Chad Townsend
{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Chad Townsend
|fullname = Chad Townsend
|image = CHAD TOWNSEND (3614279241).jpg
|image_size =
|position = {{rlp|HB|FE}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|01|10}}
|birth_place = Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia
|height = {{convert|181|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|87|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|club1 = Cronulla Sharks
|year1start = 2011
|year1end = 13
|appearances1 = 19
|tries1 = 3
|goals1 = 28
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 68
|club2 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}}
|year2start = 2014
|year2end = 15
|appearances2 = 41
|tries2 = 5
|goals2 = 14
|fieldgoals2 = 1
|points2 = 49
|club3 = Cronulla Sharks
|year3start = 2016
|year3end = 21
|appearances3 = 127
|tries3 = 25
|goals3 = 112
|fieldgoals3 = 10
|points3 = 334
|club4 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}}
|year4start = 2021
|year4end =
|appearances4 = 5
|tries4 = 0
|goals4 = 3
|fieldgoals4 = 0
|points4 = 6
|club5 = North Qld Cowboys
|year5start = 2022
|year5end = 24
|appearances5 = 70
|tries5 = 7
|goals5 = 10
|fieldgoals5 = 9
|points5 = 57
|club6 = Sydney Roosters
|year6start = 2025
|year6end = present
|appearances6 = 5
|tries6 = 0
|goals6 = 0
|fieldgoals6 = 0
|points6 = 0
|teamA = NSW City
|yearAstart = 2016
|yearAend = 17
|appearancesA = 2
|triesA = 0
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 0
|teamB = Prime Minister's XIII
|yearBstart = 2018
|yearBend =
|appearancesB = 1
|triesB = 1
|goalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 4
|retired =
|updated = 4 April 2025
| module = {{infobox person
| embed = yes
| father =
| mother =
| spouse =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| relatives = Scott Sorensen (brother-in-law)
}}
}}
Chad Townsend (born 10 January 1991) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|hb}} for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL).
He previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks from 2011-2013 as {{rlp|hb}} and {{rlp|fe}} before playing as a {{rlp|fe}} for the New Zealand Warriors from 2014-2015. Townsend returned to the Sharks in 2016 as {{rlp|hb}}, winning the 2016 NRL Grand Final, and was the only local junior in the clubs maiden premiership before joining the Warriors in mid-2021 at {{rlp|hb}} before moving to the North Queensland Cowboys in 2022, co-captaining the side from 2022-23 as-well as filling in twice in 2024. He represented NSW City at {{rlp|hb}} twice and the Prime Minister's XIII off the bench once.
Background
Townsend was born at Caringbah hospital, Sydney.{{cite web | url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/chad-townsend-excited-by-challenge-of-facing-cronulla-sharks-20140404-zqqtk.html | title=Chad Townsend excited by challenge of facing Cronulla Sharks | publisher=Sydney Morning Herald | date=4 April 2014 | accessdate=29 May 2025 | author=Carayannis, Michael}}
Playing career
=Early career=
Townsend played his rugby league for the Yarrawarrah Tigers in the Cronulla-Sutherland local rugby league competition. During his junior football he was a part of 7 premiership teams.{{cite web|url=http://www.sharks.com.au/default.aspx?s%3Dplayer-profile-display%26id%3D2216%26player%3Dchad-townsend%26team%3DSharks|title=Chad Townsend – Cronulla Sharks|access-date=2011-06-15|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208041719/http://www.sharks.com.au/default.aspx?s=player-profile-display&id=2216&player=chad-townsend&team=Sharks|archive-date=8 February 2012}}
=Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks=
After being signed by Cronulla, Townsend made his debut in round 13 of the 2011 NRL season. In his first match, played against the Brisbane Broncos, he managed to convert two tries scored by fellow players Jon Mannah and Colin Best in the 40th and 80th minutes respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/game?matchid%3DNRL20111302 |title=NRL Game Report | NRL Live Scores | 2012 NRL Live Scores & Results | thetelegraph.com.au |access-date=2011-06-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005233310/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/game?matchid=NRL20111302 |archive-date= 5 October 2012 }} As a result of the injury of Albert Kelly early in the season and the subsequent poor performance of Cronulla's other half options, Townsend was given the opportunity to play in the NRL, after his good form in the Toyota Cup competition. He scored his first try in round 17 against South Sydney. The Sharks won that game 26 – 4.{{cite web|url=http://www.sharks.com.au/default.aspx?s%3Dnewsdisplay%26id%3D37564%26sharks-wrap-up-promising-youngsters|title=Sharks Wrap up Promising Youngsters – Cronulla Sharks|access-date=2011-06-15|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314013547/http://www.sharks.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=37564&sharks-wrap-up-promising-youngsters|archive-date=14 March 2012}} Townsend represented the Junior Kangaroos in 2011 and the NSW under 18s and NSW CHS.
