- Martin Gleeson
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Martin Gleeson Gleeson playing for Warrington in 2007 Personal information Born 25 May 1980
Wigan, Greater Manchester, EnglandHeight 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) Weight 95 kg (14 st 13 lb) [1] Playing information Position Centre, Stand-off/Five-eighth Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1999–01 Huddersfield Giants 56 18 0 0 72 2001–04 St. Helens 57 25 0 0 100 2004–09 Warrington Wolves 110 44 0 0 176 2009–2011 Wigan Warriors 51 22 0 0 88 2011 Hull 7 5 0 0 20 Total 281 114 0 0 456 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2002–07 Great Britain 20 3 0 0 12 2008 England 6 8 0 0 32 As of 4 October 2009 Source: Rugby League Project Martin Gleeson is an English professional rugby league footballer, who plays for Hull in the Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative Centre, and Stand-off/Five-eighth, he previously played for Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants, St. Helens (with whom he won the 2002 Super League championship and 2004 Challenge Cup) and Warrington. His brother, Mark Gleeson, is also a rugby league player who plays for Halifax.
Contents
Early life
Gleeson was born in Wigan on 25 May 1980. Much of his early rugby development took place in Australia, where he emigrated with his family at age 10 to live in Queensland, where he played his junior rugby league for the Logan Brothers club based in Woodridge, Queensland.[2] He returned to England aged 17 and embarked on a professional career, signing for Huddersfield Giants in 1999.
Club career
Huddersfield Giants (1999–2001)
St Helens RLFC (2002–2004)
After three seasons with the Giants he left the club after their relegation from Super League in 2001, and signed for St. Helens. In 2002 he won the Super League Grand Final.
Injury lay off disrupted him in 2003. He opened the 2004 season for St. Helens, and won the Challenge Cup against Wigan Warriors at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. He and teammate Sean Long were later involved in a betting scandal that saw both players fined and suspended for the last four months of the 2004 season.[3]
Warrington Wolves (2005–2009)
Whilst serving his suspension, Gleeson was signed by Warrington Wolves for a club record fee reported in the region of £200,000, and made his debut for the Wolves in the 2005 season. Gleeson enjoyed a fine first season for the Wolves, recording a personal best scoring tally of 17 tries in 27 Super League appearances, and he was named as a centre in the Super League Dream Team 2005. Gleeson was also heavily involved in providing scores for his winger partner, New Zealand international Henry Fa'afili. Gleeson signed a two year extension until 2011. However on the 4th April, 2009 he signed for local rivals, the Wigan Warriors, on a three and a half year deal.
Wigan Warriors (2009–2011)
Seven rounds into the 2009 season, with both Warrington and Wigan at the time drifting outside of play-off positions, Gleeson was transferred to the Wigan Warriors on a 3½ year contract, with fullback Richie Mathers moving the other way in return. Gleeson was an integral part of Wigan's 2010 season, scoring two tries as they claimed the Grand Final victory over his former club St. Helens.[4]
His start of the 2011 season came against St Helens RLFC in the first regular round.[5] He also featured in the side's win at Bradford Bulls but had to be taken off in the first half due to a hamstring injury.[6] He recovered in time for the World Club Challenge fixture against St George Illawarra Dragons, but was ineffective and again had to be withdrawn during the match due to the injury.[7] Prior to the match, the Manchester Evening News reported that in December 2010, Gleeson had contacted the police alleging he was the victim of blackmail but had decided to drop the charge.[8] Amid growing speculation, the club released a statement saying he had left his hometown club with immediate effect citing his injury, disciplinary problems and a "serious distraction in his personal life"[9] as the reasons for the departure.
Hull FC (2011–present)
Gleeson signed for Super League club Hull FC on Thursday 15th April on an 18 month contract, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2012 season. He made a try scoring debut in the 36 - 18 thrashing of bitter city rivals Hull KR in the good Friday derby at the KC Stadium.
Representative career
He made his debut for Great Britain against Australia in Sydney in July 2002, also participating in the test series against New Zealand at the end of the season.
Although he missed seven games between July and September, he came back at the end of the 2003 season to win back his place in the Great Britain squad after a fine performance for England A against the touring Australians.
In September 2008 he was named in the England training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[10] and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man England squad.[11]
He was chosen for the England team to face Wales at the Keepmoat Stadium prior to England's departure for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[12]
References
- ^ "Hull F.C.". web page. Hull F.C.. http://www.hullfc.com/personnel.aspx?pr=219180. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ^ Ricketts, Steve (2008-10-17). "England centre Martin Gleeson wants NRL spot in 2010". http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,24512252-5003409,00.html.
- ^ "Tri-Nations: Great Britain profiles". Daily Mail (London). 19 October 2004. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-322576/Tri-Nations-Great-Britain-profiles.html. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- ^ "St Helens 10-22 Wigan". BBC News. 2 October 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/9037764.stm.
