Wendell Sailor
Encyclopedia
Wendell Jermaine Sailor (born 16 July 1974 in Sarina, Queensland
) is an Australian former professional rugby football
player who represented his country in both rugby league
and rugby union
– a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.
Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby league in the late nineties. His big-money move from the Brisbane Broncos
to the Queensland Reds
in 2001 created many headlines, as did his move at the end of the 2005 Super 12
season to the New South Wales Waratahs
. He has often attracted public attention during his career, none more so than in 2006 after the return of a positive drug test following the Waratahs v Brumbies match at Aussie Stadium on 16 April 2006. This put an end to his rugby union career as he received a two year suspension from all forms of professional sport. He successfully returned to rugby league in May 2008 with NRL club St George Illawarra Dragons
once his ban expired, playing an additional two seasons under his old coach at Brisbane, Wayne Bennett, before retiring.
In 2010, Sailor was a competitor in the second season of the Channel Seven
series Australia's Greatest Athlete, in which he finished in last place. In 2011, Sailor co-hosted the third season alongside Mark Beretta
.
, Sailor played in a handful of games, scoring three tries in his first season, though Sailor had limited involvement that year, the club won the premiership, defeating the St. George Dragons
14–6. After his impressive debut season, he won the Rookie of the Year award at the Broncos club.
The following season Sailor took part in more games, scoring 14 tries. Such a rapid improvement over the course of two seasons saw Sailor become a regular in the Broncos ranks. He quickly became a home crowd favourite in Brisbane
because of his speed and power and would soon become a household name in the rugby league world. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Sailor played on the wing for the defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
. At the end of the 1994 season
he was selected for the 1994 Kangaroo Tour
of Europe. He played in the opening fixture against a Cumbria
n side where he scored two tries. He then started off the bench in a warm up match against Leeds
, before earning a starting wing spot in the next match against Wigan
and then playing off the bench again against Castleford
. Sailor was again promoted to a starting wing position for the match against Halifax
, scoring two tries. He then earned his first Test cap against Great Britain
, as a starting wing in their loss at Wembley Stadium
in late October.
At the outbreak of the Super League war
in 1995, Sailor along with the rest of his Broncos team-mates and players of several other clubs, was aligned with Super League
and so ineligible for selection in the 1995 State of Origin series or the end of season 1995 Rugby League World Cup
. The following year, when all players were again allowed to be selected for representative football, Sailor's debut for the Queensland Maroons
came in Game I of the 1996 State of Origin series. In Game II he played at fullback.
Following the 1997 defection Super League
and all its clubs, Wendell had a stellar year in the rebel competition. He was the top try-scorer for the Broncos and helped them win Super League's expanded 1997 World Club Championship tournament and then the premiership, defeating the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 26–8 in the grand final
. In the 1997 post season, Sailor was selected to play for Australia on the wing in all three matches of the Super League Test series
against Great Britain
.
After the Super League war
ended, the Broncos won the inaugural competition of the National Rugby League
, defeating the Canterbury Bulldogs
38–12 in the 1998 NRL grand final
, in which Sailor scored a try. He then spent the Australian summer in England, playing rugby union
for Leeds Tykes
and scoring 15 tries in 13 games. Sailor also appeared in two of the Leeds Rhinos
trial games, including the 'Festive Challenge' on Boxing Day in 1998. Playing Halifax, he had had a torrid time until the closing stages of the game when he inspired Leeds to grab a draw. England's Wigan
club had tried to sign Sailor for a large amount, but he decided to stay with the Broncos.
In 1999 Sailor put in a man-of-the-match performance in the deciding match of the 1999 State of Origin series which saw Queensland retain the shield. At the end of the year he scored the match-winning try against New Zealand to clench the 1999 Tri-nations title for Australia. The following year Sailor was again the Broncos' top try-scorer (along with Lote Tuqiri) and gained another premiership ring, the Broncos taking the 2000 title, defeating the Sydney Roosters
14–6. That year he won the Player of the Year and Best Back awards at the Brisbane Broncos. In addition he received the Australian Sports Medal
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league. More success followed for Sailor as he traveled to Europe to compete in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
for Australia. He finished as the tournament's top try-scorer as well as boasting two tries in the defeat of the Kiwis
in the final. He was named best player of the tournament. Following the victory, Kangaroo coach Chris Anderson stated that "he's up there with Eric Grothe
among the best of all time".
