Willie Carne
Encyclopedia
William Carne is an Australia
n former rugby league
footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos
from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia. An attacking player with dangerous speed, his position of choice was wing.
, of which former Brisbane Broncos Kevin Walters
, Kerrod Walters
and Steve Walters
are also Alumni. In his younger days, Carne played for the Roma Wattles.
he played his first season with the Brisbane Broncos' and that year he was the club's rookie of the year (along with Paul Hauff
) and top try-scorer. That year, he made his State of Origin debut for Queensland in the third match of the series, after only eight games in first grade. He went on to help his team win back-to-back premierships in 1992
and 1993
, when he was again the club's top try-scorer. During the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, he helped Australia retain The Ashes. In the weeks following the grand final Carne travelled with the Broncos to England, where he played on the wing in the 1992 World Club Challenge
against British champions Wigan
, helping Brisbane become the first NSWRL club to win the match in Britain. Carne was then named man-of-the-match in the opening game of the 1994 State of Origin series. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Carne played at fullback for the defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
.
In his final season for the Broncos in 1996, Carne assumed the position of the club's goal-kicker, as Julian O'Neill
, the previous goal-kicker, had been sacked in 1995
. Carne also moved from the wing to fullback for most of the 1996 season
to cover for the departed O'Neill and to allow Wendell Sailor
to play on the wing full-time, opposite fellow winger Michael Hancock
. After another failure by the Broncos in the 1996 season, Carne (despite being the top point-scorer for Brisbane with 146 points that year) was one of four players (along with Hancock, Kerrod Walters
and Alan Cann
) asked by coach Wayne Bennett
to leave the club since he could no longer guarantee them places in the Broncos' first grade team. Carne played a total of 136 first-grade games for the Broncos.
On 5 August 2007, Carne was inducted into the Brisbane Broncos Hall Of Fame.
, making his debut in a Queensland Reds
trial match in 1997. Although his opening performance was described by coach John Connolly as 'a pass' , Carne struggled in rugby union http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/830551 and was unable to secure a place in the Reds's regular line-up. Later that season he retired from professional sport altogether .
debut in 1990 for Queensland. He also played at the sport's highest level, representing Australia
. He enjoyed an outstanding tryscoring debut in Australia's 44-0 win over New Zealand in Sydney
in 1991, and also scored in the series decider in Brisbane. Carne was also an integral part of the winning Australian team in the 1992 World Cup
. He was made man of the match of the opening game of the State of Origin Series in 1994 after a strong performance, which included his scoring a try, successfully defusing a NSW bomb and having an important hand in the last-minute try which resulted in a spectacular Queensland victory.
In 1995, Carne was one of a number of players who were not considered for selection for the Origin series as a result of having signed contracts with Super League
. In 1996, Carne made an Origin comeback in the third and final game after the policy of excluding Super League players was lifted. Carne played an attacking game, looking dangerous at various moments of the match with impressive runs and occasional breaks.
In the year 2000 Carne was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league.
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...
n 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...
footballer who played for 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...
from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia. An attacking player with dangerous speed, his position of choice was wing.
Background
Willie Carne attended Ipswich Grammar SchoolIpswich Grammar School
Ipswich Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for boys, located in Ipswich, a city situated on the Bremer River in South East Queensland, Australia...
, of which former Brisbane Broncos Kevin Walters
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the...
, Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships...
and Steve Walters
Steve Walters
Steve Walters is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s, who at the peak of his career, was considered the best hooker in the game. An Australian Kangaroos and Queensland Maroons representative, he played in the Canberra Raiders' 1st, 2nd and 3rd grand final...
are also Alumni. In his younger days, Carne played for the Roma Wattles.
Broncos
During the early 1990s, Carne was considered the best rugby league winger in the world. In 1990Brisbane Broncos 1990
The 1990 Brisbane Broncos season was the third in the club's history. They competed in the NSWRL's 1990 Winfield Cup premiership and again improved on their previous year, finishing the regular season in second position before going on to come within one match of the grand final, losing to eventual...
he played his first season with the Brisbane Broncos' and that year he was the club's rookie of the year (along with Paul Hauff
Paul Hauff
Paul Hauff is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s. A Queensland state of Origin and Australian international representative fullback, he played his whole top-level career in Australia for the Brisbane Broncos, later moving to their sister club in England, the London...
) and top try-scorer. That year, he made his State of Origin debut for Queensland in the third match of the series, after only eight games in first grade. He went on to help his team win back-to-back premierships in 1992
Brisbane Broncos 1992
The 1992 Brisbane Broncos season was the fifth in the club's history and they competed in the NSWRL's 1992 Winfield Cup premiership. Under new captain Allan Langer they finished the regular season 1st to claim their first minor premiership before going on to play in their first grand final and win,...
and 1993
Brisbane Broncos 1993
The 1993 Brisbane Broncos season was the sixth in the club's history. They competed in the NSWRL's 1993 Winfield Cup premiership, finishing the regular season 5th before going on to play in a re-match of the previous year's grand final against the St George Dragons and again win, claiming...
