Corey Parker(born 5 May 1982) is a former Australian professionalrugby leaguefootballer who played for theBrisbane Broncosin theNRL.AQueenslandState of OriginandAustralia internationalrepresentative, Parker played in thelock,second-rowandproppositions. Parker played his entire professional career at the Broncos club, with whom he won the2006 NRL Premiership.He also fulfilled goal kicking duties for the Broncos.
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| Born | 5 May 1982 Brisbane,Queensland, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 102 kg (16 st 1 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Lock,Second-row,Prop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing career
edit
2000s
editParker made his NRL debut in 2001 with the Broncos, scoring a try in his first match.[3]At some point, he weighed 108 kilogrammes and played prop. The same year, Parker andBrent Tateboth considered offers from the Canterbury Bulldogs, meeting with club officials in secret. CoachWayne Bennettfound out about the meeting, and dropped both Parker and Tate to reserve grade as a result.[4]
Parker was selected to representQueenslandas an interchange for games II and III of the2004 State of Origin seriesand game III of the2005 State of Origin series.
During a match against theWests TigersatCampbelltown Stadium,coach Wayne Bennett watched as fellow BroncoShane Webckewas taken off the field by a trainer after being knocked out byWests TigerspropBryce Gibbs.Parker was brought on as a replacement for Webcke, and, as noticed, the Broncos played with 14 men. Parker immediately scored a try following the Webcke incident. An investigation days later stripped the Broncos (who won the match 32–24) of the two competition points gained[5]but an appeal held weeks later saw the two points reinstated.
Parker was the highest point-scorer for the Broncos with a total of 142 points in2006.He was selected to play from the interchange bench in Brisbane's victory in the2006 NRL Grand Final.As 2006 NRL Premiers, theBrisbane Broncostravelled to England to face 2006Super Leaguechampions,St Helens R.F.C.in the2007 World Club Challenge.Parker played at second-row forward, scoring atryand kicking three goals from four attempts in the Broncos' 14–18 loss.
In2007,despite suffering an injury in round one and missing the next eight games, he was again able to finish the season as the Broncos' top point-scorer. In the Broncos' first match of theNRL season 2008,Parker broke the Broncos' club record for most goals in a match, kicking ten from ten. On 26 March 2008, it was announced Parker had re signed with the Brisbane Broncos for a further 3 years.[citation needed]
At the start of season 2008, Parker was the first choice kicker for theBroncos,but during a knee injury which kept him on the sideline for 6 weeks, the Brisbane Broncos decided to makeMichael Ennisthe first choice kicker. Following Ennis' move to the Bulldogs at the end of 2008, Parker again became the Broncos' primary goal kicker in 2009.
For the2009 NRL seasonnew Broncos coachIvan Henjakmoved Parker to lock. This proved a success as in April that year he was named in the preliminary 25-man squad to representQueenslandin the openingState of Originmatch for 2009.[6]Although he did not make an appearance for the maroons, Parker won the 2009 Paul Morgan Medal as the Broncos' Player of the Year.
2010s
editOn 14 May 2010, Parker played his 200th game for the Broncos, becoming the second youngest player to reach the milestone for the club.[citation needed]In September 2010, Corey Parker became captain of the Prime Ministers XIII.
Parker was named the2011forward of the year at the Broncos.[7]
Parker played all three games of the2013 State of Origin seriesin whichQueenslandextended their record for consecutive series victories to eight. Parker had made the most offloads out of all players in the 2013 NRL season. Parker was named the2013 Brisbane Broncos season's player of the year.[8]In the post season, he travelled to Europe with the Australian national team for the 2013 World Cup, helping them reclaim it. In 2013 Corey Parker was awarded International Lock of the Year, The Player's Player award, Most Consistent award, the Best Forward award, Dally M Lock of the Year, and Rugby League Week Player of The Year.
