Kurt Baptiste

{{Short description|PNG international rugby league footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}

{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Kurt Baptiste

|fullname =

|image = Kurt Baptiste Wyong.jpg

|imagesize = 285

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|03|15}}

|birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

|height = {{convert|173|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|85|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|position = {{Rlp|HK|LK}}

|club1 = {{nowrap|Brisbane Broncos}}

|year1start = 2011

|year1end = 12

|appearances1 = 5

|tries1 = 1

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 4

|club2 = Canberra Raiders

|year2start = 2014

|year2end = 17

|appearances2 = 56

|tries2 = 5

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 20

|club3 = Leigh Centurions

|year3start = 2018

|year3end =

|appearances3 = 1

|tries3 = 0

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 0

|club4 = Sydney Roosters

|year4start = 2018

|year4end =

|appearances4 = 9

|tries4 = 0

|goals4 = 0

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 0

|club5 = {{nowrap|North Qld Cowboys}}

|year5start = 2019

|year5end =

|appearances5 = 9

|tries5 = 0

|goals5 = 0

|fieldgoals5 = 0

|points5 = 0

| teamA = {{nowrap|Queensland Residents}}

| yearAstart = 2012

| yearAend = 14

| appearancesA = 3

| triesA = 0

| goalsA = 0

| fieldgoalsA = 0

| pointsA = 0

| teamB = {{nowrap|Papua New Guinea}}

| yearBstart = 2016

| yearBend = present

| appearancesB = 7

| triesB = 0

| goalsB = 0

| fieldgoalsB = 0

| pointsB = 0

| retired =

| source = {{Cite web |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Kurt-Baptiste/ |title=loverugbyleague |access-date=3 March 2018 |archive-date=4 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304055250/https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Kurt-Baptiste/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/kurt-baptiste/summary.html|title=Kurt Baptiste – Career Stats & Summary|publisher=Rugby League Project}}

| updated = 5 January 2024

}}

Kurt Baptiste (born 15 March 1991) is a Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|hk}} for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup.

He has also previously played for the Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders, Sydney Roosters and the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL, and the Leigh Centurions in the Betfred Championship.

Early life

Born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Baptiste is of Papua New Guinean descent through his Samarai-born father Bevan.{{cite web|last=Mou|first=Freddy|date=6 May 2015|title=How 'Big Mal' gave Canberra Raiders PNG star Kato Ottio belief|url=http://www.looppng.com/content/how-big-mal-gave-canberra-raiders-png-star-kato-ottio-belief|publisher=Loop PNG|access-date=7 May 2016|quote=Fellow Raider Kurt Baptiste will make his Kumuls debut on Saturday. His Papua New Guinean heritage comes from his father, Bevan, who was born on the island of Samarai and moved to Brisbane aged 14.}} He played his junior rugby league for the Aspley Devils and attended Wavell State High School, where he represented the Australian Schoolboys in 2008, before being signed by the Brisbane Broncos.{{cite web| url = https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-canberra-raiders-halfback-kurt-baptiste-to-draw-on-australian-schoolboys-days-20150715-gicthc.html| title = NRL: Canberra Raiders halfback Kurt Baptiste to draw on Australian schoolboys days| date = 15 July 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-2130-0-0-0&sID=26416&articleID=5958315&news_task=DETAIL |title=2008 Australian Schoolboys Team Announced – Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League – SportsTG |website=websites.sportstg.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012175431/http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-2130-0-0-0&sID=26416&articleID=5958315&news_task=DETAIL |archive-date=2018-10-12}}

Playing career

=Brisbane Broncos=

Baptiste played for the Broncos' NYC team from 2009 to 2011, scoring 28 tries in 67 games and being named at {{rlp|hk}} in the 2011 NYC Team of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com//db/player/b/baptiste_kurt/index.php |title=rleague.com - Baptiste, Kurt|access-date=11 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620083243/http://www.rleague.com/db/player/b/baptiste_kurt/index.php|archive-date=20 June 2012 }}{{cite web|title=Toyota Cup Team of the Year|url=http://www.nrl.com/toyota-cup-team-of-the-year/tabid/10874/newsid/64496/default.aspx|publisher=National Rugby League|accessdate=30 August 2011|archive-date=11 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511103631/http://www.nrl.com/toyota-cup-team-of-the-year/tabid/10874/newsid/64496/default.aspx|url-status=dead}} In 2009, he represented the Queensland under-18 team in their 24–6 loss to New South Wales under-18.{{Cite web|url=https://nycdatabase.org/representative/under-18s-origin/2009-2/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908015734/https://nycdatabase.org/representative/under-18s-origin/2009-2/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=8 September 2018|title=2009|date=11 June 2014}}

In Round 12 of the 2011 NRL season, Baptiste made his NRL debut for the Broncos in their 34–10 loss to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Suncorp Stadium. He scored the first try of his NRL career in the Broncos' Round 16, 16–12 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Perth, Western Australia. Baptiste only played 1 game for the Broncos in 2012, in the Broncos' 30–6 win over the Canberra Raiders at Suncorp Stadium, spending much of the season playing for the Norths Devils, one of the Broncos' feeder teams, in the Queensland Cup.

