Doc Murray

{{Short description|New Zealand rugby league footballer and coach}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Doc Murray

|fullname = David Murray

|image =

|caption =

|country =

|position = {{rlp|FB|CE}}

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1972|08|10}}

|birth_place =

|height = {{convert|183|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|83|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|club1 = {{nowrap|Auckland City Vulcans}}

|year1start = 1994

|year1end =

|appearances1 = 22

|tries1 = 11

|goals1 = 20

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 84

|club2 = Auckland Warriors

|year2start = 1996

|year2end =

|appearances2 = 1

|tries2 = 0

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 0

|club3 = Wigan Warriors

|year3start = 1997

|year3end =

|appearances3 = 8

|tries3 = 0

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 0

|club4 = Warrington Wolves

|year4start = 1997

|year4end =

|appearances4 = 3

|tries4 = 0

|goals4 = 0

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 0

|club5 = Lancashire Lynx

|year5start = 1998

|year5end = 00

|appearances5 = 48

|tries5 = 23

|goals5 = 9

|fieldgoals5 = 0

|points5 = 110

|teamA = Auckland

|yearAstart = 1993

|yearAend = 94

|appearancesA = 5

|triesA = 2

|goalsA = 4

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 16

|teamB = New Zealand Māori

|yearBstart = 1996

|yearBend = 00

|updated = 8 December 2008

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/david-murray/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}{{Rugby league records|id=4587|title=David Murray}}

|new = yes

}}

David "Doc" Murray (born 10 August 1972) is a New Zealand rugby league coach and former player. His position of preference was as a {{rlp|fb}}.

New Zealand career

Murray started his rugby league career playing for the Ellerslie Eagles club in the Auckland Rugby League competition. Between 1993 and 1994 he was an Auckland representative (playing 5 games and scoring 2 tries and 4 goals) and was a Kiwi trialist in 1993.Richard Becht. A New Breed Rising: The Warriors Winfield Cup Challenge. Auckland, HarperCollins, 1994. {{ISBN|1-86950-154-3}}. p. 182 In 1994 he played for the Auckland City Vulcans in the Lion Red Cup before signing with the Auckland Warriors.Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1994, New Zealand Rugby League, 1994. p. 115

Murray made his début in the then Optus Cup for the Auckland Warriors in 1996, starting as a {{rlp|fb}}. It was the only first grade appearance he was to make for the side that year. He toured Papua New Guinea with the New Zealand Māori.{{cite book

|last =John Coffey, Bernie Wood

|title = 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908–2008

|publisher =Huia Publishers

|year = 2008

|pages = 292

|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nklWo8vw-iIC

|isbn =978-1-86969-331-2}}

Later years

In 1997 he moved to England, signing a two-year contract with the prestigious Wigan Warriors. However he did not find a place in the first grade side and late in the season he was loaned to the Warrington Wolves.{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n14120734|title=Doc Murray moves to Warrington|work=The Independent|date=13 August 1997|access-date=1 January 2018}} Murray then spent 1998 loaned to the Lancashire Lynx club in the second division.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-lnyxs-unlikely-lads-make-it-two-out-of-two-1177873.html|title=Lynx's unlikely lads make it two out of two|work=The Independent|date=12 October 1998|access-date=1 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-super-powers-of-league-guide-to-the-top-divisions-12-teams-from-the-bulls-to-the-warriors-1153996.html|title=Super powers of league: Guide to the top division's 12 teams from the Bulls to the Warriors|work=The Independent|date=2 April 1998|access-date=1 January 2018}} During this time, he also had some trials with rugby union club, the London Wasps.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-acton-man-to-make-debut-for-broncos-1147241.html|title=Acton man to make début for Broncos|work=The Independent|date=27 February 1998|access-date=1 January 2018}}

He returned to New Zealand in 2000, playing one season with the Ngongotaha Chiefs in the Bartercard Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=176060|title=Rugby League: Bears' migration adds some bite to clash|author=Jessup, Peter|date=8 March 2001|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=28 September 2011}} During the season he was again selected to represent New Zealand Māori.

Coaching career

Between 2006 and 2008 Murray coached the Otumoetai Eels in the Bay of Plenty Rugby League competition.{{cite web|url=http://otumoetaieels.com/content/blogcategory/22/66/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713231656/http://otumoetaieels.com/content/blogcategory/22/66/|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 July 2012|title=Teams - Otumoetai Eels Rugby League Club|publisher=otumoetaieels.com|date=31 December 2012|access-date=1 January 2013}}