Tim Brasher
Encyclopedia
Tim Brasher is an Australian former rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who played primarily as fullback. He began his career for Balmain Tigers
, where he played the majority of his career. He then moved to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
for two seasons, before finishing his career with a season at the North Queensland Cowboys
. During his career he also represented New South Wales
on 21 occasions and Australia
on 16 occasions.
coach Warren Ryan
called up Brasher, still in high school, to make his first grade debut. Balmain reached the Grand Final that year, Brasher played in the centres, but they lost to the Canberra Raiders
19–14. During the 1992 season, Brasher played most of the season on the wing, and he was the joint top try-scorer in the premiership (along with Wests'
Mark Bell) with 16 tries.
At the end of the 1994 NSWRL season, he went on the 1994 Kangaroo tour
.
1996 however was perhaps Brasher's finest year. Some considered him to be the best player in the world at this time. Brasher single-handedly carried a very weak Tigers side to within one win of a final berth that year, and his Origin and Kangaroo performances continued to be exceptional.
1997 however proved to be the last we saw of the best of Brasher. As a result of the Super League war and his excellent form in previous years, Brasher began to see himself as a marquee player who deserved to be paid much more than the Tigers could afford. He declared that he would be the first player to achieve a $1 million contract and his form began to suffer as his mind was obviously focussed on other areas.
After the Super League
had become defunct and the reunification of the game had occurred in 1998, Brasher's hesitation over his future with the Tigers resulted in the club terminating negotiations, and he was forced to find a new club (it was widely rumoured that he had knocked back an offer of $500,000 p.a., only to then change his mind but find that the offer had been withdrawn). Brasher was in talks with the Canberra Raiders, but after talks with the club stalled, it was announced that Brasher had signed for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Brasher enjoyed a very successful career with the Tigers playing in 185 games, which included 182 starts and 3 replacement appearances, and scoring 538 points, which included 82 tries and 105 goals. Brasher was named on the bench in the official Balmain Tigers Team of the Century.
in 2000, and was appointed captain in his first season with the club, in which he made 16 appearances, scoring four tries, and being voted Players Player of the Year. However, after the 2000 season had ended he was injured during the off-season, which ruled him out of the entire 2001 season. The career-ending injury was widely reported at the time as a knee injury as a result of Brasher falling from a chair cleaning a fan. However, it has since been discovered that the injury was the result of an accident that occurred during a trail biking adventure with former Cowboy's halfback Nathan Fien. Much speculation still exists as to why the Cowboys chose to conceal the events of Brasher's injury. He decided to retire due to the injury. In his only season with the Cowboys he made 16 appearances and scored four tries, totaling 16 points.
Brasher did however make a very brief comeback (albeit to English Rugby Union) when he filled in for a depleted Bath side during the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Due to the attention that the World Cup drew in Australia, little attention was paid to this aspect of Brasher's career.
State of Origin
squad. His impressive display in the second half of the third and deciding game of the series, where he pulled off two try saving tackles on Mark Coyne and Mal Meninga
, impressed the national selectors enough for him to earn a call-up to the Australian
squad for the first time. In the 1993–94 season, he was again called up to the New South Wales squad. After moving to South Sydney, his impressive form in a struggling Rabbitohs squad again earned him a call-up to the State of Origin side in 1998. After signing for the North Queensland Cowboys, Brasher was again selected for the New South Wales side in 2000. In all he represented New South Wales in 21 appearances, which included 20 starts and one replacement appearance. In his 21 appearances he scored three tries and nine goals, with a total of 30 points.
squad. Australia reached the final at Wembley Stadium
on 24 October 1992. Australia defeated Great Britain 10–6 with Brasher playing in the match at fullback. The great form of Canberra
fullback Brett Mullins
meant that Brasher could only make a place on the bench for his full international debut against France
in 1994. He was selected for the Kangaroo Tour
at the end of the year, where he enjoyed a steady tour as the reserve fullback against Great Britain and France.
In 1995, Brasher made three Test appearances against New Zealand
, before being selected for the 1995 World Cup
. Australia against reached the final against England
. On 28 October 1995 at Wembley Stadium, Australia triumphed against by 16–8 with Brasher contributing a try.
Between 1996 and 1998, Brasher was selected a further five times, against Fiji, Papua New Guinea (both 1996), Rest of the World (1997) and two Tests against New Zealand (1998). In total he represented his country on 16 occasions, scoring nine tries, totalling to 36 points.
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 1990s and 2000s who played primarily as fullback. He began his career for 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...
, where he played the majority of his career. He then moved to 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...
for two seasons, before finishing his career with a season at the North Queensland Cowboys
North 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...
. During his career he also represented 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...
on 21 occasions and 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...
on 16 occasions.
Balmain
While attending Grantham High School in Seven Hills, Sydney, Brasher played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1988. In 1989 Balmain TigersBalmain 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...
