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Laurie Daley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Laurie William Daley OA, (born October 20, 1969, Junee) was a rugby league player in the Australian rugby league competition, primarily as a centre and then five-eighth. He played for the Canberra Raiders during their most successful period in the 1990s.
Spotted playing first grade for the Junee Diesels in 1986 at the age of sixteen, and after being signed by the Raiders, he developed as a centre and he was playing first grade for Canberra by 1987, and was playing representative rugby league before his 19th birthday in 1988. He was the second highest try-scorer the following year with sixteen tries.
Daley disappointed in his first State of Origin games for New South Wales that year, but in 1990 he made his Australian début against France. That year, Daley also won selection to the Australian Tour of Great Britain and France, playing centre for the last 4 tests on tour (2 v Great Britain & 2 v France). He missed Australia's opening loss to Great Britain at Wembley Stadium due to a broken hand suffered in a previous tour match.
During 1991, Daley was shifted from centre to five-eighth. Affected severely by injury in 1992, Daley captained Australia in the absence of Mal Meninga in the first Test against New Zealand in 1993, kicking the match-saving field goal. 1994 was again plagued by injury, but he returned in time to win the title with the Raiders, contributing a vital try. He was selected, along with six of his Canberra team-mates, to the 1994 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France.
Controversy raged in 1995 when Ricky Stuart was preferred for the Canberra captaincy, even though Daley had captained both New South Wales and Australia ahead of Stuart. Furthermore, the outbreak of Super League and Daley's subsequent support for the rival organisation saw him barred from representative games in 1995. Nonetheless, Daley was awarded Rugby League Week's Player of the Year award in 1995.
In 1996, Super League players were once again allowed to compete in representative fixtures sanctioned by the Australian Rugby League, allowing Daley to compete in State of Origin. Even though Daley was the incumbent New South Wales captain prior to 1995, Brad Fittler was preferred to the captaincy. The following year, the Super League competition was launched, and Daley was appointed to captain the Super League representative teams of both New South Wales and Australia.
In 1998, Super League and the Australian Rugby League competitions agreed to launch the National Rugby League. Daley took over the Canberra captaincy on a full-time basis after Stuart signed with Canterbury. Although Daley continued to make representative appearances, injuries began to limit his appearances; and he was forced into retirement in 2000.
Daley is now assistant coach of the NSW State of Origin team and commentates for Fox Sports.