- Clinton Schifcofske
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Clinton Schifcofske Personal information Full name Clinton Schifcofske Nickname Choka, Jock, Brains Born 10 November 1975
Moranbah, Queensland, AustraliaHeight 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) Weight 93 kg (14 st 9 lb) [1] Playing information Rugby league Position Fullback, Wing Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1996–1997 South Queensland 23 7 40 0 108 1998–2000 Parramatta Eels 72 21 180 0 444 2001–2006 Canberra Raiders 139 44 432 12 1052 2010–11 Crusaders 47 6 121 0 266 Total 281 78 773 12 1870 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2002–2006 Queensland 2 0 2 0 4 Rugby union Position Fullback, Wing Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2006–2008 Queensland Reds 10 104 2008–2010 Ulster 30 1 22 0 65 Total 40 1 22 0 169 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2007 Australia A 5 61 As of 01 April 2010 Source: RLP Clinton Schifcofske (born 10 November 1975 in Moranbah, Queensland) is an Australian rugby league footballer for the Crusaders in the European Super League.[2][3] He has previously played for Irish rugby union club Ulster in the Magners League competition and also he spent a year with Queensland Reds in the Super 14. Clinton previously played rugby league for the South Queensland Crushers, Parramatta Eels and the Canberra Raiders prior to his move to Rugby Union. His position of choice is at fullback. He is of Polish descent.[4]
Contents
Rugby league
In 2001 and 2004 Schifcofske was named the Canberra Raiders' player of the year. In 2006 he was made captain of the club. In the same year, due to an injury incurred by Karmichael Hunt, Schifcofske was chosen in the Queensland Maroons side for the 2006 State of Origin decider. He was the Maroons' third fullback for the series after Matt Bowen was dropped after Game One. During the middle of the 2006 season he made the decision to switch codes from Rugby League to Rugby Union signing a two year deal with the Queensland Reds for the 2007 season.
During the 2006 season, one of Schifcofske's penalty goal attempts in a match against the Wests Tigers was the subject of Ray Warren's commentary; as he was taking the shot, Warren called the words: "Eddie Jones (who was at the time the coach of the Queensland Reds), if you're watching..." and Schifcofske nailed the shot. In the same match, he nailed a field goal in golden point to win Canberra the match. He had the best goal kicking success rate in the NRL ahead of both Andrew Johns and Hazem El Masri. His final NRL match was played at Telstra Stadium on the 9th of September 2006 against the Canterbury Bulldogs where the Raiders were knocked out of the finals race. He finished the 2006 season as the Raiders' top point-scorer.
Schifcoske's 1,604 points in first grade places him 9th in Australian rugby league's all time top point scoring list.
Rugby union
Schifcoske's Rugby Union career started when the Queensland Reds took on Japan with Schifcoske having a sound performance in his first game and then playing for an invitational World XV side against The Springboks. After being planned to be used as a goal-kicking winger by Eddie Jones the season ending injury to Reds and Wallabies Fullback Chris Latham, Schifcoske was selected to play in his preferred position of Fullback. In 2007 he represented Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup in all 5 games. Australia finished runners up to the Junior All Blacks.
Schifcofske is weighing up a two-year offer from the Reds as well as interest from five other clubs, including a large deal from Ulster Rugby. It's understood two are from league, an unnamed NRL club and Perpignan-based Super League franchise Catalans Dragons, while other interest comes from rugby union clubs in England and Japan.[5]
It has since been confirmed that he will be leaving the Reds at the end of the 2008 Super 14 season, and joining the Irish province Ulster for three seasons.
Return to rugby league
Mid-way through the 2010 Super League XV season, Schifcofske signed with the Crusaders, returning to rugby league. After Michael Witt suffered a season-ending knee injury, Schifcofske became the team's primary goal kicker. In 20 appearances for the Crusaders in 2010, he scored a team-high 120 points.
Awards and honors
- State of Origin: Played 2 games in total for Queensland (2002 & 2006)
- 2006 Dally M Fullback of the Year.
References
- ^ "Crusaders Rugby League". web page. Crusaders Rugby League Club. http://www.crusadersrfl.com/teammember.php?id=718. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
- ^ "SCHIFCOFSKE JOINS CRUSADERS". Sportinglife. 01-04-2010. http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/10/04/01/RUGBYL_Crusaders.html. Retrieved 01-04-2010.
- ^ "Schifcofske seals Crusaders move". Crusaders. 01-04-2010. http://www.crusadersrfl.com/article.php?id=17187. Retrieved 01-04-2010.
- ^ http://www.sportsaustralia.com/articles/mar06/artid5138.html
- ^ "Schifcofske in high demand". Fox Sports. 2008-04-23. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23588003-23217,00.html. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
External links
- Ulster profile
- Clinton Schifcofske at the State of Origin official website.
- Clinton Schifcofske at the Former Origin Greats website.
- Clinton Schifcofske - Rugby League Tables
- Clinton Schifcofske QLD Reds Player Profile
- Clinton Schifcofske Raiders Player Profile
Crusaders Rugby League – current squad 1 Schifcofske · 2 Reardon · 3 Martin · 4 Mellars · 5 Thomas · 6 Witt · 7 Sammut · 8 O'Hara · 9 Withers · 10 Bryant · 11 Moore · 12 Chan · 13 Johnson · 14 Winterstein · 15 Peek · 16 Cahill ·
17 James · 18 Flower · 19 White · 20 Kear · 21 Lupton · 22 Mills · 23 Hanbury · 24 Dudson · 25 Williams · 26 Murphy · Coach: NobleSporting positions Preceded by
Simon WoolfordCanberra Raiders captain
2006Succeeded by
Alan TongueCategories:- 1975 births
- Australian people of Polish descent
- People from Central Queensland
- Australian rugby league players
- Canberra Raiders players
- Parramatta Eels players
- South Queensland Crushers players
- Queensland Rugby League State of Origin players
- Australian rugby union players
- Ulster Rugby players
- Living people
- Crusaders Rugby League players
- Rugby league fullbacks
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