Graeme Bradley

Australian rugby league footballer

Graeme Bradley
Personal information
Born (1964-03-20) 20 March 1964 (age 60)
Oatley, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
PositionCentre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1985–87 Illawarra Steelers 27 6 0 0 24
1988–91 Penrith Panthers 73 16 0 0 64
1991–92 Castleford Tigers 33 4 0 0 16
1993–95 St. George Dragons 70 13 0 0 52
1996–98 Bradford Bulls 83 38 0 0 152
Total 286 77 0 0 308
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1988 President's XIII 1 1 0 0 4
Source: [1][2][3]

Graeme Bradley (born 20 March 1964) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s.

Playing career

He played for the Illawarra Steelers, Penrith Panthers and the St. George Dragons in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership (NSWRL) as well as the Castleford Tigers (Heritage No. 696) and Bradford Bulls in England.

Bradley played junior football with Oatley RSL, New South Wales. Bradley entered first-grade after Illawarra Steelers' coach, Brian Smith, signed him to the club in 1985. Smith had been Bradley's school-teacher.[4] He spent three years with the Steelers before moving to the Penrith Panthers.

The Panthers reached back-to-back grand finals, in 1990 and 1991. Bradley was named on the bench for the 1991 grand final and although he spent 40 minutes warming up on the sidelines, coach Phil Gould did not send Bradley on.[3] Following the grand final victory he travelled with the Panthers to England for the 1991 World Club Challenge which was lost to Wigan. After this he followed former Steelers coach Brian Smith to the St George Dragons. Bradley played in the 1993 grand final for St George in 1993.

Graeme Bradley played at second-row in Castleford's 12–28 defeat by Wigan in the 1992 Challenge Cup Final during the 1991–92 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 2 May 1992, in front of a crowd of 77,386.[5]

When Brian Smith left Australia to coach the Bradford Bulls in the newly formed Super League he signed Graeme, and he spent 3 successful years there, including an appearance at stand-off half for them in their 1996 Challenge Cup Final loss to St. Helens,[6] and winning 1997's Super League II. He retired following 1998's Super League III.

Footnotes

  1. ^ NRL Stats[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ RLP
  3. ^ a b Tony Adams (28 July 2004). "Legend Q&A". Rugby League Week. pp. 22–23.
  4. ^ Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1.
  5. ^ "2nd May 1992: Wigan 28 Castleford 12 (Challenge Cup Final)". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  6. ^ "steveprescottfoundation.co.uk". Steve Prescott Stats. Steve Prescott Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.

References

  • Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1.

External links

  • Graeme Bradley at The Rugby League Project
  • Graeme Bradley at NRL Stats[permanent dead link]
  • Bull Masters – Graeme Bradley
  • Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk
  • v
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Bradford Bulls Bull Masters
  • v
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Super League Dream Team – 1997