Tony Rea
Encyclopedia
Tony Rea is an Australian rugby football
coach and former rugby league
administrator and player. He was the relief head coach of the Brumbies in the Super Rugby competition, following the dismissal of Andy Friend
.
, Australia
. He began his playing career in 1984 in the local Brisbane competition at the Brothers club.
competition by North Sydney Bears
, mainly playing in the hooking position. He spent six happy years at the Bears.
He was recruited along with many fellow Antipodeans in 1994 by the new Australian owners of the London rugby league club, who changed the name of the club from London Crusaders to London Broncos. He played for the club during the change of top-flight rugby league in England from the winter season to summer Rugby League, with the advent of the new Super League competition in 1996.
Key moments during his time as Chief Executive include:-
On 8 July 2006, after a disappointing run of form for the team, the Harlequins Rugby League club announced a re-organisation of the coaching set-up. Rea was replaced as head coach by Leeds Rhinos
' assistant coach Brian McDermott
, but was appointed onto the club's board of directors.
On 4 June 2008 he revealed he has accepted the assistant coach role with the Brumbies, the rugby union
Super 14
side based in Canberra
. He was appointed the Brumbies 2011 head coach after Andy Friend
was fired two games into the season.
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
coach and former rugby league
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...
administrator and player. He was the relief head coach of the Brumbies in the Super Rugby competition, following the dismissal of Andy Friend
Andy Friend
Andy Friend born in Canberra, Australia is a rugby union coach and former player. He was the Head Coach at ACT Brumbies. Following the conclusion of the 2007-08 season he took up the role of Head Coach at the Super 14 club, the CA Brumbies.. Andy Friend had his contract terminated on March 1, 2011...
.
Early years
Rea was born on 25 July 1966 in Bundaberg, QueenslandQueensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He began his playing career in 1984 in the local Brisbane competition at the Brothers club.
Playing career
In 1988, he was snapped up to play in the premier NSWRLNew 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...
competition by 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...
, mainly playing in the hooking position. He spent six happy years at the Bears.
He was recruited along with many fellow Antipodeans in 1994 by the new Australian owners of the London rugby league club, who changed the name of the club from London Crusaders to London Broncos. He played for the club during the change of top-flight rugby league in England from the winter season to summer Rugby League, with the advent of the new Super League competition in 1996.
Administration
After 47 London appearances scoring 11 tries, Rea retired from playing at the end of the inaugural Super League season in 1996 to take up the Chief Executive role at the club. He stayed in the role until 2000.Key moments during his time as Chief Executive include:-
- 1997 - London Broncos defeat top Australian side Canberra RaidersCanberra RaidersThe 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...
in the ill-fated Super League World Club Championship series
- 1997 - Richard BransonRichard BransonSir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
's VirginVirgin GroupVirgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
empire buy a majority stake in the club (Virgin sold stake in club in 2001)
- 1998 - Head coach Tony Currie leaves the club at the end of the 1998 Super League season
- 1999 - Club appoints Dan StainsDan StainsDan Stains is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played primarily for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, usually as a , and as a .He played for Halifax and captained Cronulla...
as head coach; Stains leads Broncos to first Rugby League Challenge CupChallenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final in the club's (Fulham, London Crusaders, Broncos) history. Broncos lose in the final against Leeds RhinosLeeds RhinosLeeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
- 1999 - Club sacks Stains after Broncos endure long losing streak during the 1999 Super League campaign. Rea appointed temporary joint head coach with Stains' assistant Les KissLes KissLes Kiss is an Australian former professional rugby league player in the New South Wales Rugby League, former rugby league coach and current rugby union coach.- Playing career :...
. Rea and Kiss manage to steer Broncos out of slump.
- 1999 - Club decide to move home, from Twickenham-based Harlequins' Stoop ground to south-east London football outfit Charlton AthleticCharlton Athletic F.C.Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
's Valley stadium (Broncos have subsequently moved to Brentford FCBrentford F.C.Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
's Griffin ParkGriffin ParkGriffin Park is a football ground situated in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London. It has been the home ground of League One side Brentford since it was built in 1904. It is known for being the only English league football ground to have a pub on each corner, and is situated in a...
in 2002 and back to the re-branded Twickenham Stoop in October 2005)
- 2000 - Club appoint John MonieJohn MonieJohn Monie is a former professional rugby league coach and player. He is probably best known for his coaching career where he won premierships in both Australia and England.-Playing career:...
as head coach. Monie only stays in the job until the last month of the 2000 Super League season, the club endured a mediocre season during his tenure. Rea takes over caretaker coach until the end of the season, Broncos sail to mid-table security
Coaching career
Rea was persuaded at the end of the 2000 season to become head coach on a full-time basis, so this meant he had to resign his Chief Executive role. During his time as head coach, he led the Broncos to two post-regular season Super League play-off appearances (in 2003 and 2005).On 8 July 2006, after a disappointing run of form for the team, the Harlequins Rugby League club announced a re-organisation of the coaching set-up. Rea was replaced as head coach by Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
' assistant coach Brian McDermott
Brian McDermott
Brian G. McDermott is an English professional rugby league football coach and former player. He started as Head Coach of Harlequins RL of Super League on 8 July 2006 and departs on 4 September 2010.-Biography:...
, but was appointed onto the club's board of directors.
On 4 June 2008 he revealed he has accepted the assistant coach role with the Brumbies, the rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
side based in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. He was appointed the Brumbies 2011 head coach after Andy Friend
Andy Friend
Andy Friend born in Canberra, Australia is a rugby union coach and former player. He was the Head Coach at ACT Brumbies. Following the conclusion of the 2007-08 season he took up the role of Head Coach at the Super 14 club, the CA Brumbies.. Andy Friend had his contract terminated on March 1, 2011...
was fired two games into the season.
External links
- "My life in rugby league: Tony Rea" interview at TotalRL.com
- Tony Rea Quins Profile
- Queensland representatives at qrl.com