Anthony Minichiello

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Anthony Minichiello
Personal information
Full nameAntonio Marcus Minichiello[1] [2]
Born (1980-05-24) 24 May 1980 (age 43)
Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight91 kg (14 st 5 lb)
PositionFullback, Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2000–14 Sydney Roosters 302 139 0 1 557
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1999–13 Italy 7 1 0 0 4
2001–10 NSW City Origin 4 2 0 0 8
2003–11 New South Wales 11 8 0 0 32
2003–05
Australia
 19 11 0 0 44
Source: [3]

Anthony Minichiello (born 24 May 1980) is a former professional

Golden Boot Award for international player of the year in 2005, and is the brother of fellow Italian international, Mark Minichiello
.

Background

Minichiello was born in Liverpool in South Western Sydney, Australia.[4]

Minichiello began playing rugby league for East Valley United.[5] Minichiello attended All Saints Catholic Senior College. At a young age, he was spotted by then Roosters recruitment officer, rugby league Immortal Arthur Beetson, who signed him up to the foundation club.[6] In 1999 he played for Italy in the inaugural Mediterranean Cup.[7] On 4 August 2014 he announced his retirement at the end of the season.

Professional playing career

2000s

After a stint in the lower grades, Minichiello made his NRL debut at the age of 20 in the Roosters' Round 4 clash on 25 February 2000 at the

Bulldogs.[8] This made him the 994th first grader to play for the Roosters.[9] He tasted the bitterness of defeat at the end of his debut year in the Roosters' loss to the Brisbane Broncos in the 2000 NRL Grand Final. By midway through his second season, he had proven himself worthy of representative football when he was selected to play for City Origin in the 2001 City vs Country Origin match against Country Origin
.

After scoring 16 tries during the

Great Britain 3–0 to retain The Ashes. Mini played on the wing for the Kangaroos in all three tests due to the presence of Brisbane Broncos fullback Darren Lockyer
, who was also the captain of the Kangaroos.

In 2004, Minichiello was again selected to play for New South Wales but just five days out from

Wally Lewis Medal for player of the 2005 State of Origin series.[18] The year was capped off with him winning the Harry Sunderland Medal again as the man of the 2005 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament, despite New Zealand causing a boil over by defeating Australia 24–0 in the Final at Elland Road in Leeds (it was the first time since 1972 that Australia had not won an international series or tournament in which they played). The game would also prove to be Anthony Minichiello's 18th and final test for Australia. He would go on to win the 2005 Golden Boot Award as the international player of the year.[19]

One of the longest injury/suspension free period of any player in the modern era came to end in Round 6,

Brett Stewart. Unfortunately Mini's back injury put him on the sideline for the remainder of the 2007 season
.

The 2008 NRL season saw Mini return to the field after a re-occurrence of his back injury put him out for the back half of the 2007 season. Unfortunately, during a round 4 clash with the Canterbury Bulldogs, pain in his back returned. This severely harmed his chances of regaining his Australian fullback jersey and he was overlooked in favour of both Brett Stewart and Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater. Stewart and Slater were also the respective fullbacks for NSW and Qld at the time. In 2009, Anthony played 2 games before injuring his ankle against the Canberra Raiders. He was sidelined until Round 20; by then, the Roosters were in deep trouble and staring down of their worst season since failing to win a single game in 1966. Eventually, the Roosters finished last on the NRL ladder, completing a spectacular downfall from the first half of the decade in which the Sydney Roosters were dominant, but had only one NRL Premiership to show for it.

Minichiello in 2010

2010s

In the

Cronulla Sharks, and signed a one-year deal with the Roosters with a possible one-year extension on top of that. On 23 August 2010, Minichiello broke the 100 try barrier against the Gold Coast Titans
in Round 24.

Minichiello was rested from the Roosters' final two regular season matches with a

St George Illawarra Dragons in a disappointing end to what was otherwise a massive improvement from the previous year. By Round 8 of the 2010 season, Mini had been moved back to fullback by coach Brian Smith, with Carney moving to his preferred position of Five-eighth. Other than playing on the wing in rounds 12 and 13, Mini would remain at fullback for the rest of the year. For his part, Carney would go on to win the Dally M Medal as the NRL Player of the Year, the first Roosters player to do so since Gary Freeman in 1992
.

In 2011 he was announced as a member of the Italian side that will compete in the 2013 World Cup qualifying.[23] After consistent form in a struggling Roosters side, Minichiello received an Origin call-up for Game 2 of the 2011 State of Origin series. This occurred after the incumbent Blues fullback, Josh Dugan, succumbed to an ankle injury the day the side was named. Minichiello's experience in the young Blues backline proved valuable as he scored the match-winner for New South Wales after Five-eight Jamie Soward dazzled the Queensland defence. The Blues won 18–8, largely due to the experienced combination of Minichiello and Ricky Stuart, who was back coaching New South Wales after five years out of the side. In Round 16 of the NRL season, he scored his 105th try against the Newcastle Knights, making him the all-time leading try-scorer for the Roosters, breaking the record of 104 previously held by Bill Mullins (1968–78).

At the end of the 2011 NRL season, Minichiello captained Italy to a 19-all draw with Lebanon that was enough for them to gain the 14th and final place in the 2013 World Cup.[24]

On 4 May 2012, Minichiello agreed to a new one-year deal keeping him with the Roosters until the end of 2013, despite being told at the start of the season that he would not be re-signed.[25]

Minichello went on to captain the Roosters in 2013 and to the 2013 NRL Grand Final victory, becoming the first fullback to captain his team to a grand final victory since Frank 'Skinny' McMillan in 1934.[26]

At the end of the 2013 NRL season, Minichiello captained Italy in the 2013 World Cup. Italy would finish their campaign in the Group Stage after they beat Wales, drew with Scotland and lost to Tonga.

