- Chris Anderson (rugby league)
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Chris Anderson Personal information Full name Christopher Anderson Born 2 May 1952 Playing information Position Wing Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1971–84 Canterbury Bulldogs 230 94 0 0 303 1984–85 Widnes Hull Kingston Rovers 1985–88 Halifax Total 230 94 0 0 303 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1975–82 Australia 12 1 0 0 3 1980–83 New South Wales 4 3 0 0 12 Coaching information Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1985–88 Halifax 1990–97 Canterbury Bulldogs 181 110 4 67 61 1998–01 Melbourne Storm 89 53 2 34 60 2002–03 Cronulla-Sutherland 51 24 0 27 47 2007 Sydney Roosters 16 5 0 11 31 Total 337 192 6 139 57 Representative Years Team Gms W D L W% 1999–03 Australia 24 21 0 3 88 Source: NRL Stats, Rugby League Project Chris Anderson (born 2 May 1952) is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s and coach of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian Kangaroos and New South Wales Blues representative Wing, he featured in Canterbury-Bankstown's third grand final win and captained Halifax to a Challenge Cup victory.
As a coach, Anderson took Australia to World Cup victory and coached both the Canterbury Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm to premiership wins. He is also a member of the Halifax Hall of Fame.
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Playing career
Anderson was a Wing who was recruited by Peter Moore from Forbes, New South Wales. He played 232 first grade games for the Canterbury Bulldogs between 1971–84 and was also a member of the Widnes Rugby League Challenge Cup winning side in 1974–75.
Anderson represented Australia in 8 Tests, the 1975 World Cup and two Kangaroos Tours in 1978 and 1982. He also represented New South Wales, selected at wing in the experimental 1980 State of Origin game, and became the first ever player to score a hat-trick of tries in a State of Origin match.
Anderson was also captain-coach of Halifax between 1985–88 where he enjoyed great success, including the 1985-86 Rugby Football League Championship and the 1986–87 Rugby League Challenge Cup victory against St Helens.
Challenge Cup final appearances
Chris Anderson played Stand-off/Five-eighth, i.e. number 6, and was captain in Halifax’s 19–18 victory over St Helens in the 1987 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium on 2 May 1987.
Coaching career
Chris Anderson is one of the few people to play and coach competition winning sides in both Australia and England. He is also one of the few people to coach two different clubs to NRL/NSWRL Premiership success.
Anderson returned to Australia after playing/coaching in the British 1987–88 season and was appointed coach of the Canterbury Bulldogs Under 21's team for the 1989 season. He was quickly appointed first grade coach for 1990 and enjoyed eight fruitful seasons at Canterbury, including the 1995 Premiership triumph over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
The formation of the Melbourne Storm saw Anderson become their first coach and he guided the team to Premiership success in 1999 when they defeated the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Anderson was appointed coach of the Australian national team in March 1999, replacing Wayne Bennett.[1] He enjoyed five successful seasons before his tenure came to a halt after the successful 2003 whitewash of Great Britain.
He quit as Melbourne Storm coach after seven rounds (and only two wins) of the 2001 NRL season.[2]
On the 2001 Kangaroo Tour when coaching Australia, Anderson, was taken to a Wigan hospital after complaining of chest pains during the first half of the deciding third test match against Great Britain at the JJB Stadium. He had suffered a non-fatal myocardial infarction and thankfully made a full recovery.
Anderson was also coach of the Cronulla Sharks for two controversial seasons in 2002 and 2003 getting them one game short of the Grand Final in 2002. Anderson was sacked in dramatic circumstances over disagreements with the club's management on the future direction of the team, largely centred around his decision to replace the existing Scrum-half/Halfback, Preston Campbell with new signing Brett Kimmorley in the starting side. He also continually picked his son, Jared, at the expense of Matt King, who ended up moving to the Melbourne Storm where his career blossomed.
In July 2004 Anderson was appointed coach of the Newport Gwent Dragons – a Welsh Rugby Union team. Despite finishing fourth in the Celtic League that season, his one year contract was not renewed. Anderson was overlooked for the signing of Canberra Rugby League football club and many have linked it with his choosing to coach a Rugby Union side.
Anderson had accept a 2 year contract with the Sydney Roosters as their first grade coach for the 2007–08 NRL seasons. However late in the season after just five wins from sixteen matches, including a horrific 56–0 loss to Manly Sea Eagles, Anderson stepped down from the job. Former Roosters five eighth Brad Fittler was his replacement.
