Steven Menzies
Encyclopedia
Steven "Steve" Menzies is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer best known for his stellar career with the Manly Sea Eagles. He currently plays for the Catalans Dragons
of the European Super League
after agreeing a one-year deal which will be his final season in his professional playing career. Menzies has spent the majority of his playing career in the back row but in recent years he has played in the centres, at five-eighth and as a utility player off the bench.
He joined the Bradford Bulls
in the European Super League
from the 2009 season.
Menzies is a noted defender, but is best known as the most prolific try scoring forward
in rugby league. His total of 180 tries is second in Australian first grade rugby league, behind former North Sydney
and Manly player Ken Irvine
, who scored 212 tries. He is well known for wearing headgear
during games.
to later sign with Manly for $9,000 in 1993. His junior club was Harbord United.
during the 1994 season
and scoring 16 tries, earning him the Dally M
Rookie of the Year and Second Rower of the Year awards. He also came second in the Rothmans Medal
, finishing behind North Sydney Bears
' David Fairleigh
. His season was then topped off when he was selected in the Australian Squad for the 1994 Kangaroo Tour
.
Menzies became the first forward in fifty years to top the season's try-scoring list (22 tries) and in the same year made his State Of Origin
debut for New South Wales
. His efforts saw him again win the Dally M Second Rower of the Year award, and further representative honours in the 1995 World Cup squad. During the tournament he appeared in four games and topped the tournament's try-scoring list with six tries, which consisted of 'doubles' in all matches except the Final.
Due to the Manly-Warringah joint venture with the North Sydney Bears
as the Northern Eagles
from 1999 to 2003, some statisticians do not list Menzies as a "one club player". However, the Manly-Warringah club acknowledges all of Steve Menzies' achievements during this period as part of the Sea Eagles, arguing that he never left the club and that the joint venture was simply another ownership phase as has happened with other clubs whose records are not separated.
Steve Menzies surpassed rugby league and Glebe stalwart Frank Burge
's record of 'Most Tries Scored by a Forward' when he scored his 147th try against St George Illawarra. Since then Menzies has gone on to amass a tally of 180 tries in 349 games, both club records at the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. His try tally is only second, behind ex-North Sydney
and Manly Sea Eagles player Ken Irvine
, in the list of 'Most Tries Scored in Premiership History'.
Menzies was the sole surviving member of the club's last Grand Final appearance back in 1997. He started in his fourth Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm
but the Manly side was unsuccessful in securing the premiership trophy.
After speculation on his retirement from rugby league, Menzies announced in October 2007 that he had re-signed with the Manly Sea Eagles for 2008
on a one-year contract, stating that he would likely retire at the conclusion of the 2008 season.
's record of 349 first-grade games. He was one of eight Manly try-scorers on the day and completed his playing-career in Australia with 180 tries - second only to Ken Irvine but first among try-scoring forwards. With less than ten minutes left on the clock, Menzies completed his fairytale by scoring a try with his first touch after coming off the bench for a second time, replacing the injured Steve Matai
. Menzies is much loved on Sydney's Northern Beaches, not only for his legendary achievements on the rugby league paddock, but also for his ability to avoid controversy in an era riddled with unsavoury off-field incidents involving rugby league players. His efforts in the Grand Final of 2008 will be entered in Northern Beaches and Rugby League folklore and have earned him legendary status, as well as the 'Performer of the Week' award from the Sydney Morning Herald. In anticipation of equalling Lamb's record with his final appearance, Manly was reported to have made Menzies an offer to make a cameo appearance in 2009 to break the record. Menzies' response confirmed his and Lamb's standing among the greats:
"I wouldn't consider coming back for one game and cheapening the record or anything," said Menzies.
"If I fell one short or equalled it or whatever then that's my career and the way it finishes.
"(Lamb) was such a great player ... I'm very honoured to stand next to him.
in the Super League
for the 2009 season. Manly was unable to offer Menzies a further contract due to salary cap restraints. Menzies stated he could only continue to play overseas as playing against the club he loves "was not an option".
until the end of 2010.