On 22 September 2013, Townsend was named at {{rlp|hb}} in the 2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.nswrl.com.au/default.aspx?s%3Darticle-display%26id%3D84880%26title%3D2013-nswrlcomau-vb-nsw-cup-team-of-the-year---announcement|title=2013 NSWRL.com.au VB NSW Cup Team of the Year – Announcement – New South Wales Rugby League|access-date=2016-02-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111155627/http://www.nswrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=84880&title=2013-nswrlcomau-vb-nsw-cup-team-of-the-year---announcement|archive-date=11 January 2014}}
On 6 October 2013, Townsend was part of the Cronulla side which defeated Windsor Wolves 38–6 in the NSW Cup Grand Final.{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/cronulla-sharks-overpower-windsor-wolves-to-claim-nsw-cup-title-20131006-2v1z7.html|title = Cronulla Sharks overpower Windsor Wolves to claim NSW Cup title|date = 6 October 2013}}
=New Zealand Warriors=
Townsend joined the New Zealand Warriors for the 2014 NRL season, where he partnered Shaun Johnson in the halves.
The New Zealand Warriors missed the finals in both seasons that Townsend was at the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2015/09/07/warriors-2015-season-review/|title=Warriors 2015 season review|website=nrl.com|date=7 September 2015}}
=Return to Cronulla-Sutherland=
It was announced in July 2015 that he would return to Cronulla in 2016 on a two-year contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/sport/nrl/news/2015/6/chad-townsend-leaves-warriors-for-the-sharks/ |title=Chad Townsend Leaves Warriors for the Sharks | Triple M NRL |access-date=2015-07-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190105/http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/sport/nrl/news/2015/6/chad-townsend-leaves-warriors-for-the-sharks/ |archive-date= 4 March 2016 }}
On 2 October 2016, Townsend was part of the Cronulla side which won their first ever premiership defeating Melbourne 14–12 in the grand final.{{Cite web |url=http://m.nrl.com/townsend-savours-sharks-premiership-win/tabid/10874/newsid/101912/default.aspx |title=Townsend savours Sharks' premiership win – NRL.com |access-date=30 July 2017 |archive-date=31 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731065738/http://m.nrl.com/townsend-savours-sharks-premiership-win/tabid/10874/newsid/101912/default.aspx |url-status=dead }}
In 2017 Townsend was part of the Cronulla side which qualified for the finals but were eliminated in week one losing to North Queensland 15–14 in a shock defeat. In 2018, Townsend kicked the winning field goal for Cronulla in their week two elimination final against Penrith. The following week, Cronulla fell short of a grand final appearance losing to Melbourne 22–6 in the preliminary final.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/09/14/townsend-guides-cronulla-to-heartstopping-win-over-penrith/|title = Moylan and Lewis come back to haunt Panthers|date = 14 September 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/melbourne-storm-cronulla-sharks-nrl-finals-live-blog-video-highlights/322aa602-8563-4081-97af-5691ce074d53|title=LIVE: Storm and Sharks go head-to-head|date=21 September 2018 }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2017/sep/10/cronulla-sharks-v-north-queensland-cowboys-nrl-elimination-final-live|title=Cowboys beat Sharks in NRL elimination final – as it happened|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 September 2017|last1=Perry|first1=Sam}} In 2019, Townsend was named Cronulla's player of the year. In 2020, Townsend was named in the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks team of the decade. In round 17 of the 2020 NRL season, Townsend became the third player of the year to be sent off after he hit Newcastle player Kalyn Ponga with a shoulder charge.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/sharks/nrl-2020-chad-townsend-sent-off-for-tackle-on-kalyn-ponga-newcastle-knights-v-cronulla-sharks-shoulder-charge-video-watch/news-story/48c919eb13cc96d20e745c0812d01d1a/|title=Cronulla Sharks' Chad Townsend sent off for shoulder charge on Kalyn Ponga|website=foxsports.com.au|date=4 September 2020}}
