Ross Conlon

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Ross Conlon


imagesize =
caption =
fullname = Ross Conlon
nickname =
living =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1959|3|29|df=yes
placeofbirth = Murwillumbah, NSW
countryofbirth = Australia
dateofdeath =
placeofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
weight =
position = rlp|CE
club1 = Western Suburbs
year1start = 1981
year1end = 1982
appearances1 = 34
tries1 = 12
goals1 = 56
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 148
club2 = Canterbury Bulldogs
year2start = 1983
year2end = 1984
appearances2 = 38
tries2 = 9
goals2 = 120
fieldgoals2 = 0
points2 = 276
club3 = Balmain Tigers
year3start = 1985
year3end = 1988
appearances3 = 98
tries3 = 15
goals3 = 348
fieldgoals3 = 0
points3 = 756
club4 = St. Helens
year4start = 1985
year4end = 1986
appearances4 = 16
tries4 = 9
goals4 = 65
fieldgoals4 = 0
points4 = 166
teamA = New South Wales
yearAstart = 1984
yearAend =
appearancesA = 3
triesA = 0
goalsA = 10
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 20
teamB = Australia
yearBstart = 1984
yearBend =
appearancesB = 1
triesB = 0
goalsB = 4
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 8
source = [http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=1940 NRL Stats] , [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Ross_Conlon.html RLP] , cite journal | author = Glenn Jackson | title = Legend Q&A | journal = Rugby League Week | issue =6 October 2004 |pages = pgs 20-21 | publisher = PBLMedia | location = Sydney, NSW | accessdate =2008-09-12 ]

Ross Conlon (born in Murwillumbah, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league footballer. He played for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Canterbury Bulldogs and Balmain Tigers in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership (NSWRL) as well as representative football for New South Wales and the Australia.

Playing career

Conlon played junior football with Murwillumbah. While playing in the University Cup competition for Mount St Mary in 1980, he was noticed by Wests coach, Roy Masters. Conlon debuted for Wests in round 6 of the 1981 NSWRL season, scoring a try against North Sydney.

Conlon, a centre, was notable for his success as a goal-kicker. He developed an 'around-the-corner' sideways shuffle before moving in to strike the ball, claiming the shuffle gave him more time. Conlon credits this habit to soccer, a game he played until the age of fifteen.cite journal | author = Glenn Jackson | title = Legend Q&A | journal = Rugby League Week | issue =6 October 2004 |pages = pgs 20-21 | publisher = PBLMedia | location = Sydney, NSW | accessdate =2008-09-12 ]

After two seasons with the Western Suburbs, Conlon signed with Canterbury in 1983. Conlon had a successful season with Canterbury, and the team made it to the preliminary final against Parramatta Eels. Conlon dislocated his hip in the game but was able to return to first-grade in round 10 of the 1984 season.

Within a few weeks of his return from injury, Conlon was selected on the wing for game I of the 1984 State of Origin series. Conlon played in all three matches, kicking ten goals. In June 1984, with Eric Grothe injured, Conlon made his first and only appearance in an Australian representative side. He was selected for the first Test of the Ashes series against Great Britain and kicked four goals.

Although Conlon made representative selection in 1984, his form dropped later in the season and Canterbury coach, Warren Ryan, dropped Conlon to the bench in round 24. Conlon wasn't included in any of the team line-ups for the rest of the season and he was omitted from the successful team that met Parramatta in the 1984 grand final.cite journal | author = Glenn Jackson | title = Legend Q&A | journal = Rugby League Week | issue =6 October 2004 |pages = pgs 20-21 | publisher = PBLMedia | location = Sydney, NSW | accessdate =2008-09-12 ]

Conlon joined Balmain for the 1985 season and he was one of the most consistent point-scorers during the mid-1980s. In the 1987 NSWRL season, he led the competition's point-scoring table with 196 points.

Conlon was a member of the Balmain team which lost to his former club, Canterbury, in the 1988 grand final.

Post-playing career

At the end of the 1988 season, at the age of only 29, Conlon retired from first-grade rugby league and returned to country football as a player and coach.cite journal | author = Glenn Jackson | title = Legend Q&A | journal = Rugby League Week | issue =6 October 2004 |pages = pgs 20-21 | publisher = PBLMedia | location = Sydney, NSW | accessdate =2008-09-12 ]

Conlon coached in Casino and Murwillumbah following his retirement from playing and is now a school-teacher.cite journal | author = Glenn Jackson | title = Legend Q&A | journal = Rugby League Week | issue =6 October 2004 |pages = pgs 20-21 | publisher = PBLMedia | location = Sydney, NSW | accessdate =2008-09-12 ] In 2007 he coached the Uralla Tigers to the Group 4 (Division 2) premiership. [cite news|Fpublisher="The Armidale Express"|title=One for the record books |url=http://armidale.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/one-for-the-record-books/682052.aspx |accessdate=2008-09-12|date=2007-09-05]

Footnotes

References

* cite book | author=Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson |title=The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players |year=2007
publisher="Gary Allen Pty Ltd" |location=Wetherill Park, New South Wales |isbn=9781877082931 |pages=page 97-98

External links

* [http://www.bulldogs.com.au/main.php?page=player&id=465 "Ross Conlon" Bulldogs profile]
* [http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=1940 "Ross Conlon" at "NRL Stats"]
* [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Ross_Conlon.html "Ross Conlon" at "The Rugby League Project"]