Joe Williams (rugby league)

{{short description|Australian rugby league footballer (born 1983)}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Joe Williams

|fullname = Joe Williams

|image = JOE_WILLIAMS.jpg

|caption =

|country =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|09|04|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Cowra, New South Wales, Australia

|height = {{convert|175|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|80|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|position = {{rlp|HB|FE}}

|club1 = South Sydney

|year1start = 2004

|year1end = 07

|appearances1 = 46

|tries1 = 7

|goals1 = 126

|fieldgoals1 = 4

|points1 = 284

|club2 = Penrith Panthers

|year2start = 2008

|year2end =

|appearances2 = 1

|tries2 = 0

|goals2 = 2

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 4

|club3 = Canterbury Bulldogs

|year3start = 2008

|year3end =

|appearances3 = 2

|tries3 = 0

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 0

|retired = yes

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/joe-williams/summary.html|title=Joe Williams - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project|website=rugbyleagueproject.org|accessdate=14 March 2018}}[http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=440272 NRL Stats]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

|updated = 13:47, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

| module = {{infobox person

| embed = yes

| father = Wilfred Williams

| mother =

| spouse =

| education = Marcellin College Randwick

| alma_mater =

| relatives =

}}

Joe Williams (born 4 September 1983) is an Australian sportsman who played rugby league and boxed as a professional.

His rugby league football career spanned from 2004 to 2008 and included appearances as a {{rlp|hb}} and {{rlp|fe}} with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Penrith Panthers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL.{{cite news|author=Paul Kent|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|title=Ex-Bunny Joe Williams a real knockout in boxing debut|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,24662015-5012663,00.html|accessdate=2 February 2009|date=17 November 2008}}

Background

Williams was born in Cowra, New South Wales, Australia.{{cite web|publisher=South Sydney Story|title=Characters|url=http://www.southsydneystory.com/Characters.html|accessdate=3 May 2008|archive-date=16 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916114517/http://www.southsydneystory.com/Characters.html|url-status=dead}}

Playing career

A Cowra Magpies junior who moved to South Sydney Rabbitohs lower grades. He was educated at Marcellin College Randwick, Williams was selected to play for the 2001 Australian Schoolboys.{{cite web|publisher=Sporting Pulse|title=Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League|url=http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=7-2130-0-0-0&sID=26424|accessdate=10 October 2008|archive-date=31 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131030043/http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=7-2130-0-0-0&sID=26424|url-status=dead}}

In 2002, Williams kicked the winning field goal in the 2002 Jersey Flegg Grand Final in the Sydney Roosters victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons. Williams joined South Sydney after failing to break into the Sydney Roosters first grade side. He made his debut for South Sydney in round 12 of the 2004 NRL season against Cronulla-Sutherland which ended in a 38–18 loss at Shark Park. Williams played 14 games for Souths in his debut season as the club finished last on the table. The following two seasons at Souths proved to be difficult as Williams was part of the side which finished last in 2006 and narrowly avoided the wooden spoon in 2005.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/other-sports/list/the-worst-teams-in-nrl-history-newcastle-knights-rugby-league-wooden-spoon-parramatta-eels-salary-cap-semi-radradra-kieran-foran/1k2c6o18od8431jen234fqd91u/4/|title=The worst teams in NRL history|website=Sporting News}}

During the 2007 NRL season, Williams played in the first semi-final Souths had reached since 1989. They were defeated by Manly 30–6 at Brookvale Oval.2007 NRL season results#Week One As he had played 9 games for feeder club North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup, he was eligible to play in the rest of the finals series.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} They made it through to the Grand Final, only to be narrowly defeated by Parramatta 20–15, after a late try was awarded after a dubious decision.