, when he was again the club's top try-scorer. During the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, he helped Australia retain The Ashes. In the weeks following the grand final Carne travelled with the Broncos to England, where he played on the wing in the 1992 World Club Challenge
1992 World Club Challenge
The 1992 World Club Challenge match was contested by the 1991–92 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan and the 1992 NSWRL season's premiers, the Brisbane Broncos...
against 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....
, helping Brisbane become the first NSWRL club to win the match in Britain. Carne was then named man-of-the-match in the opening game of the 1994 State of Origin series. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Carne played at fullback 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...
.
In his final season for the Broncos in 1996, Carne assumed the position of the club's goal-kicker, as Julian O'Neill
Julian O'Neill
O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995...
, the previous goal-kicker, had been sacked in 1995
Brisbane Broncos 1995
The 1995 Brisbane Broncos season was the eighth in the club's history. They competed in the Australian Rugby League's 1995 Winfield Cup premiership, finishing in the regular season 3rd and making it to the semi-finals before being knocked out by eventual premiers, the Canterbury-Bankstown...
. Carne also moved from the wing to fullback for most of the 1996 season
Brisbane Broncos 1996
The 1996 Brisbane Broncos season was the ninth in the club's history. They competed in the Australian Rugby League's 1996 Optus Cup premiership and finished the regular season in second place on the ladder, progressing as far as the semi-finals....
to cover for the departed O'Neill and to allow Wendell Sailor
Wendell Sailor
Wendell Jermaine Sailor 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...
to play on the wing full-time, opposite fellow winger Michael Hancock
Michael Hancock
Michael Hancock or Mike Hancock may refer to:* Mike Hancock , mayor of the city of Brantford, Ontario* Mike Hancock , American football player...
. After another failure by the Broncos in the 1996 season, Carne (despite being the top point-scorer for Brisbane with 146 points that year) was one of four players (along with Hancock, Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships...
and Alan Cann
Alan Cann
Alan Cann is an Australian former rugby league footaballer of the 1990s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played club football mostly with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won consecutive grand finals in '92 and '93, and also with the Adelaide Rams.-Career:Former Australian...
) asked by coach Wayne Bennett
Wayne Bennett (rugby league coach)
Wayne James Bennett AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the current head coach for the Newcastle Knights of the NRL...
to leave the club since he could no longer guarantee them places in the Broncos' first grade team. Carne played a total of 136 first-grade games for the Broncos.
On 5 August 2007, Carne was inducted into the Brisbane Broncos Hall Of Fame.
Rugby union
Carne subsequently defected to rugby unionRugby 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...
, making his debut in a 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...
trial match in 1997. Although his opening performance was described by coach John Connolly as 'a pass' , Carne struggled in rugby union http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/830551 and was unable to secure a place in the Reds's regular line-up. Later that season he retired from professional sport altogether .
Representative career
Carne made his State of OriginRugby 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 in 1990 for Queensland. He also played at the sport's highest level, representing 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...
. He enjoyed an outstanding tryscoring debut in Australia's 44-0 win over New Zealand in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1991, and also scored in the series decider in Brisbane. Carne was also an integral part of the winning Australian team in the 1992 World Cup
Rugby 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...
. He was made man of the match of the opening game of the State of Origin Series in 1994 after a strong performance, which included his scoring a try, successfully defusing a NSW bomb and having an important hand in the last-minute try which resulted in a spectacular Queensland victory.
In 1995, Carne was one of a number of players who were not considered for selection for the Origin series as a result of having signed contracts 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...
. In 1996, Carne made an Origin comeback in the third and final game after the policy of excluding Super League players was lifted. Carne played an attacking game, looking dangerous at various moments of the match with impressive runs and occasional breaks.
In the year 2000 Carne was awarded 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.
Representative Honours
- Queensland (1990–1996, 12 games: 5 tries, 3 goals)
- Man of the Match, Game 1 1994
- AustraliaAustralian national rugby league teamThe 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...
(1991–1993, 9 Tests (+ 1 World Cup): 10 tries)
Brisbane Broncos Club Honours
- Rookie of the Year: 1990
- Best Back: 1993
- Record for Most Tries in Consecutive Games: 8 (Cronulla, Seagulls, Souths, Illawarra, St George, Canberra, Canterbury, Wests) 18 May to 13 July 1990
- 6th Highest All-Time Tryscorer: 76 (All Games), 72 (Premiership Games)
Brisbane Broncos Club Scoring Statistics
- Games: 136
- Tries: 72
- Goals: 63/103 (61.17%)
- Field Goals: 0
- Points: 414