Roosters legend, Anthony Minichiello running with the ball against the Warriors, in 2014

On 4 August Minichiello announced his official retirement from the game as a one club man.

In his final outing for the club, Minichiello broke former team-mate Luke Ricketson's record for most matches with the Roosters. The record, which had stood for twelve years, was 301, with Minichiello captaining the Roosters with a stellar two-try performance for game #302 in his side's 32–22 Grand Final Qualifier defeat by the Rabbitohs, His record was surpassed by Mitchell Aubusson (306) in 2020.

Honours

Statistics

Season Team Pld T G FG Pts
2000 Sydney Roosters 24 7 0 0 28
2001 Sydney Roosters 26 14 0 0 56
2002 Sydney Roosters 26 16 0 0 64
2003 Sydney Roosters 25 10 0 0 40
2004 Sydney Roosters 25 18 0 0 72
2005 Sydney Roosters 22 14 0 0 56
2006 Sydney Roosters 6 4 0 0 16
2007 Sydney Roosters 10 2 0 1 9
2008 Sydney Roosters 9 3 0 0 12
2009 Sydney Roosters 8 1 0 0 4
2010 Sydney Roosters 26 12 0 0 48
2011 Sydney Roosters 20 6 0 0 24
2012 Sydney Roosters 24 9 0 0 36
2013 Sydney Roosters 24 6 0 0 24
2014 Sydney Roosters 27 17 0 0 68
Totals 302 139 0 1 557
Minichiello in 2015

Personal life

The Footy Show in 2003, and with his brother Mark (who previously played for Hull FC, in the Super League), posed for Cosmopolitan magazine's Lonsdale
Boys with Balls '06 feature.

He is the elder brother of Hull F.C. Second-rower Mark Minichiello. Both players are of Italian descent.

His nickname is "The Count" as he has been noted to bear a resemblance to The Count from Sesame Street. He is also known as "Mini".

On 22 January 2012, Anthony Minichiello wed Australian shoe-designer, Terry Biviano, in one of the most lavish ceremonies held at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney. Biviano starred in the first season of WAG Nation, a reality show that documents the lives of five wives/girlfriends of Australian sportsmen.

As of 2012, Anthony has been a regular contributor to entertainment and lifestyle website Live4.[29]

On 2 December 2013, Anthony's wife Terry Biviano gave birth to their first child, a girl named Azura Trésor.[30]

References

  1. ^ Will Swanton and Amy Lawson (30 April 2006). "Down for the Count: Mini's injury may open the door for Thurston". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  2. ^ Halloran, Jessica Halloran (15 October 2005). "A pair of hands to count on". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  3. ^ Rugby League Project
  4. ^ "Player profile of Anthony Minichiello". Sydney Roosters. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  5. ^ "Player Page: Anthony Minichiello". NRL Stats. Retrieved 11 October 2008. [dead link]
  6. ^ "Fearless Mini may be ace in the pack". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 May 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  7. ^ Minichiello helps Italy defeat France Total RL, 17 November 2007
  8. ^ "Player profile of Anthony Minichiello". National Rugby League. Retrieved 14 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Sydney Roosters All Time Player List". Sydney Roosters. Archived from the original on 3 January 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  10. ^ a b "It's all in the timing as magnificent Minichiello escapes from constraints". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 September 2003. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  11. ^ Mascord, Steve (26 September 2003). "The Late Mail". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  12. ^ "Roosters down Dogs to reach grand final". ABC News. 27 September 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  13. ^ Mascord, Steve (6 October 2003). "Fairytale win for Panthers". The Age. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  14. ^ Proszenko, Adrian (6 May 2012). "Gallen set to smash record". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  15. ^ "Minichiello sacked from State of Origin side". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 May 2004. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  16. ^ "Buderus named Dally M Player of the Year". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 September 2004. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  17. ^ Mascord, Steve (2 December 2004). "Minichiello the players' player". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  18. Australian Rugby League
  19. ^ "Minichiello gets the Golden Boot". ABC News. 22 November 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  20. ^ Jackson, Glenn (8 May 2006). "Surgery may rule Minichiello out of Origin". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  21. ^ "Minichiello rates himself 90% for Origin". The Age. 18 May 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  22. ^ "Sydney Roosters Team 100". Sydney Roosters. 10 March 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  23. ^ Minichiello to lead Italy in 2011 RLWC European Qualifiers Archived 8 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine rleague.com, 6 April 2011
  24. ^ skysports.com (29 October 2011). "Italy clinch World Cup place". Sky Sports. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  25. ^ heraldsun.com (23 February 2012). "Roosters not re-signing Minichiello". Herald Sun. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  26. ^ Evans, Will (2012). A Short History of Rugby League. p. 38.
  27. ^ Payten, Iain (19 May 2007). "Mini rates himself". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  28. ^ Chesterton, Andrew (16 July 2006). "Mini's making a splash" (PDF). The Sunday Telegraph. p. 32. Retrieved 26 May 2006. [dead link]
  29. ^ "Anthony Minichiello - Live4". Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  30. ^ "ANTHONY MINICHIELLO AND TERRY BIVIANO INTRODUCE THEIR DAUGHTER TO THE WORLD". OK! Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anthony Minichiello.
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