Following the World Cup, many speculated that Sailor, who was off contract with the Broncos after the 2001 NRL season, would sign for an English club in the European Super League
competition, as many Australian rugby league stars do.
Shortly before travelling to England with Brisbane for the 2001 World Club Challenge
, Sailor declared he was "leaning towards" switching codes following advice from rugby union
convert and former Broncos teammate Peter Ryan
.
Talks also apparently began with leading English Super League
clubs Wigan
, Leeds
and Bradford
. However the Australian Rugby Union
were able to put up the funds to lure him to rugby union, making Sailor the first incumbent Australian test rugby league player to change to the 15-man game after decades of the opposite trend.
The big man changed the way the position of winger was traditionally played in rugby league. His large frame allowed him to come in and take more numerous and effective hit-ups, relieving some of the pressure on his forward pack. This proved invaluable in many Broncos' games he played in. When Lote Tuqiri, another large, mobile winger joined Sailor as partner on the other wing, they made the Broncos a nightmare to defend against. Sailor is one of a handful of elite players to score over 100 tries for the club. He is became the record co-holder of most tries in a Broncos match, with four.
During the 2007 season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them over the two decades since their inception in 1988 which included Sailor.
that they had reached an agreement with Rugby league superstar Wendell Sailor regarding a switch to Rugby union. Sailor signed a letter of intent with the ARU in February as well as signing with the Queensland Reds
. The deal, worth approximately $700,000 per year, was formally completed in July, with Sailor set to leave League on the first day of November. He scored his first try in the Super 12 in his seventh match, where he scored twice and narrowly missed out on a hat-trick.
Sailor made his Wallaby
debut with former Queensland Maroons teammate and league convert Mat Rogers
in a Test match against France in June 2002. Collectively at that point they became the 41st and 42nd Australian dual code internationals. Sailor then released his book, Crossing Over which details the troubles he had in changing codes and describes the differences between the two. The following season he thrived and showed that he had made some good adaptations to his new game.
In 2003, Sailor was selected for the Wallabies
to participate in that year's World Cup. He played in the opening match between Australia and Argentina, where he scored the first try of the tournament. Sailor played several games during the World Cup including the final
.
Sailor came off contract with the Reds after the 2005 Super 12 season, the media speculated that he would either move to Japan or sign with new franchise Western Force
. However, he signed with the New South Wales Waratahs
to play in the 2006 season. The Waratahs won the opening game of the 2006 season at Suncorp Stadium
against Queensland.
.
On 13 May 2006, hours before the final pool match of the Super 14 competition, it was announced that Sailor was to be suspended indefinitely from representing either the NSW Waratahs or Australian Rugby Team after returning a positive drug test for cocaine. Sailor's manager confirmed in a statement it was a doping offence. The NSW Waratahs went on to lose a tight game against the Wellington Hurricanes, ensuring the Super 14 semi-final would be held in Wellington.
After ASADA (Australian Anti-Doping Agency) tests confirmed that Sailor's urine 'A' sample from the pre-match test had contained indicators of cocaine
, Sailor chose to have the second half of his sample retested. The second test results were not published to the media within the timeframe expected, leading to speculation that Sailor's 'B' sample had proved inconclusive or been mishandled, thereby providing an opportunity for appeal. Eventually the 'B' sample results were announced, and proved to be positive.
The ARU immediately imposed a provisional suspension. When the matter was heard in the ARU Judicial Body, his legal team argued that he had not ingested cocaine within the 96 hours prior to the urine sample being taken. He further argued that he received no performance-enhancing benefits from cocaine, and that the clear scientific evidence is that cocaine is a short-acting stimulant that has effect for no more than two hours at most and that neither it nor its metabolites could have any performance enhancing benefit if taken more than 96 hours before a match.
