David Fairleigh
Encyclopedia
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 Rothmans Medal
. This was followed by a season at the Newcastle Knights
, and another in England at St Helens, with whom he won the 2001 Challenge Cup
final before retiring. He is currently the head coach of the Central Coast Bears and the Cook Islands
national side.
He made his first grade debut for the Bears
in round 17 of 1989 and for ten seasons from 1990 was a permanent first grade player and North Sydney stalwart.
At the end of the 1994 NSWRL season, he went on the 1994 Kangaroo tour
.
Following North's merger with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
at the end of 1999 Fairleigh moved to Newcastle and was in 2000 named the club's Player of the Year. 2001 saw him finish his club career with a season for St Helens in England.
game III of 1991, Fairleigh was selected for the New South Wales team on the interchange bench. He was not selected in 1992 but appeared again in 1993 off the interchange bench in games I & II and as a prop-forward in the run-on side of game III. His Origin (and national) representative careers benefitted from the fracas of the Super League war
and he appeared in all three games of the 1995 and 1997 series for a career total of ten appearances for the Blues
.
Although not selected for Origin in 1994, Fairleigh earned a place in the Australian Test side against France when Bradley Clyde
withdrew. He was one of the first forwards selected for the 1994 Kangaroo Tour
. He appeared in twelve minor tour matches and two Tests scoring five tries on tour. He had been selected as a reserve for the second Test but withdrew on the morning of the match with a virus. He played in the third Test against Great Britain and in the sole test against France, scoring a try in the 74-0 drubbing. He was also selected in the Australian team to play against Fiji and Papua New Guinea in 1996.
in 1994 with a record tally of 33 votes. He was second in the award in 1996 behind teammate Jason Taylor. In 2006 an expert panel of judges selected a North Sydney team of the century in which Fairleigh was selected in the starting thirteen in the second-row.
but his contract was not renewed in the changes that occurred in early 2007 relating to the arrival of new head coach Brian Smith
. Fairleigh is currently an assistant coach at the Parramatta Eels
club.
Fairleigh is currently the coach of the Central Coast Bears.
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...
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
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...
, winning 1994's 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...
. This was followed by a season at the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
, and another in England at St Helens, with whom he won the 2001 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 before retiring. He is currently the head coach of the Central Coast Bears and the Cook Islands
Cook Islands national rugby league team
-2008 World Cup Qualifying:See 2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifyingThe Cook Islands played Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in the Pacific pool of Qualifying for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Fiji and Tonga qualified, and Samoa earned a second chance in the repecharge round...
national side.
Club career
While attending Gosford High School, Fairleigh played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1988.He made his first grade debut for the 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 round 17 of 1989 and for ten seasons from 1990 was a permanent first grade player and North Sydney stalwart.
At the end of the 1994 NSWRL season, he went on 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...
.
Following North's merger with 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...
at the end of 1999 Fairleigh moved to Newcastle and was in 2000 named the club's Player of the Year. 2001 saw him finish his club career with a season for St Helens in England.
Representative career
In State of OriginRugby 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...
game III of 1991, Fairleigh was selected for the New South Wales team on the interchange bench. He was not selected in 1992 but appeared again in 1993 off the interchange bench in games I & II and as a prop-forward in the run-on side of game III. His Origin (and national) representative careers benefitted from the fracas of the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
and he appeared in all three games of the 1995 and 1997 series for a career total of ten appearances for the Blues
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...
.
Although not selected for Origin in 1994, Fairleigh earned a place in the Australian Test side against France when Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who, at the peak of his playing career was widely acknowledged as the best lock forward in the game....
withdrew. He was one of the first forwards selected for the 1994 Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
. He appeared in twelve minor tour matches and two Tests scoring five tries on tour. He had been selected as a reserve for the second Test but withdrew on the morning of the match with a virus. He played in the third Test against Great Britain and in the sole test against France, scoring a try in the 74-0 drubbing. He was also selected in the Australian team to play against Fiji and Papua New Guinea in 1996.
Post playing
Fairleigh won the Rothman's MedalDally M Medal
The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
in 1994 with a record tally of 33 votes. He was second in the award in 1996 behind teammate Jason Taylor. In 2006 an expert panel of judges selected a North Sydney team of the century in which Fairleigh was selected in the starting thirteen in the second-row.
Coaching career
In 2006 Fairleigh was the Premier league coach at the Newcastle KnightsNewcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
but his contract was not renewed in the changes that occurred in early 2007 relating to the arrival of new head coach Brian Smith
Brian Smith (rugby league)
Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games...
. Fairleigh is currently an assistant coach at 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...
club.
Fairleigh is currently the coach of the Central Coast Bears.
Sources
- Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
& Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney - Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition , News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney