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Billy Moore (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Billy Moore is an Australian former rugby league
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. Usually playing at lock, he represented Queensland
and Australia
.
Moore grew up in Wallangarra, Queensland
. He was born in Tenterfield, due to the hospital there being closer than Stanthorpe
. Moore was quoted as saying "My Mum assures me I was rushed over the border before the oxygen had time to affect my lungs."
Moore represented New South Wales
under-17s while in high school at Tenterfield. He moved to the North Sydney Bears
in 1989 and played in the club's reserve grade premiership side. With a radical change of the guard the following year, Moore and a number of other players (ncluding long-time back-row partner David Fairleigh
) became regular first graders the following year and propelled the club from also-rans in 1989 to finalists in 1991. Although Moore damaged a jaw at the start of that year, he played superbly in the first semi-final win by the Bears for 39 years against Manly, scoring two tries. Moore was first selected in Queensland's State of Origin
side in 1992. Moore was the sole try-scorer in the Maroons' 5-4 win in the second match of the series at Lang Park.
Moore was a regular selection for the maroon jersey for three seasons and notably embarrassed himself by yelling 'Queenslander! Queenslander!' in an attempt to motivate an underdog Maroons team on their way out of the tunnel in 1995. Moore was only reacting to the fact that New South Wales players had said they would belt the first person that said he was a Queenslander. Notwithstanding Moore's awkward behaviour, and against all odds, the young Queenslanders won the series 3 nil without its star Super League
players. While Moore was initially overlooked for Test duty against New Zealand, he won a place in Australia's World Cup
squad at the end of the year. He made one appearance in the competition, against South Africa
, before playing further ARL Tests against Fiji
(1996) and Rest of the World (1997) in consecutive years.
Moore's value for Norths can be measured by the fact that the club failed to fire in the 1994 final against the Canberra Raiders
after he was forced to leave the field with concussion. He continued to play tirelessly for his club in subsequent semi-final campaigns but his representative career ended when he was left out of the Queensland team for the 1998 series. At the end of 1999, Moore failed to secure a contract with the merged Northern Eagles
club and reluctantly retired.
In 2000 Moore was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league. In August, 2006 he was named in the North Sydney Bears' Team of the Century. For a time he owned a restaurant at Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
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 and 90s. Usually playing at lock, he represented Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and Australia
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...
.
Moore grew up in Wallangarra, Queensland
Wallangarra, Queensland
Wallangarra is a village on the border between Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. It is the third most southerly town in Queensland, 258 km south west of Brisbane. Wallangarra is on the Queensland side of the border and Jennings is on the New South Wales side...
. He was born in Tenterfield, due to the hospital there being closer than Stanthorpe
Stanthorpe, Queensland
Stanthorpe is a town situated in south east Queensland, Australia. The town lies on the New England Highway near the New South Wales border 223 km from Brisbane via Warwick, 56 km north of Tenterfield and 811 m above sea level. The area surrounding the town is known as the Granite Belt...
. Moore was quoted as saying "My Mum assures me I was rushed over the border before the oxygen had time to affect my lungs."
Moore represented New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
under-17s while in high school at Tenterfield. He moved to the North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
in 1989 and played in the club's reserve grade premiership side. With a radical change of the guard the following year, Moore and a number of other players (ncluding long-time back-row partner David Fairleigh
David Fairleigh
David Fairleigh is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played the majority of his club football in Australia for the North Sydney Bears, winning 1994's...
) became regular first graders the following year and propelled the club from also-rans in 1989 to finalists in 1991. Although Moore damaged a jaw at the start of that year, he played superbly in the first semi-final win by the Bears for 39 years against Manly, scoring two tries. Moore was first selected in Queensland's 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...
side in 1992. Moore was the sole try-scorer in the Maroons' 5-4 win in the second match of the series at Lang Park.
Moore was a regular selection for the maroon jersey for three seasons and notably embarrassed himself by yelling 'Queenslander! Queenslander!' in an attempt to motivate an underdog Maroons team on their way out of the tunnel in 1995. Moore was only reacting to the fact that New South Wales players had said they would belt the first person that said he was a Queenslander. Notwithstanding Moore's awkward behaviour, and against all odds, the young Queenslanders won the series 3 nil without its star 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...
players. While Moore was initially overlooked for Test duty against New Zealand, he won a place in Australia's World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
squad at the end of the year. He made one appearance in the competition, against South Africa
South Africa national rugby league team
The South Africa national rugby league team are a growing force in rugby league football, South Africa competes sporadically against other international nations because of their location and their absence from any major international competitions. They are ranked twenty-third in the world...
, before playing further ARL Tests against Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
(1996) and Rest of the World (1997) in consecutive years.
Moore's value for Norths can be measured by the fact that the club failed to fire in the 1994 final against 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...
after he was forced to leave the field with concussion. He continued to play tirelessly for his club in subsequent semi-final campaigns but his representative career ended when he was left out of the Queensland team for the 1998 series. At the end of 1999, Moore failed to secure a contract with the merged Northern Eagles
Northern Eagles
The Northern Eagles were a rugby league team, that competed in the National Rugby League between 2000 and 2002. The club was formed during the rationalisation process of the NRL by the merger of the North Sydney Bears and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2000...
club and reluctantly retired.
In 2000 Moore was 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...
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league. In August, 2006 he was named in the North Sydney Bears' Team of the Century. For a time he owned a restaurant at Queensland's Sunshine Coast.