Paul Dunn (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Paul Dunn is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A New Souht Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative forward, he played club football in Sydney for Eastern Suburbs, Canterbury-Bankstown, Parramatta and Penrith.
Paul Dunn moved to Sydney at the age of 19 and played a season with Bondi United of which he is now a member of their Team of the Century, then in 1983 Dunn began his 1st Grade Career with the Sydney Roosters where he played for two years before moving to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, his most successful club where he played for 5 years until an major player and staff change prompted a move to the Penrith Panthers where he spent 2 years before moving to the Parramatta Eels his most unsuccessful club where he retired at the end of 1995 before returning for one year to his first club, the Sydney Roosters.
In New South Wales Rugby League season 1988
Dunn was the recipient of the Clive Churchill Medal
for his man-of-the-match performance at prop in the Grand Final
-winning Canterbury team. Dunn also played for the Penrith Panthers
, winning another premiership with them in NSWRL season 1991. Following the grand final victory he travelled with the Panthers to England for the 1991 World Club Challenge
which was lost to Wigan. He also played for the Sydney Roosters
and Parramatta Eels
clubs.
Dunn in his illustrious career play in the City Origin side in 1985, 86, 87 and 90, this was because he played his last year of jr football for Bondi United, a Sydney based club. He also played in the Country Origin sides of 1988, 89 and 91 because of his country based roots. Dunn was unlucky not to play more Origin than one game in 1988 two games in 1989 because he was unfortunately in the same era as forwards like Steve 'Blocker' Roach, David 'Cement' Gillespie, Paul 'Chief' Harrigan, Paul 'Siro' Sironen and John Cartright.
At the end of the 1986 NSWRL season, he went on the 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
.
In 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league.
Appointed the Chief Executive of the reinstituted South Sydney Rabbitohs
where he had great input into the reinstated club, Dunn departed after the club’s disappointing 2002 season due to unrest in the club. Then in 2008, Dunn was appointed to the board of the Cantebury-Bankstown Bulldogs Football club. In the following year the 'Boys from Belmore' made it to the preliminary finals and only missed out on the Minor Premiership because of a controversial Video Referee decision and being stripped of 2 points for an interchange mixup, and then in 2010 was made Deputy Chairman of the club.
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. A New Souht Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative forward, he played club football in Sydney for Eastern Suburbs, Canterbury-Bankstown, Parramatta and Penrith.
Biography
Dunn was born on the 7th of August 1963 in the small country town of Molong and grew up in both Orange and Bathurst. He played 100 games for Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and at his peak represented Australia.Paul Dunn moved to Sydney at the age of 19 and played a season with Bondi United of which he is now a member of their Team of the Century, then in 1983 Dunn began his 1st Grade Career with the Sydney Roosters where he played for two years before moving to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, his most successful club where he played for 5 years until an major player and staff change prompted a move to the Penrith Panthers where he spent 2 years before moving to the Parramatta Eels his most unsuccessful club where he retired at the end of 1995 before returning for one year to his first club, the Sydney Roosters.
In New South Wales Rugby League season 1988
New South Wales Rugby League season 1988
The 1988 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership was the eighty-first season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This year saw the first expansion of the NSWRL competition outside the borders of New South Wales, with the addition of three new teams, the Brisbane Broncos, Gold...
Dunn was the recipient of 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 his man-of-the-match performance at prop in the Grand Final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
-winning Canterbury team. Dunn also played for the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
, winning another premiership with them in NSWRL season 1991. Following the grand final victory he travelled with the Panthers to England for the 1991 World Club Challenge
1991 World Club Challenge
The 1991 World Club Challenge was contested by 1990–91 RFL Championship winners, Wigan and 1991 NSWRL season premiers, the Penrith Panthers. The match was played on a dry Wednesday the 2nd of October, 1991 at Anfield, Liverpool...
which was lost to Wigan. He also played for 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...
and 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...
clubs.
Dunn in his illustrious career play in the City Origin side in 1985, 86, 87 and 90, this was because he played his last year of jr football for Bondi United, a Sydney based club. He also played in the Country Origin sides of 1988, 89 and 91 because of his country based roots. Dunn was unlucky not to play more Origin than one game in 1988 two games in 1989 because he was unfortunately in the same era as forwards like Steve 'Blocker' Roach, David 'Cement' Gillespie, Paul 'Chief' Harrigan, Paul 'Siro' Sironen and John Cartright.
At the end of the 1986 NSWRL season, he went on the 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
1986 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France
The 1986 Kangaroo tour was the sixteenth Kangaroo Tour where the Australian side plays a number of matches against British and French rugby league teams, in additions to the Test matches...
.
In 2000 he 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.
Appointed the Chief Executive of the reinstituted South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
where he had great input into the reinstated club, Dunn departed after the club’s disappointing 2002 season due to unrest in the club. Then in 2008, Dunn was appointed to the board of the Cantebury-Bankstown Bulldogs Football club. In the following year the 'Boys from Belmore' made it to the preliminary finals and only missed out on the Minor Premiership because of a controversial Video Referee decision and being stripped of 2 points for an interchange mixup, and then in 2010 was made Deputy Chairman of the club.