Williams had kicked a field goal with 3 minutes remaining to make the score 15-14 until Parramatta scored a try with 20 seconds remaining through Weller Hauraki.{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/eels-break-peacheys-heart/news-story/ba65f10cfd89ca76387296295fc1a2a6?sv=3a3359f7a982e16d1cafc5c0b1162b8b/|title=Eels break Peachey's heart|website=Herald Sun}}

In September 2007, Williams signed a one-year contract to play with the Penrith Panthers for the 2008 NRL season after initially agreeing to a contract with French side, Toulouse Olympique.{{cite news|format=fee required|publisher=AAP Sports News|title=Williams joins Penrith|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-143453452.html|accessdate=2 January 2008|date=6 September 2007}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

He was released from his Penrith Panthers contract on 14 May 2008 and joined Canterbury-Bankstown.{{cite web|url=http://penrith.panthers.com.au/Default.aspx?id=3&ArticleID=764|title=Williams released|publisher=Penrith Panthers|date=14 May 2008|accessdate=14 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503091019/http://penrith.panthers.com.au/default.aspx?id=3|archive-date=3 May 2008|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=30397|title=WILLIAMS JOINS BULLDOGS FOLLOWING PANTHERS RELEASE|publisher=RLeague.com|date=14 May 2008|accessdate=14 May 2008}}

After only two games with Canterbury-Bankstown, Williams retired from the game and turned to boxing. His final game in the NRL was a 58–18 loss against the Canberra Raiders in round 15 of the 2008 NRL season. Canterbury would go on to finish last at the end of 2008.{{cite web|url=http://the81stminute.com/2017/08/most-boring-team-ever-2008-wooden-spoon-bulldogs-would-beat-2017-version-by-twenty-points/|title=Most boring team ever? 2008 wooden spoon Bulldogs would beat 2017 version by twenty points|website=The81stminute}}

He last played with Country Rugby League side Dubbo CYMS and later coached them in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/876077/williams-to-coach-dubbo-cyms/|title=Williams to coach Dubbo CYMS|website=dailyliberal.com.au}}

Career stats

First Grade Debut: 2004 - Round 12, Souths v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at Toyota Park, 29 May, scoring three goals
North Sydney Bears: 2007-2010 19 appearances 7 tries, 54 goals, 3 field goals, 133 points.{{cite web|url=http://www.ssralmanac.com/mobile/pastplayers_bears.htm|title=South Sydney Rabbitohs North Sydney Bears Affiliated Players|website=ssralmanac.com|accessdate=14 March 2018}}

Boxing career

On 18 October 2014 he successfully defended his World Boxing Federation (WBF) junior welterweight world title against Indonesian opponent Rusmin Kie Raha at Bolton Park Stadium. He also obtained a World Boxing Association (WBA) Asian title with a unanimous points victory.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/2634529/waggas-joe-williams-on-top-of-the-world|title=Wagga's Joe Williams on top of the world|first=Matt|last=Malone|date=19 October 2014|website=dailyadvertiser.com.au|accessdate=14 March 2018}}

Personal life

Joe Williams is the son of Wilfred Williams, who played for a number of Sydney teams in the late 1980s.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/wilfred-williams/summary.html|title=Wilfred Williams - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=rugbyleagueproject.org|accessdate=14 March 2018}}

He has spoken{{When|date=May 2017}} about his battles with depression, especially during his time in Rugby League. In October 2014, a short story called The Enemy Within was released.{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/106148474|title=The Enemy Within|first=Mayfly|last=Media|date=15 September 2014|accessdate=14 March 2018|via=Vimeo}} He currently works as a motivational speaker.{{Cite web |url=http://www.joewilliamsboxing.com.au/speaking/ |title=The Enemy within Motivational Speaking — JWB |access-date=2 March 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150308135328/http://www.joewilliamsboxing.com.au/speaking/ |archive-date=8 March 2015 |url-status=dead }}

In October 2016 Williams visited the Standing Rock Indian Reservation during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, carrying an Australian Aboriginal flag to demonstrate solidarity between Aboriginal Australians and Native Americans.{{cite news|author=|date= 14 November 2016|title= Joe Williams takes the Aboriginal flag to Standing Rock|url= http://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/the-point-with-stan-grant/article/2016/11/14/joe-williams-takes-aboriginal-flag-standing-rock|publisher= NITV|access-date= 2 May 2017}}