Sailor's legal team argued that because of the time lapse of more than four days, the cocaine could not be deemed as used "in competition", and so was not a prohibited substance.
When quizzed by counsel for the ARU, Sailor admitted that during previous drug tests he had received anti-doping information cards which carry the warning that all elite athletes are responsible for any banned substance in their system. When asked whether he was aware that cocaine is a banned substance, he confirmed that he did. The ARU upheld that whether Sailor considered the substance performance-enhancing or not, Sailor was aware that cocaine was a banned substance at the time of ingestion, and refused to reduce or overturn the ban.
On the 23rd of July, Sailor penned a column in the Sunday Telegraph explaining his actions and apologising to his fans and family. This was the first of many occasions on which he made a public confession or apology.
Since his exit from rugby union, several new streams of income have emerged for Sailor. He appeared on the television series, Dancing with the Stars
. In addition, he provided NRL commentary for Channel Nine
.
Speaking to a Sydney radio station in March 2007, Wendell stated he did not intend to let his career end in drug shame and that a number of NRL
clubs had approached him in talks for his services once his ban ended in April 2008. He would not disclose which clubs had approached him. At the time, media speculation linked Sailor to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
but in June, 2007, it was announced that Sailor would be joining the St George Illawarra Dragons
on a two-year incentive based contract when his ban expired in April, 2008. Many former NRL players supported the move, believing that Sailor would have a positive impact on the young Dragons squad. On Monday, 12 May 2008, Sailor officially commenced his contract with the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
Sailor returned to rugby league playing initially for the Shellharbour Marlins (Dragons feeder team) in the New South Wales Cup. On 17 May, he scored two tries playing on the wing for Shellharbour at Ron Costello Oval. He played there for a further two weeks before moving up to the Dragons' NRL team. On 6 June, on the weekend preceding State of Origin game two, Sailor made his NRL comeback in a depleted St. George Illawarra lineup against his former club, the Brisbane Broncos
. He only played in the first half of the match as he suffered a fractured cheekbone whilst making a tackle.
Sailor played a few more games for the Dragons as well as the Burleigh Bears
in the Queensland Cup
whenever he didn't make the St. George Illawarra NRL side. He scored his first NRL try since he left the League in 2001 against his former team the Brisbane Broncos in round 23. He later scored a hat-trick
in the Dragons' 40–14 demolishing of the Eels in round 25.
Sailor was named in the 70 man Indigenous Australia squad alongside fellow Dragon Jamie Soward for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
. The Celtic Crusaders and French Rugby Union were looking to sign him for 2009, despite him having one more year on his contract with the Dragons).
For the 2009 season Sailor was re-united with the coach whom he began his professional career and won three premierships with, Wayne Bennett who had left the Brisbane broncos to coach the St. George Illawarra Dragons. Sailor was an influential figure in the Dragons side as he helped his side finish first in the regular season to gain the Minor Premiership. Sailor was recognised for his efforts as one of four nominees for the Dally M Winger of the year.
Sailor's 16 year career in professional sport came to an end when he announced his retirement at a press conference on 12 November 2009 at the age of 35. His final game for the Dragons was, fittingly, at Suncorp Stadium against his old side, the Broncos, in a match the Dragons lost 24-10. Ironically, his first game for the Dragons was also against the Broncos in a match won by the Dragons, but Sailor was injured in that match.
Sailor's final match was the 2010 All Stars game for the Indigenous team played at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast on 13 February 2010. He scored the opening try for the inaugural match and celebrated the try by picking up the corner post and played it like a didgeridoo
with fellow team mates dancing in the way of a corroboree
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJtvY6abAbc&hd=1
in 2006. In 2010, Sailor became a regular panelist on Channel Nine
's The NRL Footy Show
and was contestant on Australia's Greatest Athlete. He came last out of eight sporting competitors. In 2011, he became the co-host of Channel Seven
's Australia's Greatest Athlete, along side Mark Baretta, and is a panelist on Foxtel
's NRL on Fox. Sailor participated in the 2011 series of Australia's Celebrity Apprentice
.
