Gareth Widdop
Encyclopedia
Gareth Widdop is an English professional rugby league
footballer currently playing for Australian club Melbourne Storm
of the National Rugby League
. An England international representative fullback, he can fit in anywhere in the backline such as wing, centre or in the halves.
Under 20's. He was named the Storms' NYC player of the year in 2009.
, he was named in Melbournes' 23-man touring party in preparation for the 2010 World Club Challenge
against Leeds Rhinos
but was not chosen to play but did pick up the man of the match award in their warm up game against the Harlequins . His first game for the Storm was in Round 7 against the New Zealand Warriors
where he played centre at Etihad Stadium. Round 12 saw him appear at Fullback in place of the rested Billy Slater
. Widdop scored a try and 3 conversions in the match at AAMI Park. Widdop was put back in the centres for his third and final appearance in 2010 for the Storm, the Round 25 clash against the Wests Tigers
.
. Gareth kicked a goal in Round 13 and kicked a further 4 goals in Round 14, in this game he also kicked a field goal. He scored a try against the New Zealand Warriors
in Round 16 and he kicked a goal in Round 18. He recently signed a new deal to remain with the Storm for another 2 years with a 3rd year option.
On 1 June 2010 Widdop received a surprise call-up into new England
coach Steve McNamara
's 19-man squad for the match against France
on 12 June 2010. He featured at Full Back and scored a try with his first touch of the ball, he also kicked 2 goals when Sinfield was substituted. In mid-September he was once again called up to the England squad but this time for the Four Nations, he started at Full Back in the 18-18 draw in the warm up match against New Zealand Māori side
in which he kicked 3 goals. Widdop was once again on the scoresheet as England lost their opening game 24-10 against reigning world champions New Zealand by scoring a try and kicking a goal. He was not selected for the game against Australia but was on the bench in the final game against Papua New Guinea
where he came on at centre to kick a goal in the 36-10 victory.
2011
In his first international game of 2011 he was selected on the Bench for the 32-18 win in the test against France
. Widdop was also on the Bench for the 2011 Four Nations opening game against Wales
where he scored a try with the final play of the game. He also featured off the Bench in the 36-20 loss to Australia
at Wembley Stadium
. Gareth once again cam off the Bench in the 28-6 win over New Zealand
, Widdop had a last minute try disallowed. Widdop once again featured on the Bench in the 30-8 loss to Australia
in the 2011 Four Nations final.
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 currently playing for Australian club 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....
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...
. An England international representative fullback, he can fit in anywhere in the backline such as wing, centre or in the halves.
Early years
Gareth grew up in Halifax, England where he played his junior rugby for King Cross before moving to Melbourne with his family at the age of 16. From there he continued to play rugby league in the Victoria Rugby League for Altona Roosters under his father Gary, he was introduced to the Storm by Dean Lance and was taken into the Storms Academy U18 program by Paul Bramley the High Performance Manager at the time, he went onto represent Victoria and the Australian Affiliated U18 Schoolboys and he eventually signed for Melbourne Storms' Under 20s team. He made the NYC team of the year and also scored the match winning try and goal in the Toyota Cup Grand Final for the Storm against the Wests TigersWests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
Under 20's. He was named the Storms' NYC player of the year in 2009.
2010: Rookie season
In 2010, Widdop's first season in the first team at Melbourne StormMelbourne 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 was named in Melbournes' 23-man touring party in preparation for the 2010 World Club Challenge
2010 World Club Challenge
-Teams:-Match details:-First half:Leeds almost scored early in the first half when Brent Webb ran over but he was held up by Luke MacDougall on the last tackle. Soon after they posted the first points with a penalty goal to captain Kevin Sinfield. Soon after Melbourne drew level with a penalty goal...
against Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
but was not chosen to play but did pick up the man of the match award in their warm up game against the Harlequins . His first game for the Storm was in Round 7 against the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
where he played centre at Etihad Stadium. Round 12 saw him appear at Fullback in place of the rested Billy Slater
Billy Slater
Billy Slater is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative fullback, he has played his whole NRL career to date at Melbourne...
. Widdop scored a try and 3 conversions in the match at AAMI Park. Widdop was put back in the centres for his third and final appearance in 2010 for the Storm, the Round 25 clash against the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
.
2011: Second Season
Widdop has appeared in every game for the Storm so far this season, his first 2011 try came in Round 3 against North Queensland CowboysNorth 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...
. Gareth kicked a goal in Round 13 and kicked a further 4 goals in Round 14, in this game he also kicked a field goal. He scored a try against the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
in Round 16 and he kicked a goal in Round 18. He recently signed a new deal to remain with the Storm for another 2 years with a 3rd year option.
International career
2010On 1 June 2010 Widdop received a surprise call-up into new England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
coach Steve McNamara
Steve McNamara
Steve McNamara is an English professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently coach of the England national team.-International honours:...
's 19-man squad for the match against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
on 12 June 2010. He featured at Full Back and scored a try with his first touch of the ball, he also kicked 2 goals when Sinfield was substituted. In mid-September he was once again called up to the England squad but this time for the Four Nations, he started at Full Back in the 18-18 draw in the warm up match against New Zealand Māori side
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
in which he kicked 3 goals. Widdop was once again on the scoresheet as England lost their opening game 24-10 against reigning world champions New Zealand by scoring a try and kicking a goal. He was not selected for the game against Australia but was on the bench in the final game 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...
where he came on at centre to kick a goal in the 36-10 victory.
2011
In his first international game of 2011 he was selected on the Bench for the 32-18 win in the test against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Widdop was also on the Bench for the 2011 Four Nations opening game against Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
where he scored a try with the final play of the game. He also featured off the Bench in the 36-20 loss to 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...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. Gareth once again cam off the Bench in the 28-6 win over New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Widdop had a last minute try disallowed. Widdop once again featured on the Bench in the 30-8 loss to 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...
in the 2011 Four Nations final.