Steve Martin (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Steve Martin is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer and coach. He was a representative player at both state and international levels and played in the New South Wales Rugby League
(NSWRL) competition for Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
and the Balmain Tigers
. Martin primarily played in the halfback position.
footballer in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
but switched to rugby league and spent 1975–1976 playing for Barrow
in English club football. He came to the notice of first-grade clubs in Australia when he represented Riverina in the 1976 Amco Cup
competition.
Martin debuted for Manly in 1978 and was selected for New South Wales as five-eighth. In the same year he played in both the grand final and the grand final replay win over Cronulla
. Martin toured with the Kangaroos at the end of 1978, playing in eleven tour matches and one Test against France
. Martin finished his debut season as the NSWRL Rookie of the Year.
Martin was selected to represent New South Wales as an interchange for the inaugural State of Origin
game in 1980.
After several positional changes at Manly, Martin moved to Balmain in an effort to consolidate his career at halfback but a series of shoulder injuries kept him from his previous form. In 1983–1984, Martin played for Leeds in England.
in 1990, Martin coached the club to the 1991 preliminary-final
but they lost to the Canberra Raiders
.
1992 was a disappointing season for the Bears and Martin resigned at the end of the year. An appointment as coach of the Featherstone Rovers in England followed before Martin returned once more to Australia and took up the coaching position at the South Sydney Rabbitohs
in 1998. His tenure at the club was brief. Martin was sacked after a disagreement over the disciplining of controversial five-eighth, Julian O'Neill
, late in the season and handed the position over to Craig Coleman
.
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 and coach. He was a representative player at both state and international levels and played in the New South Wales Rugby League
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
(NSWRL) competition for 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...
and the 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...
. Martin primarily played in the halfback position.
Playing career
Martin was originally an Australian RulesAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
footballer in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
but switched to rugby league and spent 1975–1976 playing for Barrow
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
in English club football. He came to the notice of first-grade clubs in Australia when he represented Riverina in the 1976 Amco Cup
1976 Amco Cup
The 1976 Amco Cup was a rugby league football tournament featuring teams from around the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland.-Preliminary round:Bold text-Round 1:-Round 2:-Quarter finals:-Semi finals:-Final:...
competition.
Martin debuted for Manly in 1978 and was selected for New South Wales as five-eighth. In the same year he played in both the grand final and the grand final replay win over Cronulla
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
. Martin toured with the Kangaroos at the end of 1978, playing in eleven tour matches and one Test 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"...
. Martin finished his debut season as the NSWRL Rookie of the Year.
Martin was selected to represent New South Wales as an interchange for the inaugural State of Origin
1980 Rugby League State of Origin game
The 1980 State of Origin game between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues was the inaugural match under the newly configured rules by which a player would represent his "state of origin", i.e. the state in which he was born or in which he started playing registered first grade...
game in 1980.
After several positional changes at Manly, Martin moved to Balmain in an effort to consolidate his career at halfback but a series of shoulder injuries kept him from his previous form. In 1983–1984, Martin played for Leeds in England.
Coaching career
In 1986–1987, Martin captain-coached West Tamworth to two premierships but two shoulder dislocations forced his retirement as a player. Moving to the North Sydney BearsNorth 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 1990, Martin coached the club to the 1991 preliminary-final
New South Wales Rugby League season 1991
The 1991 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership season was the eighty-fourth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This year the League experimented with a draft system for the first time....
but they lost to 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...
.
1992 was a disappointing season for the Bears and Martin resigned at the end of the year. An appointment as coach of the Featherstone Rovers in England followed before Martin returned once more to Australia and took up the coaching position at the 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...
in 1998. His tenure at the club was brief. Martin was sacked after a disagreement over the disciplining of controversial five-eighth, Julian O'Neill
Julian O'Neill
O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995...
, late in the season and handed the position over to Craig Coleman
Craig Coleman
Craig Coleman is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He primarily played at halfback and remains second on the list of most first-grade games played for Souths, 208....
.