Sarina, Queensland
Sarina is a town in central Queensland, Australia. It is situated south of the city of Mackay, and approximately north of the city of Rockhampton. At the 2006 census, Sarina had a population of 3,285....
) is an Australian former professional rugby football
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:...
player who represented his country in both 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...
and 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...
– a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.
Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby league in the late nineties. His big-money move from the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
to the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
in 2001 created many headlines, as did his move at the end of the 2005 Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
season to the New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
. He has often attracted public attention during his career, none more so than in 2006 after the return of a positive drug test following the Waratahs v Brumbies match at Aussie Stadium on 16 April 2006. This put an end to his rugby union career as he received a two year suspension from all forms of professional sport. He successfully returned to rugby league in May 2008 with NRL club St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
once his ban expired, playing an additional two seasons under his old coach at Brisbane, Wayne Bennett, before retiring.
In 2010, Sailor was a competitor in the second season of the Channel Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
series Australia's Greatest Athlete, in which he finished in last place. In 2011, Sailor co-hosted the third season alongside Mark Beretta
Mark Beretta
Mark Beretta is an Australian media personality. He is known by the common nickname of Beretts.-Early life and career:Beretta was born in Geelong, Victoria on 16 June 1966. He was educated at St. Joseph's College...
.
1993–2001: Rugby league
In his inaugural year for the Brisbane BroncosBrisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
, Sailor played in a handful of games, scoring three tries in his first season, though Sailor had limited involvement that year, the club won the premiership, defeating the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
14–6. After his impressive debut season, he won the Rookie of the Year award at the Broncos club.
The following season Sailor took part in more games, scoring 14 tries. Such a rapid improvement over the course of two seasons saw Sailor become a regular in the Broncos ranks. He quickly became a home crowd favourite in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
because of his speed and power and would soon become a household name in the rugby league world. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Sailor played on the wing for the defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
1994 World Club Challenge
The 1994 MMI World Club Challenge was a replay of the 1992 World Club Challenge, with 1993–94 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan facing the 1993 NSWRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, this time in Australia. Wigan were clearly the dominant club in the English game, having won the...
. At the end of the 1994 season
Brisbane Broncos 1994
The 1994 Brisbane Broncos season was the seventh in the club's history. As defending Premiers the Broncos competed in the NSWRL's 1994 Winfield Cup competition, finishing the regular season 5th...
he was selected 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...
of Europe. He played in the opening fixture against a Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
n side where he scored two tries. He then started off the bench in a warm up match against Leeds
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...
, before earning a starting wing spot in the next match against Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
and then playing off the bench again against Castleford
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
. Sailor was again promoted to a starting wing position for the match against Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
, scoring two tries. He then earned his first Test cap 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"....
, as a starting wing in their loss 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...
in late October.
At the outbreak of the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
in 1995, Sailor along with the rest of his Broncos team-mates and players of several other clubs, was aligned with 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...
and so ineligible for selection in the 1995 State of Origin series or the end of season 1995 Rugby League 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...
. The following year, when all players were again allowed to be selected for representative football, Sailor's debut for the Queensland Maroons
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
came in Game I of the 1996 State of Origin series. In Game II he played at fullback.
Following the 1997 defection 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...
and all its clubs, Wendell had a stellar year in the rebel competition. He was the top try-scorer for the Broncos and helped them win Super League's expanded 1997 World Club Championship tournament and then the premiership, defeating the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 26–8 in the grand final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
. In the 1997 post season, Sailor was selected to play for Australia on the wing in all three matches of the Super League Test series
Super League Test series
The Super League Test series was a three-Test match series between the Great Britain national rugby league team and Super League's Australian national team held during November 1997 in England...
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"....
.
After the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
ended, the Broncos won the inaugural competition of the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
, defeating the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
38–12 in the 1998 NRL grand final
1998 NRL grand final
The 1998 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 1998 NRL season. It was the first grand final since the National Rugby League's formation and featured minor premiers and the previous year's Super League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos against the Canterbury Bulldogs,...
