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Craig Gower

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Craig Gower
Gower in 2005.
Personal information
Born(1978-04-29)29 April 1978(age 46)
Penrith,New South Wales,Australia
Playing information
Height174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight89 kg (14 st 0 lb)
Rugby league
PositionHalfback,Hooker
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1996–07 Penrith Panthers 238 55 4 5 233
2012–13 London Broncos 45 7 27 0 82
2013 Newcastle Knights 6 1 0 0 4
Total 289 63 31 5 319
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1997 New South Wales(SL) 2 0 0 0 0
1997 Australia(SL) 5 3 0 0 12
1999–05 Australia 18 5 0 0 20
2005 Prime Minister's XIII 1 0 0 0 0
1999–06 New South Wales 6 0 0 0 0
2002–07 NSW City 5 0 0 0 0
Rugby union
PositionFly-half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2008–11 Aviron Bayonnais 74 7 9 4 71
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2009–11 Italy 14 0 6 0 17

Craig Gower(born 29 April 1978) is an Italian-Australian former professionalrugby leagueandrugby unionfootballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He is adual-code rugby international,having playedrugby leagueforAustraliaandrugby unionforItaly.ANew South WalesState of Originand Australian Kangaroos representativehalfbackorhooker,he played in theNational Rugby Leaguefor Sydney club thePenrith Panthers(whom he captained to victory in the2003 NRL Premiership). Gower then switched rugby union, playing for FrenchTop 14sideBayonne,and through grandparentage represented Italy. He returned to rugby league with theLondon Broncosin theSuper Leagueand then finished his playing career with one moreNational Rugby Leagueseason at theNewcastle Knights.

Early life[edit]

Gower was born inPenrith, New South Wales,Australia. He is of Italian descent.[7]

Gower was educated atMacCarthy Catholic College, Emu Plains.He played his junior football for theColyton ColtsandEmu Plains JRLFCbefore being signed by thePenrith Panthers.

Rugby league career[edit]

In Round 11 of the1996 ARL seasonGower made hisARLdébut for the Panthers against theGold Coast Chargers.Gower made his representative début in his second season in first-grade when still aged only eighteen. He was selected in the AustralianSuper Leagueside for theANZAC TestagainstNew Zealandin 1997. He appeared in both Super League Tests against New Zealand and made the end of year Super League tour to Great Britain, playing in allthree Testsin England at halfback. Following the re-unification of Australian rugby league, Gower debuted forNew South Walesin the1999 State of Origin series.He was selected for theANZAC Testthat year but was dismissed following a disciplinary incident. However he was selected for theAustralian teamto compete in the end of season1999 Rugby League Tri-Nationstournament. In the final againstNew Zealandhe played athookerin the Kangaroos' 22–20 victory.

In 2000, Gower won theHookerof the Year award at the 2000Dally M Awards.In 2002, Gower debuted for theCity Originteam in the annualCity vs Country Originclash. Between 2002 and 2005, Gower captained the Panthers, the highlight of which was the2003 NRL Grand Finalvictory over theSydney Roosters.After that Gower was selected to go on the2003 Kangaroo tour.As 2003 NRL premiers, the Panthers travelled to England to faceSuper League VIIIchampions, theBradford Bullsin the2004 World Club Challenge.Gower captained the Panthers at half back in their 22–4 loss.[8]Gower was named Australia's captain for theTest matchagainst France on the2005 Tri-Nationstour.[9]Gower became the secondPenrith Panthersplayer to captain his country, afterBrad Fittlerin 1995.

In 2006, Gower marriedPenrith Pantherscheerleader Amanda Flynn. In 2007, Gower's last year at the Panthers, he ended the season with 238 career matches for the Panthers, four games short of the club record of 242 held bySteve Carter.

Rugby union career[edit]

On 26 June 2007, Gower switched codes by signing with FrenchTop 14rugby unionsideBayonne,[10]having two years still to run on his contract at the Panthers.[11]

In 2008, Gower expressed his desire to playrugby unionforItaly.He qualified for the 'Azzurri' due to his Italian grandfather. On 13 June 2009, Gower made his first appearance forItalyatfly-halfagainstAustraliaafter being selected for the mid-season tour of Australia and New Zealand. Italy coachNick Malletthad initial reservations about selecting Gower.

Return to rugby league[edit]

Following the expiry of his union contract, Gower returned torugby league,[12]signing a 2-year contract with theLondon Broncosof theSuper Leaguestarting in 2012.[13]

As a result, he did not feature in Italy's2011 Rugby World Cupcampaign, and was instead selected in theItalyrugby leaguesquad for the2013 Rugby League World Cup qualifyingtournament, although he missed all three matches due to injury. On 14 November 2012, Gower extended his Broncos contract by a year, making him a Bronco until the end of 2014.[14]He was then named captain,[15]although he stood down as captain in May.[16]

In June 2013, Gower gained a release from his Broncos contract to return to Australia and negotiate a contract withNational Rugby Leagueclub theNewcastle Knights.[17]On 8 June 2013, Gower signed a contract with the Knights for the remainder of the2013 NRL season.[18]

Gower was named in the Italy squad for the2013 Rugby League World Cup.[19]However he did not play due to the injury he suffered at the end of the2013 NRL season.

At the end of the2013 NRL season,Gower announced his retirement due to injury.[20]

On 25 June 2016, Gower was inducted into the Penrith Panthers hall of fame alongsideGrahame Moran,Royce Simmons,andGreg Alexander.