Townsend played 12 games for Cronulla in the 2020 NRL season as the club finished 8th and qualified for the finals He played in Cronulla's elimination final loss against Canberra.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2020-canberra-raiders-vs-cronulla-sharks-finals-live-stream-live-blog-teams-videos-supercoach-scores-jack-wighton/news-story/4fed4e0a89be75dfcdf95cba3a693e27/|title=Wighton, Williams spark Raiders comeback as Sharks finals hopes ended|website=foxsports.com.au|date=3 October 2020}}
On 21 April 2021, Townsend signed a three-year deal with the North Queensland Cowboys starting in the 2022 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/04/21/townsend-leaving-sharks-to-join-cowboys-on-three-year-deal/|title=Townsend leaving Sharks to join Cowboys on three-year deal|website=nrl.com|date=21 April 2021}}
=Return to the New Zealand Warriors=
On 23 June 2021, it was announced that Townsend would leave the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks to return to the New Zealand Warriors for the remainder of the 2021 NRL season, with the short-term deal not affecting his 2022 deal with the North Queensland Cowboys.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/06/22/townsend-a-potential-short-term-target-for-ailing-warriors/|title=Townsend switches from Sharks to join Warriors for rest of season|website=nrl.com|date=23 June 2021}}
In round 16, Townsend played his first game for the New Zealand Warriors since his return to the club, playing at halfback against the St. George Illawarra Dragons. New Zealand would go on to lose the game 19–18,{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-live-warriors-vs-dragons-round-16-score-updates-teams-blog-stream-supercoach-stats-video/news-story/c60d62b7c258486215ae8a29ea82a43a|title = 'THE GREAT ESCAPE!': Ultimate redemption as unwanted star seals crazy comeback|date = 2 July 2021}} and to make matters worse Townsend picked up a shoulder injury, putting him out of play for an estimated 6–8 weeks.{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2021-casualty-ward-bailey-simonsson-toe-injury-canberra-raiders-elliot-whitehead-return-dates-ins-and-outs/news-story/6a2d03a7181bbc59bde225c4987508c3|title = Warriors cop double blow as Raiders fullback curse strikes again: Casualty Ward| newspaper=Fox Sports |date = 7 July 2021}}
=North Queensland Cowboys=
In round 1 of the 2022 NRL season Townsend made his club debut for North Queensland in their 6–4 defeat against Canterbury at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/other/nrl-scorecentre-parramatta-eels-vs-gold-coast-titans-north-queensland-cowboys-vs-canterbury-bulldogs-live-scores-stats-and-results/ar-AAUZI2h?ocid=BingNewsSearch/|title=Canterbury Bulldogs edge North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville, Parramatta Eels beat Gold Coast Titans|website=msn.com}}
Townsend played 26 matches for North Queensland in the 2022 NRL season as the club finished third on the table and qualified for the finals. Townsend played in both finals matches including their preliminary final loss to Parramatta.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-finals-2022-brad-arthur-mitchell-moses-parramatta-eels-vs-north-queensland-cowboys-preliminary-final/news-story/40c6fab40479312a2dab062fc15ecebc/|title='See it in their eyes': The late-season pact and 'massive sacrifice' behind Eels surge|website=foxsports.com.au|date=23 September 2022 }}
In round 1 of the 2023 NRL season, Townsend kicked a field goal with five minutes remaining to seal a 19–18 victory over Canberra.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2022-north-queensland-cowboys-vs-canberra-raiders-live-stream-live-blog-supercoach-scores-videos-valentine-holmes-jack-wighton/news-story/6ca41355851641b79d75a967f70b6e46/|title=Townsend comes up clutch as Cowboys' 'slick' spine thwarts Raiders' epic comeback: Big Hits|website=foxsports.com.au|date=4 March 2023 }}
Townsend played 24 games for North Queensland in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished 11th on the table.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/rugby-league/news/nrl-2023-north-queensland-cowboys-season-review/7022566a2d89154cc990318b#:~:text=They%20won%20just%20four%20of,the%20nadir%20of%20their%20efforts./|title=NRL 2023: North Queensland Cowboys season review|website=www.sportingnews.com}}
