Heath L'Estrange

{{short description|Australian former professional rugby league footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Heath L'Estrange

|image = Heath L'Estrange Hills District Bulls.jpg

|caption =

|country =

|position = {{rlp|HK}}

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1985|5|21}}

|birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

|height = {{convert|176|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|88|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} {{cite web|url= http://www.superleague.co.uk/player-profile/1686|title= The official Engage Super League web site|work=web page|publisher= Super League|access-date =21 August 2011}}

|club1 = Sydney Roosters

|year1start = 2004

|year1end = 07

|appearances1 = 29

|tries1 = 1

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 4

|club2 = Manly Sea Eagles

|year2start = 2008

|year2end = 09

|appearances2 = 44

|tries2 = 2

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 8

|club3 = Bradford Bulls

|year3start = 2010

|year3end = 13

|appearances3 = 99

|tries3 = 8

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 32

|club4 = Sydney Roosters

|year4start = 2014

|year4end =

|appearances4 = 5

|tries4 = 0

|goals4 = 0

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 0

|club5 = St. George Illawarra

|year5start = 2015

|year5end =

|appearances5 = 16

|tries5 = 0

|goals5 = 0

|fieldgoals5 = 0

|points5 = 0

|teamA = Exiles

|yearAstart = 2012

|yearAend = 13

|appearancesA = 2

|triesA = 0

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 0

|retired = yes

|source = {{Cite web|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/|title=Players|website=LoveRugbyLeague.com|access-date=19 November 2021|archive-date=3 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403181023/https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/heath-l-estrange/summary.html|title=Heath L'Estrange - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project|website=Rugbyleagueproject.org|access-date=19 November 2021}}

|updated = 23 January 2019

}}

Heath L'Estrange (born 21 May 1985), also known by the nickname of "Stranger",{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/sydney-roosters-hooker-heath-l8217estrange-quickly-making-himself-known-to-teammates-20140809-1029l9.html|title=Sydney Roosters hooker Heath L'Estrange quickly making himself known to teammates|first=Michael|last=Carayannis|date=9 August 2014|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=19 November 2021}} is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He played for the Sydney Roosters, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League, and the Bradford Bulls in the Super League. In his rugby league career, he won the 2008 NRL Grand Final with the Sea Eagles. He played as {{rlp|hk}}.

Background

L'Estrange was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

While attending Terra Sancta College, L'Estrange played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2002 and 2003.{{cite web|title=SportingPulse Homepage for Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League|url=http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=7-2130-0-0-0&sID=26424|access-date=2008-10-10|publisher=SportingPulse|archive-date=31 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131030043/http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=7-2130-0-0-0&sID=26424|url-status=dead}}

Playing career

=Sydney Roosters: 2004-2007=

L'Estrange signed for the club in late 2003. He made his first grade début on 9 April 2004 against the Brisbane Broncos during round 5 at Sydney Football Stadium where he scored two tries.

L'Estrange played in the 2006 NSW Cup grand final for Newtown who were the Sydney Roosters feeder club at the time against Parramatta. Newtown would lose the grand final 20-19 at Stadium Australia.{{cite web|url=https://www.newtownjets.com/pastSeasons/2007-news/2006GrandFinal.php/|title=2006 Grand Final - Newtown Jets|website=Newtownjets.com}}

File:Heath L'Estrange.jpg

=Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles: 2008-09=

L'Estrange played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm. Manly won the match 40-0 which as of the 2024 season is the biggest winning margin in a grand final.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24449388-23214,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121204185816/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24449388-23214,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-12-04|title=Grand final: As it happened|work=Fox Sports|date=2008-10-05|access-date=2008-10-05}}

=Bradford Bulls: 2010-13=

L'Estrange signed a two-year contract with Super League club Bradford Bulls for 2010; he was seen as a replacement for Terry Newton. L'Estrange re-signed with Bradford for a three-year deal midway through the 2011 season. After the 2013 season he was released from his contract on compassionate grounds where he would later sign a one-year contract with the Sydney Roosters.{{cite web|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/roosters-have-several-new-faces-in-2014-11571/|title=ROOSTERS HAVE SEVERAL NEW FACES IN 2014|publisher=Fox Sports|work=Zero Tackle|access-date=17 November 2013|last=L'Estrange|first=Heath}}

=Sydney Roosters: 2014=

The Sydney Roosters signed L'Estrange after he was released by Bradford.{{Cite web |url=http://www.zerotackle.com/super-league/lestrange-departure-rocks-bradford-bulls-1145 |title=L'Estrange departure rocks Bradford Bulls | Super League | Zero Tackle |access-date=16 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216072300/http://www.zerotackle.com/super-league/lestrange-departure-rocks-bradford-bulls-1145/ |archive-date=16 December 2013 |url-status=dead }} On 29 October, L'Estrange signed a one- year deal with the St. George Illawarra Dragons for the 2015 NRL season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/st-george-illawarra-dragons-pick-up-heath-lestrange-and-beau-henry-20141029-11dd27.html|title=St George Illawarra Dragons pick up Heath L'Estrange and Beau Henry|date=28 October 2014|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=19 November 2021}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/sport/nrl/news/2014/10/st-george-illawarra-dragons-sign-heath-leestrange-and-beau-henry/ |title=St George Illawarra Dragons Sign Heath l'Estrange and Beau Henry | Triple M NRL |access-date=29 October 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029055638/http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/sport/nrl/news/2014/10/st-george-illawarra-dragons-sign-heath-leestrange-and-beau-henry/ |url-status=dead }}

=St George Illawarra Dragons: 2015=

On 2 October, L'Estrange announced his retirement from first grade rugby league.{{Cite news|url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/3397902/dragons-veteran-hangs-them-up/|title=Dragons veteran hangs them up|first=MITCH|last=JENNINGS|date=2 October 2015|newspaper=Illawarra Mercury|access-date=19 November 2021}}

=Hills District Bulls=

On 28 August 2017, L'Estrange was named in the 2017 Ron Massey Cup team of the year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2017/08/28/2017-team-of-the-year--ron-massey-cup/|title=2017 Team Of The Year {{pipe}} Ron Massey Cup|date=28 August 2017|website=New South Wales Rugby League|access-date=19 November 2021}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.hillsnews.com.au/story/4905327/bulls-among-best/ |title=Bulls among best | Hills News |access-date=3 October 2017 |archive-date=4 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004084837/http://www.hillsnews.com.au/story/4905327/bulls-among-best/ |url-status=dead }}

Representative

= France =

He was named in the France squad for the Rugby League World Cup 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24113307-5001023,00.html|agency=AAP|title=Heath chasing French spot|date=2008-08-01}}