Craig Field

This article is about the rugby league player. For the airport in Selma, Alabama, see Craig Field (Alabama).

Craig Field

Personal information
Full name	Craig Field
Nickname	Fieldsy[1]
Born	12 December 1972 (1972-12-12) (age 38)
Playing information
Height	169 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	78 kg (12 st 4 lb)
Position	Halfback
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1990–96	South Sydney Rabbitohs	84	22	83	0	254
1997–99	Manly-Warringah	54	7	44	3	119
1999	Balmain Tigers	17	2	1	2	12
2000–01	Wests Tigers	28	4	7	3	33
	Total	183	35	135	8	418
Source: NRL Stats

Craig Field (born 12 December 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league player. Field played for South Sydney, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers. His primary position was at halfback. His talent and leadership on the field was hampered by off-field incidents throughout his career.

Playing career

Field made his debut with South Sydney as a seventeen-year old in 1990, playing one game from the bench. By 1993, with his flashes of brilliance on-field, he had earned himself a position in the first-grade team on a regular basis and in 1994 he was promoted to captain.^[2]

In 1995, Field was stripped of the captaincy and fined $10,000 for missing training and at the end of the 1996 season he left the Rabbitohs for Manly-Warringah. Both Cliff Lyons and Geoff Toovey were in the Manly team and Field had to compete against the two test halves for the halfback position. Field was a member of the 1997 Manly side which lost the Grand Final to the Newcastle Knights.^[2]

Early in 1999, Field requested a release from the Manly club and he played his last game with the team in round 5. In round 7, he steered his new club, Balmain, to a win over Manly.

Field became a Wests Tiger in 2000 when Balmain and Western Suburbs merged at the end of the 1999 season. After only four games of the 2001 season, Field and team-mate, Kevin McGuinness, were suspended by the National Rugby League (NRL) for six months after testing positive for stimulants.^[3][4] Field did not participate in any other first-grade games in Australia.

In 2002, Field moved to the south-west of France to play for the Pia Donkeys in the French Rugby League Championship. Following the sacking of coach John Elias in February, 2003, Field took over coaching duties and led Pia in the club's 16–14 loss in the French Cup final. On his return to Australia in May, 2003, Field joined the Newtown Jets in the premier-league competition, captaining the side for the remainder of the season.^[2][5]

In 2008, Field was captain-coach of Wagga Brothers in the Group 9 competition.^[6] In 2010, he joined the Cudgen Hornets in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League, along with his cousin Matt Seers.^[7]

Personal life

Craig Field discussing the case to the media

After claiming to be the victim of an armed robbery at a hotel in Wagga Wagga on the night of 18 February 2007 of which he was manager at the time, it was alleged that the robbery had been staged and Field was subsequently charged with recruiting a child to participate in a criminal activity, making a false statement to police and three counts of stealing after a robbery.^[8] On 11 August 2009, after a four day trial at Wagga Wagga Court House, Field was acquitted of all charges by a majority (11-1) jury verdict.^[9]

References

• Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. pp. page 158. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1. 

Footnotes

1. ^ Walker, Ben (20 June 2008). "Clyburn, the right player to shutdown Field". Fairfax Digital (The Daily Liberal). http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/clyburn-the-right-player-to-shutdown-field/793855.aspx. Retrieved 12 August 2009. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. pp. page 158. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1. 
3. ^ "Drugs pair hit by ban" (fee required). The Mirror (London). 2001-03-29. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-72421513.html. Retrieved 2008-08-16. 
4. ^ "Six months for both Field and McGuinness" (fee required). AAP Sports News (Australia). 2001-03-23. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-43017995.html. Retrieved 2008-08-16. 
5. ^ Brad Walter (2003-06-05). "Field a Jet but no chance for Souths". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/04/1054700278872.html. Retrieved 2008-08-16. 
6. ^ Les Muir (2008-08-15). "Captain defies CRL with Field choice". The Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga). http://dailyadvertiser.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/general/captain-defies-crl-with-field-choice/1245447.aspx. Retrieved 2008-08-16. 
7. ^ Jamie Gallagher (4 February 2010). "Hornets confident of top placing". Tweed Daily News. http://www.tweednews.com.au/story/2010/02/04/following-a-formidable-off-season-in-which-recruit/. Retrieved 21 February 2010. 
8. ^ "Former NRL star in court over fake robbery". News Limited (The Australian). 27 September 2007. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22494323-5006784,00.html. Retrieved 12 August 2009. ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ Holliday, Rebekah (12 August 2009). "Field found not guilty". Fairfax Digital (Brisbane Times). http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/league/field-found-not-guilty-20090812-ehcf.html. Retrieved 12 August 2009. 

External links

Media related to Craig Field at Wikimedia Commons

• Craig Field at Wagga Brothers
• Craig Field at NRL Stats.com
• Craig Field at the Rugby League Project

Persondata
Name	Field, Craig
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	12 December 1972
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death