Steven Menzies

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Steve Menzies
fullname = Steven Menzies
nickname = Beaver


image_size= 300px
caption =
country =
position = rlp|SR|LK|CE|FE
currentclub =
clubnumber =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1973|12|4|df=yes
placeofbirth = Manly, New South Wales
countryofbirth = Australia
height = 190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
weight = 98 kg (15 st 6 lbs)
club1 = leagueicon|Manly|16 Manly Sea Eagles
year1start = 1993
year1end = 1999
appearances1 = 150
tries1 = 104
goals1 = 0
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 416
club2 = leagueicon|Northern Eagles|16 Northern Eagles
year2start = 2000
year2end = 2002
appearances2 = 69
tries2 = 29
goals2 = 0
fieldgoals2 = 0
points2 = 116
club3 = leagueicon|Manly|16 Manly Sea Eagles
year3start = 2003
year3end = 2008
appearances3 = 130
tries3 = 47
goals3 = 1
fieldgoals3 = 0
points3 = 186
club4 =
year4start =
year4end =
appearances4 =
tries4 =
goals4 =
fieldgoals4 =
points4 =
teamA = leagueicon|New South Wales|16 New South Wales
yearAstart = 1995
yearAend = 2006
appearancesA = 20
triesA = 4
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 16
teamB = leagueicon|Australia|16 Australia
yearBstart = 1994
yearBend = 2006
appearancesB = 15
triesB = 10
goalsB = 0
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 40
updated = 7th October 2008
source = [http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=172 NRL Stats]

Steve "Beaver" Menzies (born 4 December 1973 in Manly, New South Wales) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. Menzies has spent the majority of his playing career in the back row but in recent years he has played in the centres, at five-eighth and as a utility player off the bench.

He will join the Bradford Bulls in the European Super League from the 2009 season.cite web|url=http://www.nrllive.com.au/2009-nrl-player-movements/|title=2009 NRL Player Movements|publisher=NRL Live|date=2008-10-04|accessdate=2008-10-04]

Menzies is a noted defender, but is best known as the most prolific try scoring forward in rugby league. His total of 180 tries is second in Australian first grade rugby league, behind former North Sydney Bears and Manly player Ken Irvine, who scored 212 tries.

Playing career

Early years

Menzies played his junior rugby with the Harbord Devils, a junior club within the Manly-Warringah area. Working his way through the junior grades, he quickly earned a contract with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He started his professional rugby league career towards the end of the 1993 season when he made his debut against the Brisbane Broncos.

1994

He rose to prominence forming a lethal combination with five-eight Cliff Lyons during the 1994 season and scoring 16 tries, earning him the Dally M "Rookie of the Year" and "Second Rower of the Year" awards. He also came second in the Rothmans Medal, finishing behind North Sydney Bears David Fairleigh. His season was then topped off when he was selected in the Australian Squad for the 1994 Kangaroo Tour.

1995

In 1995 Menzies became the first forward in fifty years to top the season's try-scoring list (22 tries) and in the same year made his State Of Origin debut for New South Wales. His efforts saw him again win the Dally M "Second Rower of the Year" award, and further representative honours in the 1995 World Cup squad. During the tournament he appeared in four games and scored six tries, which consisted of 'doubles' in all matches except the Final.

2004

In 2004 Steve Menzies surpassed rugby league and Glebe stalwart Frank Burge's record of 'Most Tries Scored by a Forward' when he scored his 147th try against St George Illawarra. Since then Menzies has gone on to amass a tally of 180 tries in 349 games, both club records at the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. His try tally is only second, behind ex-North Sydney Bears and Manly Sea Eagles player Ken Irvine, in the list of 'Most Tries Scored in Premiership History'.

2007

When Manly reached the Grand Final in 2007 Menzies was the sole surviving member of the club's last Grand Final appearance back in 1997. He started in his fourth Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm but the Manly side was unsuccessful in securing the premiership trophy.

After speculation on his retirement from rugby league, Menzies announced in October 2007 that he had re-signed with the Manly Sea Eagles for 2008 on a one-year contract, stating that he would likely retire at the conclusion of the 2008 season. [cite news|publisher="Fairfax Digital"|title=Menzies signs one-year deal with Manly |url=http://news.leaguehq.com.au/menzies-signs-oneyear-deal-with-manly/20071123-15rz.html |accessdate=2007-10-25|date=2007-10-23]

Due to the Manly-Warringah joint venture with the North Sydney Bears as the Northern Eagles from 1999 to 2003, some statisticians do not list Menzies as a "one club player". However, the Manly-Warringah club acknowledges all of Steve Menzies' achievements during this period as part of the Sea Eagles, arguing that he never left the club and that the joint venture was simply another ownership phase as has happened with other clubs whose records are not separated.

2008

After a record breaking club career with Manly and the Northern Eagles, Menzies again got to play in a Grand Final, again against Melbourne. Unlike 2007 though, Manly were dominant on the day decimating the defending premiers by a record 40-0 sending Beaver out a winner. Menzies played his games record equaling 349th game and was one of eight Manly try scorers and bows out of the NRL with a record 180 tries.

He played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Stormcite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24449388-23214,00.html|title=Grand final: As it happened|publisher=Fox Sports|date=2008-10-05|accessdate=2008-10-05] , scoring a fairytale try with his first touch after coming off the bench for a second time, replacing the injured Steve Matai. Menzies is much loved on Sydney's Northern Beaches, and his efforts in the Grand Final of 2008 have earned him legendary status, as well as the 'Performer of the Week' award from the Sydney Morning Herald. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/performer-of-the-week/performer-of-the-week/2008/10/06/1223145263595.html Performer of the week] - Sydney Morning Herald]

European Super League

Menzies announced in July, 2008, that he had agreed to a one year contract with the Bradford Bulls in the Super League for the 2009 season. Manly was unable to offer Menzies a further contract due to salary cap restraints. Menzies stated he could only continue to play overseas as playing against the club he loves "was not an option".cite web|url=http://www.manlyseaeagles.com.au/news.asp?newsid=3506|title=STEVE MENZIES ANNOUNCEMENT - update|publisher=Manly Sea Eagles|date=2008-07-17|accessdate=2008-07-17] cite news|author=Liam FitzGibbon|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24034767-23214,00.html|title=Beaver heading to Bradford|publisher=Fox Sports News (Australia)|date=2008-07-17|accessdate=2008-07-19]

References

External links

*StateofOrigin player|207
* [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Steve_Menzies.html Steve Menzies at the "Rugby League Project"]