, in which Sailor scored a try. He then spent the Australian summer in England, playing 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...
for Leeds Tykes
Leeds Tykes
Leeds Carnegie is an English rugby union club, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, currently playing in the RFU Championship. In recent years, they have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated...
and scoring 15 tries in 13 games. Sailor also appeared in two of the 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...
trial games, including the 'Festive Challenge' on Boxing Day in 1998. Playing Halifax, he had had a torrid time until the closing stages of the game when he inspired Leeds to grab a draw. England's Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
club had tried to sign Sailor for a large amount, but he decided to stay with the Broncos.
In 1999 Sailor put in a man-of-the-match performance in the deciding match of the 1999 State of Origin series which saw Queensland retain the shield. At the end of the year he scored the match-winning try against New Zealand to clench the 1999 Tri-nations title for Australia. The following year Sailor was again the Broncos' top try-scorer (along with Lote Tuqiri) and gained another premiership ring, the Broncos taking the 2000 title, defeating the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
14–6. That year he won the Player of the Year and Best Back awards at the Brisbane Broncos. In addition he received the Australian Sports Medal
Australian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league. More success followed for Sailor as he traveled to Europe to compete in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
for Australia. He finished as the tournament's top try-scorer as well as boasting two tries in the defeat of the Kiwis
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...
in the final. He was named best player of the tournament. Following the victory, Kangaroo coach Chris Anderson stated that "he's up there 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...
among the best of all time".
Following the World Cup, many speculated that Sailor, who was off contract with the Broncos after the 2001 NRL season, would sign for an English club 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...
competition, as many Australian rugby league stars do.
Shortly before travelling to England with Brisbane for the 2001 World Club Challenge
2001 World Club Challenge
The 2001 World Club Challenge was contested between Super League V champions, St Helens and 2000 NRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos. The Broncos made the trip to England to play St Helens before the start of the 2001 NRL and Super League seasons and were beaten by two late field goals from...
, Sailor declared he was "leaning towards" switching codes following advice from 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...
convert and former Broncos teammate Peter Ryan
Peter Ryan (rugby league)
Peter Ryan is an Australian former rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played ten seasons with the Brisbane Broncos and finished his career playing rugby union for the ACT Brumbies.Ryan attended Downlands...
.
Talks also apparently began with leading English 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...
clubs Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
, Leeds
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...
and Bradford
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....
. However the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
were able to put up the funds to lure him to rugby union, making Sailor the first incumbent Australian test rugby league player to change to the 15-man game after decades of the opposite trend.
The big man changed the way the position of winger was traditionally played in rugby league. His large frame allowed him to come in and take more numerous and effective hit-ups, relieving some of the pressure on his forward pack. This proved invaluable in many Broncos' games he played in. When Lote Tuqiri, another large, mobile winger joined Sailor as partner on the other wing, they made the Broncos a nightmare to defend against. Sailor is one of a handful of elite players to score over 100 tries for the club. He is became the record co-holder of most tries in a Broncos match, with four.
During the 2007 season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them over the two decades since their inception in 1988 which included Sailor.
2001–2006: Rugby union
Sailor shocked the Australian sports community on 7 February 2001, when it was announced by the Australian Rugby UnionAustralian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
that they had reached an agreement with Rugby league superstar Wendell Sailor regarding a switch to Rugby union. Sailor signed a letter of intent with the ARU in February as well as signing with the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
. The deal, worth approximately $700,000 per year, was formally completed in July, with Sailor set to leave League on the first day of November. He scored his first try in the Super 12 in his seventh match, where he scored twice and narrowly missed out on a hat-trick.
