Steve Martin (rugby league)

Steve Martin(born 7 January 1957) is an Australian former professionalrugby leaguefootballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s, andcoachedin the 1990s. He was a representative player at both state and international levels and played in theNew South Wales Rugby League(NSWRL) competition forManly-Warringah Sea Eagles,and theBalmain Tigers.Martin primarily played in thehalfbackposition.

Steve Martin

Personal information
Full name	Steven Martin
Born	(1957-01-07)7 January 1957 Wagga Wagga,New South Wales
Playing information
Height	165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	70 kg (11 st 0 lb)
Position	Halfback,Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1975–76 Barrow 1978–81 Manly-Warringah 70 21 0 2 65 1982–84 Balmain 53 10 0 1 38 1983–84 Leeds Total 123 31 0 3 103 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1978–80 New South Wales 2 1 0 0 3 1978–80 Australia 1 0 0 0 0
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1990–92 North Sydney 69 35 2 32 51 1993–94 Featherstone Rovers 76 44 3 29 58 1998 South Sydney 18 3 0 15 17 Total 163 82 5 76 50
Source:

Playing career

Martin was originally anAustralian Rulesfootballer inWagga Wagga,New South Wales but switched to rugby league withWagga Wagga Kangaroos.He spent 1975–1976 playing forBarrowin English club football. He came to the notice of first-grade clubs in Australia when he represented Riverina in the1976 Amco Cupcompetition.

Martin débuted for Manly in 1978 and was selected forNew South Walesasfive-eighth.In the same year he played in both thegrand final,and thegrand final replaywin overCronulla.Martin finished his début season as the NSWRLRookie of the Year.He was then selected to go on the1978 Kangaroo tour,playing in eleven tour matches and one Test againstFrance.

Martin was selected to representNew South Walesas an interchange for the inauguralState of Origingame in 1980.

After several positional changes at Manly, Martin moved to Balmain in an effort to consolidate his career at halfback but a series of shoulder injuries kept him from his previous form. In 1983–1984, Martin played forLeedsin England.

Coaching career

In 1986–1987, Martin captain-coached West Tamworth to two premierships but two shoulder dislocations forced his retirement as a player. Moving to theNorth Sydney Bearsin 1990, Martin coached the club to the1991 preliminary-finalbut they lost to theCanberra Raiders.

1992 was a disappointing season for the Bears and Martin resigned at the end of the year, being succeeded byPeter Louis.An appointment as coach ofFeatherstone Roversin England followed before Martin returned once more to Australia and took up the coaching position at theSouth Sydney Rabbitohsin 1998 replacing the outgoingKen Shine.His tenure at the club was brief. Martin was sacked after a disagreement over the disciplining of controversial five-eighth,Julian O'Neill,late in the season and handed the position over toCraig Coleman.

External links

• Whiticker, Alan; Hudson, Glen (2007).The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players.Wetherill Park, New South Wales:Gary Allen Pty Ltd. p. 609.ISBN978-1-877082-93-1.
• Gary Lester, ed. (1983).The Sun Book of Rugby League – 1983.Sydney,New South Wales: John Fairfax Marketing. p. 12.ISBN0-909558-83-3.