From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shane Webcke (born 28 September 1974 in Toowoomba, Queensland) is an Australian former
professional rugby
league footballer, who spent his entire top-grade career
playing for the Brisbane Broncos. His position of
choice was at prop forward
and at his peak he was renowned as the best front rower in the
world.[2] Webcke
represented Queensland in
the State of Origin on
twenty-one separate occasions and has also captained the side. He
also made eighteen test appearances for the Australian national side. Alongside Glenn Lazarus and
Arthur
Beetson, Webcke is considered by many to have been one of the
finest post-war front-rowers to play the game.[3][4][5]
Playing
career
Originally from Clifton, Queensland and having
played for Toowoomba, Webcke was scouted by Wayne Bennett, whom he
acknowledges as the greatest influence on his career, after seeing
him play as a schoolboy in 1993. The following year Webcke's father
was killed in a work accident when he was still 19 years of
age.[6] Despite
this setback, he went on to debut for the Broncos in 1995 and
within two seasons had his first premiership ring.
Webcke made his first appearance for the Queensland Maroons in the first game of the
1998 State of Origin series
and was named man-of-the-match in the third and deciding game that
year. From his debut until his retirement from representative
football following Game III in 2004, no other player wore the
number 8 for Queensland.
In 2000 Webcke broke his arm during the finals series that
season but went on to appear in the Broncos' grand final
victory.[7]
Post-season he was a member of the Australian world champion team that won the 2000 Rugby League World
Cup. Webcke was also awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his
contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of
rugby league.
Following Australia's World Cup victory, Webcke and teammate Gorden Tallis wrote
an open letter to players appealing for an end to scandalous
behaviour amongst footballers which had been tarnishing the
sport.[8]
Webcke won the Broncos' best player award for the 2001 season. Post-season
he refused to tour with the Kangaroos in the wake of the September
11 attacks.[9]
Webcke again won the Paul Morgan Medal for the Broncos' best and
fairest player for the 2005 Brisbane Broncos
season.
Webcke at the 2006 post grand final celebration parade at
Brisbane.
Having won premierships with the Brisbane Broncos club in 1997,
1998 and 2000, Webcke announced on the 26th of April 2006, that he
would retire at the end of the 2006 NRL season. He enjoyed a
fairy-tale finish as the Broncos won the 2006 grand final against
the Melbourne
Storm,[10] days
after his 32nd birthday.
Post-playing
Post-football, Webcke went on to release his successful
auto-biography, Warhorse and also ventured into media with
the Seven
Network in Australia. Webcke's pub at Leyburn, Queensland - the Royal
Hotel - is the longest, continuously licensed premises in Queensland[1].
In 2007 at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the
club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to
date which included Webcke.[11]
In February 2008, Webcke was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908-2007)
which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's
centenary year in Australia.[12][13]
A few months later the Brisbane Broncos appointed Shane Webcke,
along with Allan
Langer as full-time assistant coaches to work alongside new
head coach Ivan
Henjak from the 2009 season.
However shortly after the start of the season Webcke quit his post
in the wake of controversy surrounding the release of his new book
in which he was openly critical of the Broncos administration not
standing down star players Darius Boyd, Sam Thaiday and Karmichael Hunt when police were
investigating sexual assault allegations against them in September
2008.[14] He
also wrote that Andrew
Johns should never have been included in the Australian rugby league team of the century
after his confessions of illicit drug use during his career.
Webcke was also hired by Channel Seven to
provide perspectives on Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Titans
feature matches. He also occasionally fills-in as a Sports
Presenter on the Brisbane edition of Seven News.
Career
highlights
- Junior Club: Clifton Wattles
- First Grade Debut: Round 10, Brisbane v. Norths at
North Sydney, May 19, 1995 won
- First Grade Premierships: 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2006
with Brisbane Broncos (played 2000 Grand Final with broken
arm)
- Career Stats: 254 career appearances with 18
tries
- State of Origin: 21 games for Queensland between 1998
and 2004
- International: 18 tests for Australia
- ^
"Vella warns of Webcke
power" AAP Sports News (Australia); August 17, 2000
- ^
Heming, Wayne (2009-09-23). "Kenny deserves his success,
says Webcke". theage.com.au (Fairfax digital). http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-sport/kenny-deserves-his-success-says-webcke-20090923-g1n4.html. Retrieved
2009-09-23.
- ^
Menzies, Steve;
Tasker, Norman (2008). Beaver: The Steve Menzies
Story. Australia: Allen & Unwin. pp. 159. ISBN 1741755603,
9781741755602. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MC0_bNv8XNYC&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
- ^
Jackson, Glenn (2006-10-02). "Webcke top of the
props". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax
Digital). http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/webcke-top-of-the-props/2006/10/01/1159641216185.html. Retrieved
2009-12-16.
- ^
Ritchie, Dean (2006-10-02). "Webcke fairytale".
The Daily Telegraph (News Limited). http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/webcke-fairytale/story-e6frexnr-1111112298355. Retrieved
2009-12-17.
- ^
Peter Badel and Steve Mascord
(2006-10-01). "This one dedicated to
Bennett". The Sunday Telegraph (Australia: News
Limited). http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/this-one-dedicated-to-bennett/story-e6frexnr-1111112294196. Retrieved
2010-01-07.
- ^
Magnay, Jacquelin (2009-10-02). "Bring on the 4x2 - and those
grand final hits". The Sydney Morning
Herald. LeagueHQ. http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/bring-on-the-4x2--and-those-grand-final-hits/2009/10/01/1253989999278.html. Retrieved
2009-10-06.
- ^
Mercer, Phil (2001-04-25). "Australia's game of
shame". BBC News (UK: BBC). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/1296079.stm. Retrieved
2010-01-01.
- ^
Hadfield, Dave (2002-07-11). "Violent tone marks build-up
to Ashes Test". Idependent, The (Sydney: Independent
News and Media Limited). http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/violent-tone-marks-buildup-to-ashes-test-647906.html. Retrieved
2009-06-28.
- ^
Magnay, Jacquelin (2006-10-02). "Lockyer's heroes embrace
their victory". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax
Digital). http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/lockyers-heroes-embrace-their-victory/2006/10/01/1159641214492.html. Retrieved
2009-12-16.
- ^
Dekroo, Karl (2007-05-09). "Still the king". The
Courier-Mail (Australia: Queensland Newspapers). http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21701434-10389,00.html. Retrieved
2009-12-08.
- ^
Peter Cassidy (2008-02-23). "Controversy reigns as NRL
releases top 100 players". Macquarie National
News. http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players. Retrieved
2008-02-23.
- ^
"Centenary of Rugby League -
The Players". NRL & ARL. 2008-02-23. http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true. Retrieved
2008-02-23.
- ^
Halloran, Jessica (2009-04-11). "Told, Shane: Webcke's honest
approach a road less travelled". The Sydney Morning
Herald (Fairfax Digital). http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/told-shane-webckes-honest-approach-a-road-less-travelled/2009/04/10/1239223048257.html. Retrieved
2009-10-06.
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