Menzies told BBC Radio Leeds
: "I think I've still got a bit to offer and can play another 12 months.
"My first choice was to stay at Bradford so it's great that they wanted to keep me." In 2010 he is the oldest player in Super League
. He will join the Catalans Dragons
for the 2011 season after not having his contract renewed at the Bradford Bulls
.
against England
at Headingley on 10
June 2011.
In July 2011, the legendary Australian signed a one year extension to his deal at Catalans Dragons
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 best known for his stellar career with the Manly Sea Eagles. He currently plays for the Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
of the European Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
after agreeing a one-year deal which will be his final season in his professional playing career. Menzies has spent the majority of his playing career in the back row but in recent years he has played in the centres, at five-eighth and as a utility player off the bench.
He joined the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
in the European Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
from the 2009 season.
Menzies is a noted defender, but is best known as the most prolific try scoring forward
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
in rugby league. His total of 180 tries is second in Australian first grade rugby league, behind former 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...
and Manly player Ken Irvine
Ken Irvine
Kenneth John Irvine was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He holds the standing record for the most number of tries in a first-grade career – 212. No other player has yet managed 200 tries in their career, apart from Steve Menzies who has scored 216...
, who scored 212 tries. He is well known for wearing headgear
Headgear
Headgear, headwear or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head.Headgear serve a variety of purposes:...
during games.
Early years
While attending Narrabeen High School, Menzies played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1992. As a teenager he turned down an offer of $5,000 from North SydneyNorth 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...
to later sign with Manly for $9,000 in 1993. His junior club was Harbord United.
1994-1995
He rose to prominence forming a lethal combination with five-eight Cliff LyonsCliff Lyons
Cliff Lyons is an indigenous Australian former international-level rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s...
during the 1994 season
New South Wales Rugby League season 1994
The 1994 New South Wales Rugby League season was the eighty-seventh season of professional rugby league football in Australia...
and scoring 16 tries, earning him the Dally M
Dally 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....
Rookie of the Year and Second Rower of the Year awards. He also came second in the 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...
, finishing behind 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...
' David Fairleigh
David Fairleigh
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...
. His season was then topped off when he was selected in the Australian Squad for 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...
.
1995-2003
In 1995Australian Rugby League season 1995
The 1995 ARL premiership was the 88th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the first to be run by the Australian Rugby League. For the first time since 1988, the League expanded again, with the addition of four new clubs from North Queensland, Western Australia, South...
Menzies became the first forward in fifty years to top the season's try-scoring list (22 tries) and in the same year made his State Of Origin
Rugby 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...
debut 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...
. His efforts saw him again win the Dally M Second Rower of the Year award, and further representative honours in the 1995 World Cup squad. During the tournament he appeared in four games and topped the tournament's try-scoring list with six tries, which consisted of 'doubles' in all matches except the Final.
Due to the Manly-Warringah joint venture with 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...
as the Northern Eagles
Northern Eagles
The Northern Eagles were a rugby league team, that competed in the National Rugby League between 2000 and 2002. The club was formed during the rationalisation process of the NRL by the merger of the North Sydney Bears and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2000...
from 1999 to 2003, some statisticians do not list Menzies as a "one club player". However, the Manly-Warringah club acknowledges all of Steve Menzies' achievements during this period as part of the Sea Eagles, arguing that he never left the club and that the joint venture was simply another ownership phase as has happened with other clubs whose records are not separated.
2004-2006
In 2004National Rugby League season 2004
The year 2004 NRL season was the 97th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the seventh run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen clubs competed for the Telstra Premiership...
Steve Menzies surpassed rugby league and Glebe stalwart Frank Burge
Frank Burge
Frank 'Chunky' Burge was one of the greatest forwards in the history of rugby league in Australia. Later he was one of the game's finest coaches....
's record of 'Most Tries Scored by a Forward' when he scored his 147th try against St George Illawarra. Since then Menzies has gone on to amass a tally of 180 tries in 349 games, both club records at the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. His try tally is only second, behind ex-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...
and Manly Sea Eagles player Ken Irvine
Ken Irvine
Kenneth John Irvine was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. He holds the standing record for the most number of tries in a first-grade career – 212. No other player has yet managed 200 tries in their career, apart from Steve Menzies who has scored 216...