In round 2 of the 2024 NRL season, Townsend kicked the winning field goal for North Queensland in their 21-20 golden point extra-time victory over Newcastle.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-north-queensland-cowboys-defeat-newcastle-knights-knights-press-conference-adam-obrien-kalyn-ponga-reaction/news-story/f79850bfaf60b1ac4136e25d3b0e4f9d/|title=‘Need to get over last year’: O’Brien’s plea for Knights to forget 10-game fairytale|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}{{Cite web |last=Walsh |first=Billie Eder, Adrian Proszenko, Michael Chammas, Adam Pengilly, Dan |date=2024-07-03 |title=Townsend signs one-year contract to join Roosters in 2025 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/roosters-kick-off-crucial-walker-talks-as-tupouniua-exit-escalates-20240630-p5jpvs.html |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Chalk |first=Ethan Lee |date=2024-07-02 |title=Chad Townsend to leave Cowboys, frontrunner emerges |url=https://www.zerotackle.com/chad-townsend-to-leave-cowboys-frontrunner-emerges-212038/ |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=Zero Tackle |language=en-US}}
=Sydney Roosters=
On 2 July 2024, it was confirmed that Townsend would leave the North Queensland Cowboys at the end of the 2024 NRL season, to join the Sydney Roosters for the 2025 NRL season.{{Cite web |last=O'Loughlin |first=Liam |date=2024-07-03 |title='Immense' premiership winner locks in new deal |url=https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news-2024-chad-townsend-contract-sydney-roosters-confirmed-signing-cowboys-departure-20240703-p5jqwf.html |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=Nine.com.au |language=en}}
In round 1 of the 2025 NRL season, Townsend made his club debut for the Sydney Roosters against Brisbane which ended in a 50-14 defeat. On 8 April 2025, Townsend was demoted to the NSW Cup after a number of sub par performances to start the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-08/chad-townsend-sydney-roosters-latrell-mitchell-nrl-teams-list/105153016/|title=Latrell Mitchell named Rabbitohs five-eighth, Chad Townsend axed by Roosters as halves changed across NRL|website=www.abc.net.au}}
Statistics
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Season !Team !Games !Tries !Goals !FG !Pts |
| 2011
| rowspan="3" |{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland |11 |2 |19 | |46 |
| 2012
|3 |1 |8 | |20 |
| 2013
|5 | |1 | |2 |
| 2014
| rowspan="2" |{{leagueicon|New Zealand Warriors|23}} New Zealand Warriors |19 |3 |14 | |40 |
| 2015
|22 |2 | |1 |9 |
| 2016
| rowspan="5" |{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland |27 |7 |6 |1 |41 |
| 2017
|25 |6 |2 |1 |29 |
| 2018
|27 |5 |62 |4 |148 |
| 2019
|12 |6 |7 |3 |41 |
| 2020
|11 | |4 | |12 |
| rowspan="2" |2021
|{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland |11 | |31 |1 |63 |
| {{leagueicon|New Zealand Warriors|23}} New Zealand Warriors
|5 | |3 | |6 |
| 2022
| rowspan="3" |{{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} North Queensland |26 |2 |4 |1 |17 |
| 2023
|24 |2 |6 |5 |25 |
| 2024
|20 |3 | |3 |15 |
| 2025
|{{Leagueicon|Sydney|16}} Sydney Roosters |5 | | | | |
| |Totals
|267 |40 |167 |20 |514 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.sharks.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/cronulla-sutherland-sharks/chad-townsend/ Cronulla Sharks profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20161023203908/http://www.sharks.com.au/team/profiles/chad_townsend.html Sharks profile]
- [https://www.nrl.com/players/nrl-premiership/sharks/chad-townsend/ NRL profile]
{{Sydney Roosters squad}}
{{North Queensland Cowboys captains}}
{{Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks squad - 2016 NRL premiers}}
{{2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Chad}}
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players
Category:Junior Kangaroos players
Category:New South Wales City Origin rugby league team players
Category:New Zealand Warriors players
Category:North Queensland Cowboys players
Category:Sydney Roosters players
Category:Rugby league five-eighths
Category:Rugby league halfbacks