Graham Steadman

{{short description|Professional RL coach & former GB international rugby league footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Graham Steadman

|fullname =

|image =

|imagesize =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|12|8|df=y}}

|birth_place = Knottingley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

|death_date =

|height =

|weight =

|position = {{rlp|FB|SO}}

|club1 = Huddersfield

|year1start = 1982

|year1end =

|appearances1 = 1

|tries1 = 0

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 0

|club2 = York

|year2start = 1982

|year2end = 86

|appearances2 = 97

|tries2 = 63

|goals2 = 253

|fieldgoals2 = 14

|points2 = 762

|club3 = {{nowrap|Featherstone Rovers}}

|year3start = 1986

|year3end = 89

|appearances3 = 96

|tries3 = 48

|goals3 = 76

|fieldgoals3 = 6

|points3 = 350

|club4 = Gold Coast

|year4start = 1989

|year4end =

|appearances4 = 5

|tries4 = 1

|goals4 = 0

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 4

|club5 = Castleford

|year5start = 1989

|year5end = 97

|appearances5 = 237

|tries5 = 121

|goals5 = 174

|fieldgoals5 = 8

|points5 = 840

|teamA = Yorkshire

|yearAstart = 1985

|yearAend = 91

|appearancesA = 4

|triesA = 2

|goalsA = 4

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 16

|teamB = Great Britain

|yearBstart = 1990

|yearBend = 94

|appearancesB = 10

|triesB = 3

|goalsB = 3

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 18

|coachteam1 = {{nowrap|Castleford Tigers}}

|coachyear1start = 2001

|coachyear1end = 04

|coachgames1 = 89

|coachwins1 = 36

|coachdraws1 = 3

|coachlosses1 = 50

| ru_coachteam1 = {{nowrap|Hull Ionians}}

| ru_coachyear1start = 2021

| ru_coachyear1end = 23

| ru_coachgames1 =

| ru_coachwins1 =

| ru_coachdraws1 =

| ru_coachlosses1 =

|retired = yes

|updated = 28 November 2023

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/graham-steadman/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}{{cite book|last1=Fletcher|first1=Raymond|last2=Howes|first2=David|title=Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1998|year=1998|publisher=Headline|location=London|isbn=978-0-7472-7683-8|page=161}}{{Rugby league records |id=2383 |title=Graham Steadman |access-date=27 February 2025}}

}}

Graham Steadman (born 8 December 1961) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Yorkshire, and at club level for York Wasps, Featherstone Rovers, Gold Coast-Tweed Giants and Castleford, as a goal-kicking {{rlp|fb}} or {{rlp|so}},David Smart & Andrew Howard (1 July 2000) "Images of Sport - Castleford Rugby League - A Twentieth Century History". The History Press Ltd. {{ISBN|978-0752418957}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/alltime.php|title=Castleford RLFC A to Z Player List (All Time)|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216084010/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/alltime.php|archive-date=16 February 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=231|title=Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216084416/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=231|archive-date=16 February 2012}} and coached at club level for the Castleford Tigers.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/graham-steadman/summary.html|title=Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/coachprofile.php?p=coach&id=4|title=Coach Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703045152/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/coachprofile.php?p=coach&id=4|archive-date=3 July 2007}}

Early life

Born in Knottingley,{{cite web|title=Steadman weighing up union full-time options|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/rl-headlines/steadman-weighing-up-union-full-time-options-1-2273971|website=Yorkshire Evening Post|publisher=Johnston Press|access-date=27 February 2016|date=2 December 2004}} Steadman started his career in rugby union, playing for his hometown club Knottingley RUFC.{{cite web|last1=Martini|first1=Peter|title=Fabulous five inducted into York RL Hall of Fame|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityknights/11096337.Fabulous_five_inducted_into_York_RL_Hall_of_Fame|website=York Press|publisher=Newsquest (Yorkshire & North East)|access-date=27 February 2016|date=23 March 2014}}

Playing career

=York=

Steadman switched codes to rugby league in 1982. He made an appearance for Huddersfield as a trialist, but later chose to sign for York.{{cite news |last1=Laybourn |first1=Ian |title=Sixth Fartown Signing |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/942055757 |work=Huddersfield Daily Examiner |page=16 |date=31 March 1982 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}}

He helped York win promotion to the First Division in the 1984–85 season, and was named the Second Division Player of the Year.{{cite web |title=Rugby League Heroes: Graham Steadman |url=https://www.totalrl.com/rugby-league-heroes-graham-steadman/ |website=Total Rugby League |access-date=27 February 2025 |date=11 November 2021}}