Sailor made his Wallaby
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
debut with former Queensland Maroons teammate and league convert Mat Rogers
Mat Rogers
Matthew S. "Mat" Rogers is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He also played rugby union at the highest levels, becoming a dual-code international. The son of the late Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks legend and CEO Steve Rogers, Mat played for the Sharks...
in a Test match against France in June 2002. Collectively at that point they became the 41st and 42nd Australian dual code internationals. Sailor then released his book, Crossing Over which details the troubles he had in changing codes and describes the differences between the two. The following season he thrived and showed that he had made some good adaptations to his new game.
In 2003, Sailor was selected for the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
to participate in that year's World Cup. He played in the opening match between Australia and Argentina, where he scored the first try of the tournament. Sailor played several games during the World Cup including the final
2003 Rugby World Cup Final
The 2003 Rugby World Cup Final was won by England who defeated Australia 20 to 17. The match went into extra time, in which Jonny Wilkinson kicked a drop goal to seal England's win.-Path to the final:...
.
Sailor came off contract with the Reds after the 2005 Super 12 season, the media speculated that he would either move to Japan or sign with new franchise Western Force
Western Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
. However, he signed with the New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
to play in the 2006 season. The Waratahs won the opening game of the 2006 season at Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
against Queensland.
Cocaine controversy
Sailor was involved in a controversy in a trip to South Africa, whilst injured, he had a confrontation with a patron in a pub. He was suspended for a number of matches, but returned in round six, scoring two tries in the win over fellow Australian team, the Western ForceWestern Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
.
On 13 May 2006, hours before the final pool match of the Super 14 competition, it was announced that Sailor was to be suspended indefinitely from representing either the NSW Waratahs or Australian Rugby Team after returning a positive drug test for cocaine. Sailor's manager confirmed in a statement it was a doping offence. The NSW Waratahs went on to lose a tight game against the Wellington Hurricanes, ensuring the Super 14 semi-final would be held in Wellington.
After ASADA (Australian Anti-Doping Agency) tests confirmed that Sailor's urine 'A' sample from the pre-match test had contained indicators of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, Sailor chose to have the second half of his sample retested. The second test results were not published to the media within the timeframe expected, leading to speculation that Sailor's 'B' sample had proved inconclusive or been mishandled, thereby providing an opportunity for appeal. Eventually the 'B' sample results were announced, and proved to be positive.
The ARU immediately imposed a provisional suspension. When the matter was heard in the ARU Judicial Body, his legal team argued that he had not ingested cocaine within the 96 hours prior to the urine sample being taken. He further argued that he received no performance-enhancing benefits from cocaine, and that the clear scientific evidence is that cocaine is a short-acting stimulant that has effect for no more than two hours at most and that neither it nor its metabolites could have any performance enhancing benefit if taken more than 96 hours before a match.
Sailor's legal team argued that because of the time lapse of more than four days, the cocaine could not be deemed as used "in competition", and so was not a prohibited substance.
When quizzed by counsel for the ARU, Sailor admitted that during previous drug tests he had received anti-doping information cards which carry the warning that all elite athletes are responsible for any banned substance in their system. When asked whether he was aware that cocaine is a banned substance, he confirmed that he did. The ARU upheld that whether Sailor considered the substance performance-enhancing or not, Sailor was aware that cocaine was a banned substance at the time of ingestion, and refused to reduce or overturn the ban.
On the 23rd of July, Sailor penned a column in the Sunday Telegraph explaining his actions and apologising to his fans and family. This was the first of many occasions on which he made a public confession or apology.
2007–2009: Rugby league comeback
In carrying out his ban, Sailor was heavily involved in charity work and alcohol and drug awareness programs with young people in an attempt to make amends for his actions. He also does corporate work as a public speaker.Since his exit from rugby union, several new streams of income have emerged for Sailor. He appeared on the television series, Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (Australian TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a Logie Award-winning, Australian light entertainment reality show airing on the Seven Network and filmed live from the HSV-7 studios in Melbourne...
. In addition, he provided NRL commentary for Channel Nine
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
.