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....
called up Brasher, still in high school, to make his first grade debut. Balmain reached the Grand Final that year, Brasher played in the centres, 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...
19–14. During the 1992 season, Brasher played most of the season on the wing, and he was the joint top try-scorer in the premiership (along with Wests'
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...
Mark Bell) with 16 tries.
At the end of the 1994 NSWRL season, he went on 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...
.
1996 however was perhaps Brasher's finest year. Some considered him to be the best player in the world at this time. Brasher single-handedly carried a very weak Tigers side to within one win of a final berth that year, and his Origin and Kangaroo performances continued to be exceptional.
1997 however proved to be the last we saw of the best of Brasher. As a result of the Super League war and his excellent form in previous years, Brasher began to see himself as a marquee player who deserved to be paid much more than the Tigers could afford. He declared that he would be the first player to achieve a $1 million contract and his form began to suffer as his mind was obviously focussed on other areas.
After the Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
had become defunct and the reunification of the game had occurred in 1998, Brasher's hesitation over his future with the Tigers resulted in the club terminating negotiations, and he was forced to find a new club (it was widely rumoured that he had knocked back an offer of $500,000 p.a., only to then change his mind but find that the offer had been withdrawn). Brasher was in talks with the Canberra Raiders, but after talks with the club stalled, it was announced that Brasher had signed for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Brasher enjoyed a very successful career with the Tigers playing in 185 games, which included 182 starts and 3 replacement appearances, and scoring 538 points, which included 82 tries and 105 goals. Brasher was named on the bench in the official Balmain Tigers Team of the Century.
South Sydney
In total he played two seasons for the Rabbitohs where he made 40 appearances and scored 14 tries, totalling 56 points. After the club was excluded from the 2000 season, Brasher was forced to find another club, and decided join the North Queensland Cowboys.North Queensland
Brasher moved to the 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...
in 2000, and was appointed captain in his first season with the club, in which he made 16 appearances, scoring four tries, and being voted Players Player of the Year. However, after the 2000 season had ended he was injured during the off-season, which ruled him out of the entire 2001 season. The career-ending injury was widely reported at the time as a knee injury as a result of Brasher falling from a chair cleaning a fan. However, it has since been discovered that the injury was the result of an accident that occurred during a trail biking adventure with former Cowboy's halfback Nathan Fien. Much speculation still exists as to why the Cowboys chose to conceal the events of Brasher's injury. He decided to retire due to the injury. In his only season with the Cowboys he made 16 appearances and scored four tries, totaling 16 points.
Brasher did however make a very brief comeback (albeit to English Rugby Union) when he filled in for a depleted Bath side during the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Due to the attention that the World Cup drew in Australia, little attention was paid to this aspect of Brasher's career.
New South Wales
In 1992, he was called up for the New South WalesNew 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...
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...
squad. His impressive display in the second half of the third and deciding game of the series, where he pulled off two try saving tackles on Mark Coyne and Mal Meninga
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga AM is an Australian former rugby league test captain and current coach of Queensland's State of Origin team. As a player he was a legendary goal-kicking centre, counted amongst the finest footballers of the 20th century...
, impressed the national selectors enough for him to earn a call-up to the Australian
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...
squad for the first time. In the 1993–94 season, he was again called up to the New South Wales squad. After moving to South Sydney, his impressive form in a struggling Rabbitohs squad again earned him a call-up to the State of Origin side in 1998. After signing for the North Queensland Cowboys, Brasher was again selected for the New South Wales side in 2000. In all he represented New South Wales in 21 appearances, which included 20 starts and one replacement appearance. In his 21 appearances he scored three tries and nine goals, with a total of 30 points.
Australia
After his impressive State of Origin performance in 1992, he was selected in the Australian World CupRugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
squad. Australia reached the final 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...
on 24 October 1992. Australia defeated Great Britain 10–6 with Brasher playing in the match at fullback. The great form of Canberra
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...
fullback Brett Mullins
Brett Mullins
Brett Mullins is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and early 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders between the years 1990 and 2000. He also represented New South Wales and Australia national rugby league team during his career. He is the son of former...
meant that Brasher could only make a place on the bench for his full international debut 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"...
in 1994. He was selected for the 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...
at the end of the year, where he enjoyed a steady tour as the reserve fullback against Great Britain and France.
In 1995, Brasher made three Test appearances against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
, before being selected for the 1995 World Cup
1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...
. Australia against reached the final 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...
. On 28 October 1995 at Wembley Stadium, Australia triumphed against by 16–8 with Brasher contributing a try.
Between 1996 and 1998, Brasher was selected a further five times, against Fiji, Papua New Guinea (both 1996), Rest of the World (1997) and two Tests against New Zealand (1998). In total he represented his country on 16 occasions, scoring nine tries, totalling to 36 points.