Ross Conlon
Encyclopedia
Ross Conlon is an Australian former rugby league
footballer. He played for the Western Suburbs Magpies
, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Balmain Tigers
in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
(NSWRL) as well as representative football for New South Wales
and the Australia
.
competition for Mount St Mary in 1980, he was noticed by Wests coach, Roy Masters. Conlon debuted for Wests in round 6 of the 1981 NSWRL season
, scoring a try against North Sydney
.
Conlon, a centre, was notable for his success as a goal-kicker. He developed an 'around-the-corner' sideways shuffle before moving in to strike the ball, claiming the shuffle gave him more time. Conlon credits this habit to soccer, a game he played until the age of fifteen.
After two seasons with the Western Suburbs, Conlon signed with Canterbury in 1983. Conlon had a successful season with Canterbury, and the team made it to the preliminary final against Parramatta Eels
. Conlon dislocated his hip in the game but was able to return to first-grade in round 10 of the 1984 season.
Within a few weeks of his return from injury, Conlon was selected on the wing for game I of the 1984 State of Origin
series. Conlon played in all three matches, kicking ten goals. In June 1984, with Eric Grothe
injured, Conlon made his first and only appearance in an Australian representative side. He was selected for the first Test of the Ashes series against Great Britain
and kicked four goals.
Although Conlon made representative selection in 1984, his form dropped later in the season and Canterbury coach, Warren Ryan
, dropped Conlon to the bench in round 24. Conlon wasn't included in any of the team line-ups for the rest of the season and he was omitted from the successful team that met Parramatta in the 1984 grand final.
Conlon joined Balmain
for the 1985 season and he was one of the most consistent point-scorers during the mid-1980s. In the 1987 NSWRL
season, he led the competition's point-scoring table with 196 points.
Conlon was a member of the Balmain team which lost to his former club, Canterbury, in the 1988 grand final.
Conlon coached in Casino
and Murwillumbah following his retirement from playing and is now a school-teacher. In 2007 he coached the Uralla Tigers to the Group 4
(Division 2) premiership.
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. He played for the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
in 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...
(NSWRL) as well as representative football for New South Wales
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...
and the Australia
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
.
Playing career
Conlon played junior football with Murwillumbah. While playing in the University CupNSW Tertiary Student Rugby League
The NSW Tertiary Student Rugby League is an affiliated body of the New South Wales Rugby League, established to promote the development of Rugby League within Universities, TAFE and other Tertiary Institutes within the state of NSW....
competition for Mount St Mary in 1980, he was noticed by Wests coach, Roy Masters. Conlon debuted for Wests in round 6 of the 1981 NSWRL season
New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1981
The 1981 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventy-fourth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first...
, scoring a try against North Sydney
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...
.
Conlon, a centre, was notable for his success as a goal-kicker. He developed an 'around-the-corner' sideways shuffle before moving in to strike the ball, claiming the shuffle gave him more time. Conlon credits this habit to soccer, a game he played until the age of fifteen.
After two seasons with the Western Suburbs, Conlon signed with Canterbury in 1983. Conlon had a successful season with Canterbury, and the team made it to the preliminary final against 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...
. Conlon dislocated his hip in the game but was able to return to first-grade in round 10 of the 1984 season.
Within a few weeks of his return from injury, Conlon was selected on the wing for game I of the 1984 State of Origin
1984 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 1984 State of Origin series was the 3rd annual series contested between the representative rugby league football teams of New South Wales and Queensland under "state of origin" selection rules...
series. Conlon played in all three matches, kicking ten goals. In June 1984, with Eric Grothe
Eric Grothe, Sr.
Eric "Guru" Grothe is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 1980s. A New South Wales and Australian representative winger, he played club football for the Parramatta Eels with whom he won four NSWRL premierships...
injured, Conlon made his first and only appearance in an Australian representative side. He was selected for the first Test of the Ashes series against 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"....
and kicked four goals.
Although Conlon made representative selection in 1984, his form dropped later in the season and Canterbury coach, Warren Ryan
Warren Ryan
Warren Ryan is former rugby league football coach and player from Sydney, Australia. He is considered as one of the most influential coaches in recent times. Ryan also played 1st Grade Rugby League for the St George Dragons and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks....
, dropped Conlon to the bench in round 24. Conlon wasn't included in any of the team line-ups for the rest of the season and he was omitted from the successful team that met Parramatta in the 1984 grand final.
Conlon joined Balmain
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
for the 1985 season and he was one of the most consistent point-scorers during the mid-1980s. In the 1987 NSWRL
New South Wales Rugby League season 1987
The 1987 New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the eightieth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. Thirteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan shield and Winfield Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the...
season, he led the competition's point-scoring table with 196 points.
Conlon was a member of the Balmain team which lost to his former club, Canterbury, in the 1988 grand final.
Post-playing career
At the end of the 1988 season, at the age of only 29, Conlon retired from first-grade rugby league and returned to country football as a player and coach.Conlon coached in Casino
Casino, New South Wales
Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 9,400 people . It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way....
and Murwillumbah following his retirement from playing and is now a school-teacher. In 2007 he coached the Uralla Tigers to the Group 4
Group 4 Rugby League
Group 4 is a rugby league competition in the New England and north west area of New South Wales, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League.-Structure:...
(Division 2) premiership.