Controversies[edit]

Gower has been involved in a number of alcohol-related off-field incidents. In 1999, Gower exposed himself to a female Irish tourist in aCoogeebar, blaming his behaviour on alcohol intoxication. He was dumped from the squad and fined A$2,500 by theNRLand a further A$500 in court after pleading guilty to indecent exposure.[21]

In December 2005, Gower was fired as Panthers captain[22]after incidents at a charity golf event where he argued with several guests,gropedthe then teenage daughter of former league playerWayne Pearce,chasedMitchell Pearcewith a bottle before vomiting on him, streaked nude around the resort, stole and crashed a golf cart, held a butter knife[23]to the throat of a Sydney radio personality before throwing it at resort guests, and engaged in a brawl with resort security before being ejected from the official function and detained by police.[24]He was handed a "final warning" by theNational Rugby Leagueand fined A$100,000, with A$90,000 to be paid to an NRL programme encouraging the responsible use of alcohol by league players and $10,000 to replace the destroyed golf cart.[25]Gower was "deeply unhappy" that thePenrith Panthersclub did not defend his reputation, and at one stage threatened to "walk" from the club.[26]

Allegedly inebriated with alcohol in a bar atKings Crosson 11 February 2007, Gower allegedly tried to kiss one man before biting him on the neck and sparking a brawl, and is accused of assaulting another man.[27][28]The Panthers club controversially reappointed Gower as captain in 2007, claiming the Peppermint Lounge incident was just a media "beat-up".[29]Australian swimmerDawn Frasersaid Gower was unfit to be captain, due to his alleged lewd behaviour at the charity golf event which she attended,[30]andSarah Maddison,spokesperson for the Women's Electoral Lobby, said "reappointing Craig Gower would send all the wrong messages."[31]

References[edit]

  1. ^loverugbyleague
  2. ^"Craig Gower - Career Stats & Summary".Rugby League Project.Retrieved27 March2016.
  3. ^"Yesterday's Hero - Your Sporting Hero's - Craig Gower - Penrith".Archived fromthe originalon 17 September 2011.Retrieved11 June2009.
  4. ^"Rugby-League.Com".Superleague.co.uk.Retrieved27 March2016.
  5. ^"Craig Gower | Rugby Union | Players and Officials | ESPN Scrum".Scrum.com.Retrieved27 March2016.
  6. ^"Rugby - Fiche joueur Gower Craig - Statistiques en club".Itsrugby.fr. 29 April 1978.Retrieved27 March2016.
  7. ^"Rugby Union | Australian Gower lands Italy call".BBC News.18 May 2009.Retrieved14 February2010.
  8. ^"Craig Gower (Old) player results, scores, news and statistics".Archived fromthe originalon 19 September 2013.Retrieved5 June2013.
  9. ^Annual Report 2005Archived5 July 2009 at theWayback Machine–Australian Rugby League
  10. ^"Aussie Gower set to switch codes".BBC. 26 June 2007.Retrieved26 June2007.
  11. ^"French rugby my biggest challenge: Gower".NRL. 26 June 2007.Retrieved26 June2007.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^"Craig Gower to play league in UK".The Sydney Morning Herald.10 August 2011.
  13. ^Profile[permanent dead link],league.quins.co.uk; accessed 27 May 2015.
  14. ^Gower extends his Broncos contractArchived27 December 2013 at theWayback Machine,londonbroncosrl.com; accessed 27 May 2015.
  15. ^Gower named captain of BroncosArchived27 December 2013 at theWayback Machine,londonbroncosrl.com; accessed 27 May 2015.
  16. ^Gower stands down as London skipperArchived19 September 2013 at theWayback Machine,rleague.com; accessed 27 May 2015.
  17. ^Gower joins Newcastle KnightsArchived14 May 2014 at theWayback Machine,londonbroncosrl.com; accessed 27 May 2015.
  18. ^Craig Gower joins the KnightsArchived5 October 2013 at theWayback Machine,newcastleknights.com.au; accessed 27 May 2015.
  19. ^"Rugby League World Cup 2013".Rlwc2013.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.Retrieved27 March2016.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  20. ^"Craig Gower and Bryce Gibbs expected to hang up the boots".The Sydney Morning Herald.24 October 2014.Retrieved27 May2015.
  21. ^"Gower incident gives League image another beating"Archived3 March 2016 at theWayback Machine,abc.net.au, 21 April 1999.
  22. ^"Gower demoted after drunken binge".BBC News.4 January 2006.Retrieved10 August2007.
  23. ^Gallagher, Brendan (12 February 2010)."Six Nations 2010: Craig Gower making the most of fresh start with Italy".Telegraph.London, UK.Retrieved14 February2010.
  24. ^"NRL wants probe into Gower grope claims".The Age.Melbourne. 22 December 2005.Retrieved10 August2007.
  25. ^"NRL gives Gower final warning and A$100,000 fine".The New Zealand Herald.23 January 2006.Retrieved10 August2007.
  26. ^Prichard, Greg (6 February 2006)."Gower's ultimatum: defend me or I'll walk".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved10 August2007.
  27. ^Pandaram, Jamie (23 March 2007)."Police set to charge Gower".The Sydney Morning Herald.Archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2007.Retrieved10 August2007.
  28. ^Masters, Roy(13 February 2007)."Time for Craig to face demons".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved10 August2007.
  29. ^"Enough is enough".The Daily Telegraph.17 February 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2008.Retrieved10 August2007.
  30. ^Clark, Laine (3 January 2007)."Gower 'shouldn't be captain'".Fox Sports.
  31. ^Phelps, James (5 January 2007)."Leave Craig alone".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved10 August2007.

External links[edit]

Preceded by Australian national rugby league captain
2005-07 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Craig_Gower&oldid=1219850753"