Michael Bani

Michael Bani

Personal information
Born	3 July 1984 (1984-07-03) (age 27) Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia
Height	182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	91 kg (14 st 5 lb)
Playing information
Position	Fullback, Wing
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2007–2009	Manly Sea Eagles	20	8	0	0	32
2009–2011	North Queensland	21	8	0	0	32
	Total	41	16	0	0	64
As of 14 June 2011
Source: NRL Stats, [1]

Michael Bani (born 3 July 1984 in Thursday Island, Queensland) is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league player. He has played for the North Queensland Cowboys and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL). He is a full-back who can also play on the wing.

Michael Bani for reserve-grade action for the Manly Sea Eagles against the Balmain Tigers in 2008

Bani was a late starter in rugby league, having first attempted to pursue a career in basketball. At the age of 21 he started playing in Queensland club competitions, before being picked up by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2007.^[1] He made his NRL debut for Manly that year and made 20 first-grade appearances for the club, scoring eight tries.^[2] He joined the North Queensland Cowboys during the 2009 season in a swap that saw Ben Farrar move from the Cowboys to Manly.^[3] Bani's contract with the Cowboys expired at the end of the 2011 season.^[4]

Bani was named in the Papua New Guinea training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.^[5]

References

1. ^ Alston, Josh (13 June 2009). "Bani fast-tracked". Townsville Bulletin. http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/06/13/58655_cowboys.html. Retrieved 7 October 2011. 
2. ^ Gara, Velma (21 February 2010). "Michael Bani happy to be visiting home". Torres News Online. http://www.torresnews.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1376:michael-bani-happy-to-be-visiting-home&catid=3:news. Retrieved 7 October 2011. 
3. ^ Magnay, Jacquelin (24 August 2009). "New boy comes up trumps for Eagles". Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/new-boy-comes-up-trumps-for-eagles/2009/08/23/1251001811914.html. Retrieved 7 October 2011. 
4. ^ "Season 2012 - ins and outs". North Queensland Cowboys. 5 October 2011. http://www.cowboys.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=44296&title=season-2012---ins-and-outs. Retrieved 7 October 2011. 
5. ^ "PNG name preliminary squad". RLWC.com. 2008-08-01. http://www.rlwc08.com/news/news/archive/2008/08/03/png-name-preliminary-squad.aspx. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 

Persondata
Name	Bani, Michael
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	3 July 1984
Place of birth	Thursday Island, Queensland
Date of death
Place of death