- ^ Scott, Ged (12 February 2011). "St Helens 16-16 Wigan". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/9393298.stm. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ "Bradford 10 Wigan 44: match report". The Daily Telegraph (London). 20 February 2011. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/8337082/Bradford-10-Wigan-44-match-report.html. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ Wilson, Andy (27 February 2011). "Wigan Warriors make brave attempt but Dragons are still worlds apart". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/feb/27/wigan-st-george-illawarra-world-club-challenge. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ Keegan, Mike (25 February 2011). "Wigan rugby league star Martin Gleeson 'received death threats in blackmail plot'". Manchester Evening News. http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1409264_wigan_rugby_league_star_martin_gleeson_received_death_threats_in_blackmail_plot. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ "Wigan Warriors part with troubled Martin Gleeson". BBC. 4 March 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/wigan/9415552.stm. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ "Myler gets England call". England Rugby League. 2008-09-29. http://www.englandrl.co.uk/article.php?id=11890. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ "Purdham earns World Cup call-up". BBC. 2008-10-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7656553.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
- ^ "Gleeson to lead new-look England". BBC. 2008-10-09. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7642490.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
External links
- Wigan Warriors profile
- Warrington Wolves profile
- International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
- Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
- Martin Gleeson Wigan Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.
- Wigan Warriors fans profile
Wigan Warriors – current squad 1 S.Tomkins · 2 Goulding · 4 Carmont · 5 Richards · 6 Deacon · 7 Leuluai · 8 Fielden · 9 McIlorum · 10 Coley · 11 Hansen · 12 J. Tomkins · 13 O'Loughlin · 14 Prescott · 15 Lima · 16 Hoffman · 17 Finch · 19 Roberts · 20 O'Carroll · 21 Mossop · 22 Farrell · 23 Tuson · 24 Marsh · 25 Charnley · 26 Pryce · 27 Davies · 28 Walker · 34 Hock · Coach: Wane
England squad – 2008 Rugby League World Cup Semi Finalists 1 Burrow · 2 Calderwood · 3 Ellis · 4 Fa'asavalu · 5 Gardner · 6 Gleeson · 7 Graham · 8 Higham · 9 Hock · 10 Jones-Buchanan · 11 Langley · 12 McGuire · 13 Morley ·
14 Peacock (c) · 15 Pryce · 16 Purdham · 17 Roby · 18 Senior · 19 Sinfield · 20 L. Smith · 21 Sykes · 22 Wellens · 23 Westwood · 24 Wilkin · Coach: T. SmithSuper League Dream Team – 2005 1 Paul Wellens • 2 Mark Calderwood • 3 Jamie Lyon • 4 Martin Gleeson • 5 Darren Albert • 6 Paul Cooke • 7 Rob Burrow
• 8 Jamie Thackray • 9 Keiron Cunningham • 10 Paul Anderson • 11 Jamie Peacock • 12 Ali Lauitiiti • 13 Kevin SinfieldSt Helens RLFC squad – Paul Wellens • 2 Ade Gardner • 3 Martin Gleeson • 4 Willie Talau • 5 Darren Albert • 6 Jason Hooper • 7 Sean Long
• 8 Nick Fozzard • 9 Keiron Cunningham • 10 Keith Mason • 11 Chris Joynt • 12 Lee Gilmour • 13 Paul Sculthorpe
• 14 Dominic Feau'nati • 15 Jon Wilkin • 16 Ricky Bibey • 17 Mark Edmondson
• Coach: Ian Millward
St Helens RLFC squad – 2002 Super League champions 1 Paul Wellens • 2 Darren Albert • 3 Martin Gleeson • 4 Paul Newlove • 5 Anthony Stewart • 6 Paul Sculthorpe • 7 Sean Long
• 8 Darren Britt • 9 Keiron Cunningham • 10 Barry Ward • 11 Mike Bennett • 12 Tim Jonkers • 13 Chris Joynt
• 14 Sean Hoppe • 15 Mickey Higham • 16 John Stankevitch • 17 Peter Shiels
• Coach: Ian MillwardSuper League Dream Team – 2002 1 Kris Radlinski • 2 Tevita Vaikona • 3 Keith Senior • 4 Martin Gleeson • 5 Darren Albert • 6 Danny Orr • 7 Adrian Lam
• 8 Terry O'Connor • 9 Keiron Cunningham • 10 Stuart Fielden • 11 Michael Smith • 12 Jamie Peacock • 13 Paul SculthorpeCategories:- 1980 births
- People from Wigan
- English rugby league players
- St Helens RFC players
- Great Britain national rugby league team players
- Huddersfield Giants players
- Rugby league centres
- Rugby league five-eighths
- Warrington Wolves players
- Living people
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