Mark Gasnier
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Full name | Mark Gasnier | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 19 July 1981||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Height | 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 100 kg (15 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Centre, Five-eighth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mark Gasnier (born 19 July 1981) is an Australian former professional
Background
Gasnier attended Peakhurst High School.[citation needed]
Professional playing career
Gasnier played his junior rugby league in the St George District with the
Gasnier made his first Grade début for the
In 2004, Gasnier was selected to make his State of Origin debut in Game 1 for New South Wales. Whilst in origin camp on a drunken bonding session with teammates, Gasnier left a lewd voice message ‘fire up b*tch’ on a woman’s phone. Gasnier was dropped from the NSW squad and subsequently fined and suspended from his NRL club. Gasnier was recalled for the deciding game 3 in the State of Origin series, scoring 2 tries on debut and winning the series.[4]
After winning Dally M Centre of the Year in 2005, he signed a new one-year contract, with further one year options for the next four years with the St George Illawarra Dragons. Again Gasnier won the Dally M Centre of the Year.
In early 2007 it was announced that Mark Gasnier,
Gasnier was named sole captain of the Dragons for the 2008 season. He paired up with
Rugby union stint
Gasnier joined French rugby union club Stade Français from October 2008 on a two-year deal worth approximately
Gasnier continued his prolific 2009–10 season by scoring his 6th try of the campaign against Bayonne in round 15 in front of more than 70,000 fans at the Stade de France in Paris. This made him the Top 14's leading try scorer and he continued to impress after switching codes.[9] In April–May 2010 Gasnier was reportedly talking with coach Rod Macqueen about the possibility of Gasnier signing with the Melbourne Rebels for the team's début in the expanded Super 14.[10]
Return to rugby league
It was announced in June 2010 that Gasnier was intending to return to rugby league following the expiration of his finances. This was confirmed when he signed a 4+1⁄2-year deal with former club St George Illawarra.[11]
Gasnier made his comeback for the Dragons against the Penrith Panthers but the Dragons lost 124–8. His second match however was more of a success, as he scored the match winning try for the Dragons as they defeated the South Sydney Rabbitohs 16–132. He went on to play for the Dragons' in the 2010 NRL Grand Final, scoring the first try of the match to help the joint-venture club beat the Sydney Roosters and claim its first premiership.
Gasnier participated in the Dragons' 2011 World Club Challenge and Charity Shield wins.
His good form led to him being selected to join the Queensland team again for the 2011 State of Origin series. He played all three matches.
On 14 July, he formally announced his retirement from professional rugby league.[12][13] He finished his career in a semi-final clash at Suncorp Stadium against the Brisbane Broncos, with St. George Illawarra losing 13–12, after a Darren Lockyer field goal in extra time.[14] He then went on to work as a commentator with Fox League.
Accolades
On 20 July 2022, Gasnier was named in the St. George Dragons District Rugby League Clubs team of the century at centre. The selection caused some controversy as Gasnier had never played for the St. George Dragons club. Although many consider St. George and St. George Illawarra to be the same club, the NRL has stated that both clubs are separate entities.[15]
See also
References
- ^ l'equipe
- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ "SportingPulse Homepage for Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League". SportingPulse. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
- ^ "Blues sent home as Gasnier is sacked". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 May 2004.
- ^ "No hard feelings over head-hunt". Fox Sports News. 16 October 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2007.
- ^ Wald, Tom. (14 July 2008) I am not pillaging NRL – McKenzie. Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved on 2013-01-06.
- ^ Ulster show plenty of heart in Paris defeat. Irishtimes.com (24 January 2009). Retrieved on 2013-01-06.
- ^ Jancetic, Steve (6 November 2009). "Gasnier shows French a touch of magic". The Age. Melbourne.
- ^ Heavensgame.com. Heavensgame.com. Retrieved on 2013-01-06. Archived 13 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Paxinos, Stathi; Morton, Jim (17 May 2010). "Brumbies' Huxley signs for Rebels". The Age. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
- ^ News & Video Archived 29 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Dragons.com.au. Retrieved on 2013-01-06.
- ^ "Mark Gasnier's Career=SMH". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 July 2011.
- ^ Mark Gasnier tells Dragons he's retiring, Kevin Moore tells Bulldogs he's quitting| thetelegraph.com.au. Dailytelegraph.com.au (14 July 2011). Retrieved on 2013-01-06.
- ^ "Mark Gasnier's Rugby League Career=Fox Sports". Fox Sports. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011.
- ^ "Gasnier joins Immortals in St George Dragons 'Team of the Century'". nrl.com.
External links
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