Honoured at Halifax
Chris Anderson is a Halifax Hall Of Fame Inductee.[3]
References
- ^ "Chris Anderson". BBC Sport 2001 Ashes squad guide (UK: BBC). 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/static/in_depth/rugby_league/2001/ashes/default.stm. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
- ^ news.bbc.co.uk (2001-04-02). "Angry Anderson leaves Storm". BBC Sport Online. BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/low/rugby_league/1256477.stm. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
- ^ "Halifax RLFC Hall of Fame". halifaxrlfc.co.uk. 2008-12-31. http://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/page.php?id=213. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
External links
Preceded by
Colin DixonCoach
Halifax RLFC
1985 ‐ 88Succeeded by
Graham EadiePreceded by
Phil Gould
1988 ‐ 89Coach
Canterbury Bulldogs
1990 ‐ 97Succeeded by
Steve Folkes
1998 ‐Preceded by
team createdCoach
Melbourne Storm
1998–2001Succeeded by
Mark Murray
2001–2002Preceded by
Wayne Bennett
1998Coach
Australia
1999–2003Succeeded by
Wayne Bennett
2004–2005Preceded by
John Lang
1994–2001Coach
Cronulla Sharks
2002–2003Succeeded by
Stuart Raper
2004–2006Preceded by
Ricky Stuart
2002–2006Coach
Sydney Roosters
2007Succeeded by
Brad Fittler
2007–2009Australia squad – 2000 Rugby League World Cup champions (9th Title) The Invincibles Max Krilich (captain) • Wally Lewis (vice-captain) • Chris Anderson • Kerry Boustead • Les Boyd • Greg Brentnall • Ray Brown • Greg Conescu • Steve Ella • Eric Grothe, Sr. • Rohan Hancock • Brett Kenny • Paul McCabe • Don McKinnon • Mal Meninga • Gene Miles • Rod Morris • Steve Mortimer • John Muggleton • Mark Murray • Wayne Pearce • Ray Price • Rod Reddy • John Ribot • Steve Rogers • Ian Schubert • Peter Sterling • Craig Young •
Coach: Frank StantonAustralia squad – 1975 Rugby League World Championship winners (4th title) Graeme Langlands (Capt./Coach) • Chris Anderson • Arthur Beetson • Ray Branighan • John Brass • Ron Coote • Mick Cronin • John Donnelly • Graham Eadie • Terry Fahey • Denis Fitzgerald • Bob Fulton • Mark Harris • Ray Higgs • John Lang • Ian Mackay • Allan McMahon • John Mayes • John O'Neill • John Peard • Tim Pickup • Greg Pierce • George Piggins • Lew Platz • Jim Porter • John Quayle • Terry Randall • Tom Raudonikis • Johnny Rhodes • Steve Rogers • Paul Sait • Ian Schubert • Gary Stevens • Ross Strudwick • Greg Veivers • David Wright •Melbourne Storm squad – 2000 World Club Challenge winners 1 Robbie Ross • 2 Brad Watts • 3 Aaron Moule • 4 Tony Martin • 5 Marcus Bai • 6 Scott Hill • 7 Brett Kimmorley
• 8 Wayne Evans • 9 Richard Swain • 10 Robbie Kearns (c) • 11 Paul Marquet • 12 Stephen Kearney • 13 Matt Rua
• 14 Danny Williams • 15 Russell Bawden • 16 Tasesa Lavea • 17 Dane Morgan
• Coach: Chris AndersonMelbourne Storm squad - 1999 NRL premiers (1st title) 1. Robbie Ross • 2. Craig Smith • 3. Aaron Moule • 4. Tony Martin • 5. Marcus Bai • 6. Matt Geyer • 7. Brett Kimmorley
8. Glenn Lazarus (c) • 9. Richard Swain • 10. Rodney Howe • 11. Paul Marquet • 12. Stephen Kearney • 13. Tawera Nikau
14. Matt Rua • 15. Danny Williams • 16. Russell Bawden • 17. Ben Roarty
Coach: Chris AndersonInaugural Melbourne Storm side 1. Robbie Ross | 2. Craig Smith | 3. Aaron Moule | 4. Paul Bell | 5. Marcus Bai | 6. Scott Hill | 7. Brett Kimmorley |
8. Rodney Howe | 9. Danny Williams | 10. Robbie Kearns | 11. Paul Marquet | 12. Ben Roarty | 13. Tawera Nikau |
14. Glenn Lazarus (c) | 15. Richard Swain | 16. Russell Bawden | 17. John Carlaw | Coach: Chris AndersonSydney Bulldogs squad – 1995 ARL Premiers (7th Title) 1 Rod Silva • 2 Jason Williams • 3 John Timu • 4 Matthew Ryan • 5 Daryl Halligan • 6 Terry Lamb (c) • 7 Craig Polla-Mounter
• 8 Darren Britt • 9 Jason Hetherington • 10 Dean Pay • 11 Steve Price • 12 Simon Gillies • 13 Jim Dymock
• 14 Jason Smith • 15 Glen Hughes • 16 Mitch Newton • Coach: Chris AndersonHalifax RLFC squad – Graham Eadie • 2 David Robinson • 3 Chris Anderson (Capt./Coach) • 4 Ian Wilkinson • 5 Colin Whitfield • 6 Bob Grogan • 7 Steve Robinson
• 8 Neil James • 9 Seamus McCallion • 10 Keith Neller • 11 Les Holliday • 12 Paul Dixon • 13 John Pendlebury
• 14 Mick Scott • 15 Dick Fairbank
Halifax RLFC squad – 1987 Challenge Cup Final winners 1 Graham Eadie • 2 Scott Wilson • 3 Colin Whitfield • 4 Grant Rix • 5 Wilf George • 6 Chris Anderson (Capt./Coach) • 7 Gary Stephens
• 8 Ben Beevers • 9 Seamus McCallion • 10 Keith Neller • 11 Paul Dixon • 12 Mick Scott • 13 John Pendlebury
• 14 Brian Juliff • 15 Neil JamesCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs squad – 1980 NSWRFL Premiers (3rd Title) 1 Greg Brentnall • 2 Chris Anderson • 3 Chris Mortimer • 4 Peter Mortimer • 5 Steve Gearin • 6 Garry Hughes • 7 Steve Mortimer (c)
• 8 Mark Hughes • 9 Steve Folkes • 10 Graeme Hughes • 11 Geoff Robinson • 12 George Peponis • 13 John Coveney
• Coach: Ted GlossopCategories:- 1953 births
- Australia national rugby league team coaches
- Australia national rugby league team players
- Australian rugby league coaches
- Australian rugby league players
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs coaches
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks coaches
- Halifax RLFC coaches
- Halifax RLFC players
- Hull Kingston Rovers players
- Living people
- Melbourne Storm coaches
- New South Wales Rugby League State of Origin players
- Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal
- Rugby league wingers
- Sydney Roosters coaches
- Widnes Vikings players
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