, in the list of 'Most Tries Scored in Premiership History'.
2007
When Manly reached the Grand Final in 2007National Rugby League season 2007
The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
Menzies was the sole surviving member of the club's last Grand Final appearance back in 1997. He started in his fourth Grand Final against the 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....
but the Manly side was unsuccessful in securing the premiership trophy.
After speculation on his retirement from rugby league, Menzies announced in October 2007 that he had re-signed with the Manly Sea Eagles for 2008
National Rugby League season 2008
The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
on a one-year contract, stating that he would likely retire at the conclusion of the 2008 season.
2008
After a record-breaking club career with Manly and the Northern Eagles, Menzies had the opportunity to play in another Grand Final - again against Melbourne. Unlike 2007, Manly were the overwhelmingly dominant side, destroying the defending premiers 40-0 - a grand final record. This triumphant victory penned a fairytale ending to Beaver's distinguished career. By playing in the 2008 grand final, Menzies equalled Terry LambTerry Lamb
Terry Lamb OAM, is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played 349 games , with Wests , and Canterbury . Lamb was known for his support of the ball-carrier - his ability to be in the right place at the right time netted him 164 tries. This earned him the moniker...
's record of 349 first-grade games. He was one of eight Manly try-scorers on the day and completed his playing-career in Australia with 180 tries - second only to Ken Irvine but first among try-scoring forwards. With less than ten minutes left on the clock, Menzies completed his fairytale by scoring a try with his first touch after coming off the bench for a second time, replacing the injured Steve Matai
Steve Matai
Stephen "Steve" Matai is a professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League. He plays as a centre. He is a New Zealand international of Samoan Heritage...
. Menzies is much loved on Sydney's Northern Beaches, not only for his legendary achievements on the rugby league paddock, but also for his ability to avoid controversy in an era riddled with unsavoury off-field incidents involving rugby league players. His efforts in the Grand Final of 2008 will be entered in Northern Beaches and Rugby League folklore and have earned him legendary status, as well as the 'Performer of the Week' award from the Sydney Morning Herald. In anticipation of equalling Lamb's record with his final appearance, Manly was reported to have made Menzies an offer to make a cameo appearance in 2009 to break the record. Menzies' response confirmed his and Lamb's standing among the greats:
"I wouldn't consider coming back for one game and cheapening the record or anything," said Menzies.
"If I fell one short or equalled it or whatever then that's my career and the way it finishes.
"(Lamb) was such a great player ... I'm very honoured to stand next to him.
2009
Menzies announced in July, 2008, that he had agreed to a one year contract with the Bradford BullsBradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
in the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
for the 2009 season. Manly was unable to offer Menzies a further contract due to salary cap restraints. Menzies stated he could only continue to play overseas as playing against the club he loves "was not an option".
2010
Menzies extended his contract with the Bradford BullsBradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
until the end of 2010.
Menzies told BBC Radio Leeds
BBC Radio Leeds
BBC Radio Leeds is the BBC Local Radio service for the English metropolitan county of West Yorkshire.- Frequencies :It broadcasts from its studios at St...
: "I think I've still got a bit to offer and can play another 12 months.
"My first choice was to stay at Bradford so it's great that they wanted to keep me." In 2010 he is the oldest player in Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. He will join the Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
for the 2011 season after not having his contract renewed at the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
.
2011
In 2011 Menzies starred for the Catalan Dragons. The season started poorly for the side from the south of France, but the Dragons soon became one of the form sides in Super LeagueRugby League International Origin Match
Steven Menzies was selected for the Exiles squad for the Rugby League International Origin MatchRugby League International Origin Match
The Rugby League International Origin Match is an annual rugby league fixture between the English national side and an Exiles side consisting of foreign players currently playing in the English Super League competition. The match was held for the first time at Headingley Carnegie Stadium in Leeds...
against 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...
at Headingley on 10
June 2011.
In July 2011, the legendary Australian signed a one year extension to his deal at Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...