Jason Smith (rugby league)

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Jason Smith
Smith in 2011
Personal information
Full nameJason Paul Smith
Born (1972-03-14) 14 March 1972 (age 52)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight95 kg (14 st 13 lb)
PositionLock, Second-row, Five-eighth
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1990–95
Canterbury Bulldogs
 62 4 1 0 18
1996–00 Parramatta Eels 89 24 0 4 100
2001–04 Hull F.C. 80 17 0 1 69
2005–06 Canberra Raiders 38 9 0 1 37
2007 North Qld Cowboys 20 3 0 0 12
Total 289 57 1 6 236
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1994–00 Queensland 16 1 0 1 5
1995–00 Australia 15 3 0 0 12
Source: [1][2]

Jason Smith (born 14 March 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative five-eighth or lock forward, he played club football in Australia for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (with whom he won the 1995 Premiership), Parramatta Eels, Canberra Raiders and the North Queensland Cowboys, and in England for Hull F.C. At his peak he was regarded as one of the game's greatest players.[3]

Background

Born in Brisbane, Jason Smith is the younger brother of Darren Smith and was a Brisbane Souths five-eighth/lock.

Professional playing career

1990s

Smith signed with Sydney's

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles before coming off the interchange bench in Australia's 16–8 win in the 1995 World Cup final.[citation needed
]

Joining

1999 Tri-nations series victory over New Zealand and Great Britain in Auckland.[citation needed
]

2000s

2000 saw Smith make his final appearance for Australia, in the 52-0 thrashing of the Kiwis in the

ANZAC Test. That year he was also awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league. Declining to take on the Parramatta captaincy in his final year with the club, his career appeared to be winding down after injuries and suspension saw him miss much of the second half of the season. Smith left the Eels at the end of the year to play for Hull F.C. in the Super League
, captaining the side from 2002 to 2004.

2005 saw Smith back in Australia playing with the

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[7]

Post-playing

Brisbane newspaper

Queensland flood victims. He also moved to Toowoomba
where he bought the iconic Mill Street Tavern and played for Toowoomba Brothers in the Toowoomba Rugby League competition in 2011. In November 2016, the tavern was destroyed by a fire which authorities described as “suspicious”.

In January 2014, Smith was charged with trafficking cocaine in south-east Queensland. After pleading guilty to eight charges of possessing more than two grams of cocaine, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment but released immediately on parole.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ "Jason Smith - Playing Career - Summary". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  2. ^ "SL Stats". Archived from the original on 26 August 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  3. ^ Hadfield, Dave (3 July 2002). "Hull land 'major coup' as Smith extends stay". The Independent. London: Independent News and Media Limited. Retrieved 27 December 2009.[dead link]
  4. Roy Masters (5 July 2005). "Slater axing has fans all at sea". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia: Fairfax Media
    . Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  5. News Limited
    . Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  6. ^ "Jason Smith announces NRL retirement". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 June 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
  7. ^ Mascord, Steve (24 September 2007). "Cowboys salute Smith, Bowman". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
  8. APN News & Media
    . Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  9. ^ Fallen Origin star’s drug despair The Courier Mail (subscription required)
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