Geoff Selby
{{short description|Australian rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Geoff Selby
|image =
|caption = Geoff Selby
|fullname = Geoffrey Lazarus Selby
|birth_date = {{birth date|1965|04|11|df=yes}}
|birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
|death_date = {{death date and age|1989|02|13|1965|03|11|df=yes}}
|death_place = Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia
|retired = yes
|position = {{rlp|LK}}
|club1 = Illawarra Steelers
|year1start = 1984
|year1end = 85
|appearances1 = 39
|tries1 = 9
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 36
|club2 = St. George Dragons
|year2start = 1986
|year2end = 88
|appearances2 = 44
|tries2 = 4
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 16
|club3 = Salford
|year3start = 1986
|year3end = 87
|appearances3 = 8
|tries3 = 6
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 24
|source = Whiticker/Hudson
}}
Geoffrey Lazarus Selby (11 April 1965 – 13 February 1989) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/geoff-selby/summary.html|title=Geoff Selby – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project|last=Ferguson|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|publisher=Rugby League Project|access-date=2018-05-02}}
Career
Geoff Selby was of Jewish descent. He was a promising junior player at James Cook High School at Kogarah, New South Wales, and on the recommendation of his teacher, Brian Smith, he joined the Illawarra Steelers for two seasons in 1984–1985. Selby was also a member of the 1983 Australian Schoolboys team.
Selby then moved to the St. George Dragons. A promising lock forward, Selby was held in such high esteem, he came under the personal guidance of the legendary Johnny Raper. With a promising career in front of him, the community was deeply saddened by Selby's premature death just before the start of the 1989 NSWRL season.
Death
Geoff Selby was killed in a car accident on 13 February 1989 when a car he was traveling in hit a tree on Burraneer Bay Road, Cronulla at 2.30am. Selby was not the driver. Two other St. George Dragons players, Peter Gentle and Shaun O'Bryan were also injured in the same accident.Sydney Morning Herald (Article) 14 February 1989 (Page 48) Death of a Dragon – "It's so unfair." He was cremated at Northern Suburbs Crematorium on 16 February 1989, and his wake was held at St. George Leagues Club.Sydney Morning Herald 17 February 1989 The Quiet Dragon Who Thrived on Noise by Roy Masters (Page 44)
Accolades
Geoff Selby was a reserve for the St. George Dragons side that won the 1988 Panasonic Cup.Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. ({{ISBN|1875169571}})
The St. George Illawarra Dragons annually present the "Geoff Selby Memorial Coach's Award" to recognise the player who is the most valuable during the season.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Selby, Geoff}}
Category:Australian people of Jewish descent
Category:St. George Dragons players
Category:Illawarra Steelers players
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Salford Red Devils players
Category:Road incident deaths in New South Wales
Category:Rugby league players from Sydney
Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen
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