a second consecutive premiership when they won the 1998 NRL grand final
1998 NRL grand final
The 1998 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 1998 NRL season. It was the first grand final since the National Rugby League's formation and featured minor premiers and the previous year's Super League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos against the Canterbury Bulldogs,...
. In 1998, Langer was also appointed Australian national team captain. That year he and his mentor, Broncos, Queensland and Australian coach, Wayne Bennett, became the first captain-coach combination to win the NRL Premiership, State of Origin and Test series in the same year.
Retirement and comeback
After a lacklustre start to the 1999 seasonBrisbane Broncos 1999
The 1999 Brisbane Broncos season was the twelfth in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 1999 premiership, reaching the finals but losing their first play-off match.-Season summary:...
, Langer announced his retirement from rugby league mid-year, leaving many, including teammates, bewildered as to why. His departure prompted the Queensland Premier and even the Australian Prime Minister to eulogise his contribution to the sport. However, Alfie soon came out of retirement to play in the English Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
competition for the Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
.
Langer captained Warrington Wolves and took them to within one match of the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Final in 2000.
Also in 2000, Langer was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
"for service to Rugby League football as a player at national and international levels, and as a supporter of charities, particularly those raising funds for cancer research". Later that year he was also awarded the Australian Sports Medal
Australian 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 2001, as coach of the Maroons, Wayne Bennett made a surprise selection of Langer – then still playing in England – for the Queensland side in the third and deciding State of Origin match of that year. His comeback was arranged by Bennett under a shroud of secrecy. There were doubts as to whether Langer, in the twilight of his playing career, would be able to withstand the physical rigours of State of Origin football. Some Sydney journalists, such as Phil Gould
Phil Gould
Phil Gould is an Australian rugby league broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast...
, questioned the state of Queensland's football talent, given that they had needed to "bring back 35-year-olds to win." However on the night Langer set up two tries and scored one himself, leading Queensland to victory only a year after they had suffered their worst ever State of Origin defeat.
Langer was subsequently lured back to the Broncos for one final season in 2002
Brisbane Broncos 2002
The 2002 Brisbane Broncos season was the fifteenth in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2002 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season in third position before going on to again come within one match of the grand final for the second consecutive year.- Season summary :The...
. In doing so he became the NRL's oldest player that year at 36 years and 60 days. He was named man-of-the-match in the third and deciding game of that year's State of Origin series and became the oldest player to play in State of Origin football. However despite his good form, Brisbane were unable to win the Premiership, falling four points short of the Grand Final (losing the preliminary final to eventual premiers the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
by a scoreline of just 16-12).
At the time of his retirement, Langer had made the most appearances as captain for the Brisbane Broncos and became only the third player to have been named man-of-the-match in a State of Origin game more than three times.
Post-playing
After playing Langer spent time as a restaurateur on Queensland's Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
.
During the 2007 season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to date which included Langer.
In February 2008, Langer was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
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...
and ARL
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. In June 2008, he was chosen in the Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century
Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century
The Queensland Rugby League Team of the Century is a hypothetical team comprising the best players who have played for Queensland to form a team for 1909 until 2008. Rugby league in Queensland was initiated in 1909 with the Queensland Rugby Football League competition, which evolved into the...
at halfback. A few months later the Brisbane Broncos appointed Allan Langer, along with Shane Webcke
Shane Webcke
Shane Webcke is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, who spent his entire top-grade career playing for the Brisbane Broncos. His position of choice was at prop forward and at his peak he was renowned as the best front rower in the world...
as full-time assistant coaches to work alongside new head coach Ivan Henjak
Ivan Henjak
Ivan Henjak is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He was the former head coach for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League, having taken over from Wayne Bennett in 2009...
from the 2009 season
Brisbane Broncos 2009
The 2009 Brisbane Broncos season was the 22nd in the club's history and their first without foundation coach Wayne Bennett. They competed in the NRL's 2009 Telstra Premiership and by the 12th round were leading the competition, but then suffered one of their worst post-State of Origin form slumps...
. He has also been named as a Queensland Maroons' assistant coach under Mal Meninga for the 2009 State of Origin series. In 2009 Langer could frequently be seen running water out to Broncos players during NRL matches, and even for Australia at the end of season Four Nations tournament.
On 29 March 2010, Langer was charged with drink driving
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
. At the time of the incident, Langer was ambassador for Lion Nathan
Lion Nathan
Lion Nathan National Foods is the parent company created in October 2009, into which Lion Nathan and National Foods were merged. It is fully owned by Kirin Holdings Company, Limited...
brewery. He went to the Normandy Hotel in inner 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...
, where he was photographed dancing in his underpants in front of patrons. Langer drank 8 to 10 glasses of XXXX
XXXX
XXXX is a brand of Australian beer brewed in Milton, Brisbane by Queensland brewers, Castlemaine Perkins. It enjoys wide popularity in the state of Queensland, where it is commonly found on-tap in pubs and bars....
beer and a couple of vodkas, before driving his car. He had intended to drive all the way to his home on the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
, but a police patrol pulled him over in the Brisbane suburb of Everton Park
Everton Park, Queensland
Everton Park is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.It is about eight kilometres north of the Brisbane CBD. The area is mainly residential, with a population of about 8000....
. The police found Langer to be 3 times over the legal blood alcohol
Blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content , also called blood alcohol concentration, blood ethanol concentration, or blood alcohol level is most commonly used as a metric of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes....
limit. Langer pleaded guilty to the offence in Brisbane Magistrates Court
Brisbane Magistrates Court
Brisbane Magistrates Court is located at 363 George Street, Brisbane in Queensland, Australia.The building is a modern, purpose-built facility which currently contains 26 courtrooms. These include a dedicated Murri Court, two Coroners courts and four Small Claims hearing rooms...
. Lion Nathan cancelled Langer's brewery ambassadorship, and he was suspended from his coaching position with the Broncos. The court banned Langer from driving a motor vehicle for eight months. However no criminal conviction was recorded, as the judge accepted Langer's argument that a conviction would hurt his football coaching career. By the following weekend Langer had returned to work as Broncos assistant coach.
External links
- Allan Langer at Sport Australia Hall of Fame
- Allan Langer at stateoforigin.com.au
- Allan Langer at bronconet.org
- 28/04/1999 7:30 Report Transcript: Langer retirement spells end of a Rugby League era
- 25/06/2001 7:30 Report Transcript: Langer returns to State of Origin
- Langer, Webcke hired as Broncos assistants – article at abc.net.au
- Queensland Team of the Century named – article at nz.leagueunlimited.com