George Ndaira

{{Short description|Former Lebanon international rugby league footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = George Ndaira

|fullname =

|image = George Ndaira.JPG

| image_size = 200px

|position = {{rlp|HK|HB}}

|currentclub =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|2|22|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

|height = {{convert|177|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|86|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|club1 = {{nowrap|St. George Illawarra}}

|year1start = 2006

|year1end =

|appearances1 = 3

|tries1 = 0

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 0

|club2 = South Sydney

|year2start = 2008

|year2end =

|appearances2 = 14

|tries2 = 0

|goals2 = 2

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 4

|club3 = Newcastle Knights

|year3start = 2009

|year3end = 10

|appearances3 = 8

|tries3 = 0

|goals3 = 1

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 2

|points4 = 0

|teamA = Lebanon

|yearAstart = 2007

|yearAend = 09

|appearancesA = 9

|triesA = 2

|goalsA = 13

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 34

|retired = yes

|updated = 8 April 2010

|source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/george_ndaira/summary.html Rugby League Project]

}}

George Ndaira (born 22 February 1985) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s and the current head coach of the Newtown Jets. He played at representative level for Lebanon, and at club level in the National Rugby League (NRL) for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Newcastle Knights, as a {{rlp|hk}} or {{rlp|hb}}.

Background

George Ndaira was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, he has Lebanese ancestors, and eligible to play for Lebanon due to the grandparent rule.

Rugby league career

=Playing career=

Ndaira was a part of the 2005 St George Illawarra Dragons Jersey Flegg Grand Final side. He played his school football at Marist College Kogarah and was coached by Dave Callander and Mark Hildebrandt.

He made his first grade debut in 2006 for the St George Illawarra Dragons. He played three first grade games with the Dragons. In 2007, joined the Sydney Roosters, however, he did not play a first grade game for the club, playing mostly in the reserve grade team. In 2008, he joined South Sydney Rabbitohs, playing fourteen games for the club in the season, and scoring four points (by kicking two goals).

In 2009, he joined the Newcastle Knights. He played there for two seasons. After the 2010 season, Ndaira was released from the Knights so he could sign with local Newcastle club, Kurri Kurri Bulldogs. However, this was short-lived, and he joined the Wests Tigers in 2011. While waiting for a spot in the Tigers' first grade team, he played for the Tigers' feeder side in the NSW Cup. After failing to reach first-grade for the Tigers, Ndaira again signed with Kurri Kurri for the 2012 season, as the captain-coach.{{cite news|author=Josh Leeson|work=Newcastle Herald|title=Former Knight Ndaira to captain-coach Kurri|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/473450/former-knight-ndaira-to-captain-coach-kurri/|access-date=16 May 2012|date=29 July 2012}}

In 2015, Ndaira was an assistant coach for the Newcastle Knights NSW Cup side. During the season, he was asked to come out of retirement by head coach Matt Lantry, after the side suffered a number of injuries.{{cite web|last=Dillon|first=Robert|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/3354757/george-ndaira-nabs-chance-to-exit-as-a-winner/|title=George Ndaira nabs chance to exit as a winner | Newcastle Herald|publisher=Theherald.com.au|date=2015-09-16|access-date=2015-10-15}} He subsequently went on to play in the Knights' 2015 New South Wales Cup Grand Final win over the Wyong Roos.{{cite web|url=http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2015/09/22/vb_nsw_cup_grand_fin.html|title=VB NSW Cup Grand Final Team List|publisher=NSWRL|date=22 September 2015|accessdate=2015-10-15}}{{cite web|author=Brett Keeble|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/newcastle-knights/newcastle-knights-extend-clint-newtons-career-with-nsw-cup-win-over-wyong-roos-20150927-gjw2gs.html|title=Newcastle Knights extend Clint Newton's career with NSW Cup win over Wyong Roos|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 September 2015|accessdate=2015-10-15}}

=Representative career=

Ndaira played for Lebanon in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifiers however Lebanon drew with Ireland and did not qualify.{{cite web|url=http://www.daleelaustralia.com/sports/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1161821116&archive=&start_from=&ucat=6&|accessdate=15 November 2006|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928151330/http://www.daleelaustralia.com/sports/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1161821116&archive=&start_from=&ucat=6&|archivedate=28 September 2007 |title=Lebanon WCQ Squad }} George's moved from his usual position of Hooker to Half back whilst playing in the Qualifiers and earned two Man of the Match performances against Wales & Ireland before his side bowed out against Samoa.

Career highlights

Junior Club: Arncliffe Scots
Round 3, 2008: Ndaira scored his first points in first grade (kicking a goal)

Coaching career

Ndaira captain-coached the Kurri-Kurri Bulldogs, who played in the local Newcastle Rugby League competition. He began this role in 2012 and lasted for two years.{{cite web|last=Callinan|first=Josh|url=http://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/1948063/ndaira-to-keep-eye-on-bulldogs/|title=Ndaira to keep eye on Bulldogs|publisher=The Maitland Mercury|date=2013-12-04|accessdate=2015-10-15}}

In 2014, Ndaira became an assistant coach for the Newcastle Knights NSW Cup team. He remained there until the end of 2016. In 2017, he joined the Newtown Jets as their assistant coach, and stayed there until the end of 2021.

In 2022, he became the coach for the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks Jersey Flegg Cup (under 21's) team.

In 2023, he was appointed the head coach of the Newtown Jets rugby league team following the resignation of Greg Matterson{{cite web | url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2022/12/15/george-ndaira-to-tap-into-greg-matterson-legacy-for-newtown-jets/ | title=Ndaira to tap into Matterson legacy for Jets | date=14 December 2022 }}

On 29 September 2024, Ndaira coached Newtown in their 2024 NSW Cup Grand Final victory over North Sydney.{{cite web|url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2024/09/29/newtown-wins-premiership-number-nine/|title=Newtown wins Premiership number nine|website=www.nswrl.com.au}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20070913130802/http://www.sydneyroosters.com.au/players/player_profile.php?grade=lower_grades&player_name=George%20Ndaira George Ndaira Official Player Profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928151330/http://www.daleelaustralia.com/sports/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1161821116&archive=&start_from=&ucat=6& Daleeaustralia.com]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081201175450/http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/ndaira-for-knights/2008/10/29/1224956101925.html Leaguehq.com.au]

Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian people of Lebanese descent

Category:Australian rugby league coaches

Category:Australian rugby league players

Category:Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers players

Category:Central Coast Centurions players

Category:Kurri Kurri Bulldogs players

Category:Lebanon national rugby league team captains

Category:Lebanon national rugby league team players

Category:Newcastle Knights players

Category:Newtown Jets coaches