Martin Lang (rugby league)
 Lang in 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 26 September 1975 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 110 kg (17 st 5 lb; 240 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Martin Lang (born 26 September 1975) is an Australian former professional
Playing career
Lang made his first grade debut for Cronulla-Sutherland against the
In 1997, Cronulla joined the rival Super League competition during the Super League war. Lang missed out on playing in Cronulla's grand final team which lost to the Brisbane Broncos. In 1999, Lang played 23 games as Cronulla won the minor premiership but suffered preliminary final heartbreak against St. George at Stadium Australia.[2]
Lang was a hard-running prop with a straight, unswerving style when taking the ball forward.[3] He ran 4,571 metres with the ball over the 2000 NRL season, more than any other player in the competition.[4]
Lang's final game for Cronulla was the club's preliminary final loss against eventual premiers Newcastle in the 2001 NRL season.
In April, 2002, Lang was knocked unconscious by a high-tackle from Petero Civoniceva. The resulting concussion, his tenth, led to calls for the prop to retire or to change his running style.[5][6][7] Commenting later on his concussions, Lang said, "There was times when I'd been knocked out that you weren't aware of anything until you're sitting on the sideline and you're thinking, 'Geez, what happened?' You're not feeling fresh. It's liked you've been drugged or had an anaesthetic or something like that, you're feeling very ordinary."[8]
Lang played at prop forward for the
Retiring at the end of the 2004 NRL season, Lang spent a period recovering from surgery on a disc in his spine. He has said he, "pretty much couldn't do a thing for the whole of 2005. For about nine months there, I couldn't even lift up my kids."[9]
Post playing
Moving to the
References
- ^ "Martin Lang – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ "A history of heartbreak: Cronulla Sharks' tale of woe in NRL finals". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Lang may you run – News – BigPond Sport". Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ^ Proszenko, Adrian (6 May 2012). "Gallen set to smash record". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- ^ "One more big hit could spell the end for Lang". AAP Sports News (Australia). 22 April 2002. Archived from the original (fee required) on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2007.
- ^ "Lang to miss start of season". AAP Sports News (Australia). 6 February 2003. Archived from the original (fee required) on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2007.
- ^ "Don't blame my running style says battered Lang". AAP Sports News (Australia). 12 March 2000. Archived from the original (fee required) on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2007.
- ^ Chris Barrett (12 May 2012). "'It's not good, but I loved every minute'". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ a b Josh Massoud (20 April 2012). "Ya want fries with that belting?". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 23 April 2012.
External links