In 2014, Parker captained the Brisbane Broncos to the final of theAuckland Nines.In the Auckland Nines, Parker also scored a bonus try against the Roosters. Against the Eels in round 5 of 2014, Parker became the third ever Bronco to reach 1000 points, after Darren Lockyer and Michael De Vere. In May 2014 Corey Parker played in the Trans-Tasman test match for Australia, against New Zealand. Parker suffered an injury in round 13 against the Raiders, which ruled him out of Game 2 of the 2014 State of Origin. He made his return in Game 3 and received Man of the Match. Peter Sterling quoted Parker's Game 3 as being the best performance by a forward in a State of Origin game he has seen.[citation needed]In Round 25 against the Dragons, Parker became the second highest point scorer in Brisbane Broncos history with 1066 points.
In Round 1 of the2015 NRL season,Corey Parker played his 300th NRL game, against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. This made Parker the 22nd NRL player to play 300 games. After the Queensland Maroons 52–6 victory against the New South Wales Blues in the 2015 State of Origin to win the series, Parker was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal. In Round 22 of the 2015 NRL season against theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs,Parker succeededDarren Lockyeras the Broncos' highest ever points scorer.[9]
Within the weeks leading up to the 2016 NRL season, coach Wayne Bennett announced Parker as the Broncos captain. In June 2016, Parker announced that he would retire from the NRL at years end.
In 2020, Parker was announced to make a return for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL Nines competition
Post playing career
editIn 2017, Parker became a sideline commentator forFox League.[citation needed]On 5 September 2024, it was announced that Parker would join the SENQ Breakfast team as a host in 2025.[10]In December 2024, Parker was dumped from sideline commentating, as the sports broadcaster had decided to use "another Queensland figure" to commentate on games.[11]
Personal life
editCorey Parker is married to Margaux Parker with their four children (Memphis Parker, Wylei Cash Parker, Jagger Parker and River Monroe Parker).[12]
His mother was born in New Zealand.
Statistics
edit| Season | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 |  Brisbane Broncos |
13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2002 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2003 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
| 2004 | 25 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 38 | |
| 2005 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | |
| 2006 | 25 | 4 | 63 | 0 | 142 | |
| 2007 | 18 | 4 | 45 | 0 | 106 | |
| 2008 | 19 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 80 | |
| 2009 | 27 | 5 | 75 | 0 | 170 | |
| 2010 | 21 | 1 | 69 | 0 | 142 | |
| 2011 | 24 | 3 | 74 | 0 | 160 | |
| 2012 | 17 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 68 | |
| 2013 | 22 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 28 | |
| 2014 | 22 | 0 | 57 | 0 | 114 | |
| 2015 | 24 | 3 | 66 | 0 | 144 | |
| 2016 | 24 | 3 | 45 | 0 | 102 | |
| Totals | 347 | 39 | 586 | 0 | 1328 |
References
edit- ^Rugby League Project
- ^NRL Stats[permanent dead link]
- ^Heming, Wayne; AAP (11 May 2010)."Corey Parker prepares for 200th NRL game".The Sydney Morning Herald.Australia: Fairfax.Retrieved11 May2010.
- ^Christian Nicolussi (5 May 2017).Broncos forward Corey Parker reveals why he rejected Bulldogs as a teenager.Daily Telegraph.News Limited. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^Gould, Phil (4 April 2004)."Winning the war on error".The Sun-Herald.Australia: Fairfax.Retrieved4 December2009.
- ^"Queensland name preliminary State of Origin squad".Fox Sports.28 April 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 18 September 2012.Retrieved28 April2009.
- ^"Honour Board".broncos.com.au.Brisbane Broncos.Archived fromthe originalon 15 November 2011.Retrieved13 November2011.
- ^"Honour Board".broncos.com.au.Brisbane Broncos.Archived fromthe originalon 26 January 2014.Retrieved22 December2013.
- ^NRL 2015.Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^Seyderhelm, Jennifer (5 September 2024)."Ian Healy and Corey Parker for SENQ Breakfast in 2025".RadioInfo Australia.Retrieved4 January2025.
- ^"NRL fans in uproar after Corey Parker loses job in wake of Kevin Walters comments".Yahoo Sports.8 December 2024.Retrieved4 January2025.
- ^Rikki-Lee Arnold (25 January 2016).Brisbane Broncos news: Corey Parker and wife Margaux welcome their fourth child.The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
External links
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