Matt Orford

Matt Orford

Orford while playing for the Sea Eagles in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Matthew Orford
Nickname	Ox[1]
Born	22 April 1978 (1978-04-22) (age 33) Gosford, New South Wales, Australia
Height	169.5 cm (5 ft 6.7 in)
Weight	92 kg (14 st 7 lb)
Playing information
Position	Halfback
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2000	Northern Eagles	11	4	23	0	62
2001–2005	Melbourne Storm	120	52	333	3	877
2006–2009	Manly-Warringah	98	17	242	9	561
2010	Bradford Bulls	12	3	31	2	76
2011–2011	Canberra Raiders	6	0	0	0	0
	Total	247	76	629	14	1576
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2001–2006	City Origin	3	0	0	0	0
As of 14 June 2011
Source: Rugby League Project and Yesterday's Hero

Matthew Orford (born 22 April 1978 in Gosford, New South Wales) is an Australian professional rugby league player, last playing for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League competition. His position of choice is at halfback.

Orford was a North Sydney Bears junior and started his career with the Northern Eagles before joining the Melbourne Storm and later the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

He joined the Sea Eagles for the 2006 NRL season and was the captain of the Sea Eagles. Orford was a member of the Sea Eagles team which lost the 2007 NRL grand final to the Melbourne Storm.^[2] Orford captained the Sea Eagles in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm.^[3]

In September 2008, Orford won the prestigious Dally M Medal for being voted the best and fairest player of the 2008 NRL season. He finished on 24 points, two points ahead of Billy Slater. Orford is the first player since Peter Sterling to win the Dally M Medal and the premiership in the same year.

He signed for the Bradford Bulls on a three-year deal, starting in the 2010 season. However, his first season with the struggling Yorkshire club has not gone well and was brought to an early finish due to Orford suffering a shoulder injury that would require surgery. He gained a release from the Bulls in order to return home to Australia.

Orford's release was officially granted on 10 January 2011, and he signed with the Canberra Raiders on the same day.^[4]

In September 2011, it was reported Orford was due to be released from the final two years of his contract with Canberra due to injury and requiring surgery.^[5]

References

1. ^ "Bulls hold up Ox's return with demand for $200,000" by Brad Walter (The Sydney Morning Herald 8 December 2010)
2. ^ "Factfile on 2007 Grand Final". The Daily Telegraph. 29 September 2008. http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24415751-5001023,00.html. Retrieved 27 December 2008. 
3. ^ "Grand final: As it happened". Fox Sports. 2008-10-05. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24449388-23214,00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-05. 
4. ^ http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/raiders-sign-orford/2042814.aspx
5. ^ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/end-of-the-road-for-matt-orford/story-e6frexnr-1226129280287

External links

• Bradford Bulls profile
• Matt Orford at NRL.com
• Matt Orford at the Rugby League Project
• Matt Orford at Manly Sea Eagles

Persondata
Name	Orford, Matt
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	22 April 1978
Place of birth	Gosford, New South Wales
Date of death
Place of death