Steadman holds York's "Most points in a season" record with 318-points scored in the 1984–85 season, beating Vic Yorke's 301-points set in the 1957–58 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityknights/4503801.York_RL___s_point_scoring_legend_Vic_Yorke_dies__aged_75|title=York RL's point-scoring legend Vic Yorke dies, aged 75|publisher=yorkpress.co.uk|date=31 December 2012|access-date=1 January 2013}}

=Featherstone Rovers=

Steadman was transferred to Featherstone Rovers in February 1986 for a fee of £50,000.{{cite web |title=Steadman, Graham |url=https://www.fevarchive.co.uk/players/graham-steadman/943/ |website=fevarchive.co.uk |access-date=27 February 2025}}

He played in the 1987–88 Second Division Premiership final at Old Trafford against Oldham, scoring two tries, but the team went on to lose 26–28.

=Castleford=

Castleford paid a then world transfer record of £170,000 for Graham Steadman when he moved from Featherstone Rovers in 1989.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/5107598.stm|title=Offiah hails arrival of Fielden|publisher=bbc.co.uk|date=22 June 2006|access-date=1 January 2012}}

Graham Steadman played at {{rlp|so}} in Castleford's 11–8 victory over Wakefield Trinity in the 1990–91 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1990–91 season at Elland Road, Leeds on 23 September 1990.

At the start of the 1991–92 season, Steadman switched positions from {{rlp|so}} to {{rlp|fb}}. The position change was successful, and he scored two tries and four goals in the club's 28–6 victory over Bradford Northern in the 1991–92 Yorkshire Cup Final at Elland Road, Leeds on 20 October 1991.{{cite news |last1=Macklin |first1=Keith |title=Steadman inspires sharp Castleford to Yorkshire Cup |url=https://archive.org/details/NewsUK1991UKEnglish/Oct%2021%201991%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2364156%2C%20UK%20%28en%29/page/n33/mode/2up?view=theater |work=The Times |issue=64156 |date=21 October 1991 |page=34}} He also helped Castleford reach the 1991–92 Challenge Cup final, but suffered a 12–28 defeat against Wigan at Wembley on 2 May 1992.{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=3066|title=2nd May 1992: Wigan 28 Castleford 12 (Challenge Cup Final)|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2016|access-date=1 January 2017|archive-date=15 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215030604/http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=3066|url-status=dead}} At the end of the season, he was named the First Division Player of the Year, but narrowly missed out on the Man of Steel award to Dean Bell.

Graham Steadman played {{rlp|fb}} in Castleford's 33–2 victory over Wigan in the 1993–94 Regal Trophy Final during the 1993–94 season at Headingley, Leeds on 22 January 1994.{{cite web|url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/viewreport.php?page=report&id=775|title=Wigan 2 - 33 Castleford|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216084328/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/viewreport.php?page=report&id=775|archive-date=16 February 2012}}

=Representative honours=

Graham Steadman won a cap for Yorkshire while at Featherstone Rovers; during the 1988–89 season as an interchange/substitute against Lancashire, and he won caps for Yorkshire while at Castleford playing {{rlp|so}}, and scoring 2-tries, and 4-goals in the 56–12 victory over Lancashire at Wigan's stadium on 20 September 1989, and as a substitute in the 17–12 victory over Lancashire at Leeds' stadium on 18 September 1991.

Graham Steadman won caps for Great Britain while at Castleford in 1990 against France, in 1992 against France, in 1992 in the 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup against France, in 1992 against Australia (2 matches), in 1992 in the 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup against Australia, in 1992 against New Zealand (2 matches), and in 1994 against France, and Australia.

Coaching career

Steadman was made full-time coach of the Castleford Tigers towards the end of 2001 after Stuart Raper left for Wigan. Steadman took the club to the top 6 playoffs in 2002 and then the club finished 8th in 2003. 2004 saw his worst year as coach when the club failed to win any games under Steadman. A lot of people blamed the board for not backing him with money to spend.

Honoured at Castleford

Graham Steadman is a Castleford Hall of Fame Inductee.{{cite web|url=http://castigers.com/cgi-bin/halloffame.cgi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060506212435/http://www.castigers.com/cgi-bin/halloffame.cgi |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 May 2006 |title=Hall of Fame at castigers.com |publisher=castigers |date=31 December 2008 |access-date=1 January 2009}}