Speaking to a Sydney radio station in March 2007, Wendell stated he did not intend to let his career end in drug shame and that a number of NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
clubs had approached him in talks for his services once his ban ended in April 2008. He would not disclose which clubs had approached him. At the time, media speculation linked Sailor 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...
but in June, 2007, it was announced that Sailor would be joining the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
on a two-year incentive based contract when his ban expired in April, 2008. Many former NRL players supported the move, believing that Sailor would have a positive impact on the young Dragons squad. On Monday, 12 May 2008, Sailor officially commenced his contract with the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
Sailor returned to rugby league playing initially for the Shellharbour Marlins (Dragons feeder team) in the New South Wales Cup. On 17 May, he scored two tries playing on the wing for Shellharbour at Ron Costello Oval. He played there for a further two weeks before moving up to the Dragons' NRL team. On 6 June, on the weekend preceding State of Origin game two, Sailor made his NRL comeback in a depleted St. George Illawarra lineup against his former club, the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
. He only played in the first half of the match as he suffered a fractured cheekbone whilst making a tackle.
Sailor played a few more games for the Dragons as well as the Burleigh Bears
Burleigh Bears
The Burleigh Heads Rugby League Football Club are one of the oldest rugby league football clubs on the Gold Coast, Australia. Originally formed in 1934 playing out of Rudd Park, the club relocated to Pizzey Park in 1971, their current home ground....
in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
whenever he didn't make the St. George Illawarra NRL side. He scored his first NRL try since he left the League in 2001 against his former team the Brisbane Broncos in round 23. He later scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in the Dragons' 40–14 demolishing of the Eels in round 25.
Sailor was named in the 70 man Indigenous Australia squad alongside fellow Dragon Jamie Soward for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
. The Celtic Crusaders and French Rugby Union were looking to sign him for 2009, despite him having one more year on his contract with the Dragons).
For the 2009 season Sailor was re-united with the coach whom he began his professional career and won three premierships with, Wayne Bennett who had left the Brisbane broncos to coach the St. George Illawarra Dragons. Sailor was an influential figure in the Dragons side as he helped his side finish first in the regular season to gain the Minor Premiership. Sailor was recognised for his efforts as one of four nominees for the Dally M Winger of the year.
Sailor's 16 year career in professional sport came to an end when he announced his retirement at a press conference on 12 November 2009 at the age of 35. His final game for the Dragons was, fittingly, at Suncorp Stadium against his old side, the Broncos, in a match the Dragons lost 24-10. Ironically, his first game for the Dragons was also against the Broncos in a match won by the Dragons, but Sailor was injured in that match.
Sailor's final match was the 2010 All Stars game for the Indigenous team played at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast on 13 February 2010. He scored the opening try for the inaugural match and celebrated the try by picking up the corner post and played it like a didgeridoo
Didgeridoo
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"...
with fellow team mates dancing in the way of a corroboree
Corroboree
A corroboree is a ceremonial meeting of Australian Aborigines. The word was coined by the European settlers of Australia in imitation of the Aboriginal word caribberie. At a corroboree Aborigines interact with the Dreamtime through dance, music and costume. Many ceremonies act out events from the...
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJtvY6abAbc&hd=1
Television career
Sailor was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars (Australian season 6)Dancing With The Stars (Australian Season 6)
The sixth season of the Australian Dancing with the Stars TV series premiered on Tuesday 20 February 2007 and concluded on Tuesday 1 May 2007. It featured the following celebrities....
in 2006. In 2010, Sailor became a regular panelist on Channel Nine
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's The NRL Footy Show
The NRL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award-winning Australian sports variety television programme, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates. Following the success of the AFL program of the same name, the Nine Network quickly developed a version for the rugby league market. The rugby league version has...
and was contestant on Australia's Greatest Athlete. He came last out of eight sporting competitors. In 2011, he became the co-host of Channel Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
's Australia's Greatest Athlete, along side Mark Baretta, and is a panelist on Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
's NRL on Fox. Sailor participated in the 2011 series of Australia's Celebrity Apprentice
The Celebrity Apprentice Australia
The Celebrity Apprentice Australia is a celebrity version of The Apprentice Australia series. It began to air on the Nine Network on 24 October 2011...
.