In 2012 and 2013, he played for the Queensland Residents against the New South Wales Residents.[http://www.nrl.com/queensland-residents-team-named/tabid/10874/newsid/68240/default.aspx Queensland Residents team named] nrl.com, 25 June 2012{{cite web|url=http://leagueunlimited.com/news/show/qld-residents-team-named/|access-date=17 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927120237/http://leagueunlimited.com/news/show/qld-residents-team-named|archive-date=27 September 2013 |title=QLD Residents team named » League Unlimited }}

=Canberra Raiders=

On 18 November 2013, Baptiste signed a 1-year contract with the Canberra Raiders starting in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.raiders.com.au/news-display/Raiders-sign-Kyle-ODonnell-and-Kurt-Baptiste/87481|access-date=18 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124142313/http://www.raiders.com.au/news-display/Raiders-sign-Kyle-ODonnell-and-Kurt-Baptiste/87481|archive-date=24 November 2013 |title=Raiders sign Kyle O'Donnell and Kurt Baptiste - Canberra Raiders }}{{cite web|author=Rugby League|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/broncos-refugee-kurt-baptiste-happy-to-call-canberra-raiders-home-20131116-2xns4.html|title=Broncos refugee Kurt Baptiste happy to call Canberra Raiders home|publisher=Brisbanetimes.com.au|date=2013-11-17|access-date=2016-03-20}} On 3 September 2014, Baptiste re-signed with the Raiders on a 2-year contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.raiders.com.au/news/2014/09/03/kurt_baptiste_re_signs_with_the_raiders.html|title=Kurt Baptiste Re-Signs with the|date=3 September 2014|publisher=Raiders|access-date=2016-03-20}}

In 2016, Baptiste became a crucial member of the Raiders team, playing in 24 of their 27 matches. On 7 May 2016, he made his international debut for Papua New Guinea against Fiji in the 2016 Melanesian Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/png-stuns-fiji-in-a-thriller/tabid/10874/newsid/95678/default.aspx|title=PNG stuns Fiji in a thriller|date=7 May 2016|publisher=National Rugby League|access-date=7 May 2016}}

On 17 November 2016, Baptiste re-signed with the Raiders on a two-year deal.{{cite web| url = https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/canberra-raiders-resign-hooker-kurt-baptiste-for-two-seasons-on-eve-of-preseason-training-20161117-gsrc3z.html| title = Canberra Raiders re-sign hooker Kurt Baptiste for two seasons on eve of pre-season training| date = 17 November 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2016/10/18/season-review-kurt-baptiste/|title = Season Review: Kurt Baptiste|date = 18 October 2016}}

In December 2016, Baptiste ruptured his Achilles during pre-season training, which saw him miss half of the 2017 NRL season.{{cite web| url = https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/canberra-raiders-hooker-kurt-baptiste-has-surgery-on-ruptured-achilles-20161208-gt6x9w.html| title = Canberra Raiders hooker Kurt Baptiste has surgery on ruptured Achilles| date = 8 December 2016}} He returned in Round 14 of the 2017 season, playing just 11 games for the Raiders.{{Cite web|url=https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2017/09/20/kurt-baptiste-season-review/|title = Kurt Baptiste season review|date = 20 September 2017}} In late 2017, he represented Papua New Guinea at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, playing four games.{{cite web| url = https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/kurt-baptiste-and-kato-ottio-picked-in-papua-new-guinea-squad-for-world-cup-20171004-gytvi6.html| title = Kurt Baptiste and Kato Ottio picked in Papua New Guinea squad for World Cup| date = 4 October 2017}}

=Leigh Centurions=

On 18 December 2017, Baptiste joined English Championship club Leigh Centurions on a one-year deal.{{cite web | url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2017/12/18/kurt-baptiste-leaves-raiders-for-leigh-centurions/ | title=Kurt Baptiste leaves Raiders for Leigh Centurions | date=17 December 2017 }} On 4 March 2018, after playing just one game for the club, he was granted a release from his contract due to personal and family reasons.{{cite web | url=https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/blog/2018/03/04/centurions-release-kurt-baptiste-from-playing-contract/ | title=Old Site – Website Under Maintenance }}

=Sydney Roosters=

On 14 March 2018, Baptiste returned to Australia, signing a one-year deal with the Sydney Roosters.{{Cite web|url=https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2018/03/14/kurt-baptiste-signs-with-roosters-for-2018/|title=Kurt Baptiste Signs with Roosters for 2018|date=13 March 2018}} In June, he came off the interchange for Papua New Guinea in their 26–14 win over Fiji.https://www.playersvoice.com.au/kurt-baptiste-last-time-saw-my-friend-kato/ {{Dead link|date=February 2022}} He made just 9 appearances for the Roosters during the 2018 NRL season, spending the majority of the season playing for their Intrust Super Premiership feeder club, the Wyong Roos.

=North Queensland Cowboys=

On 11 October 2018, Baptiste joined the North Queensland Cowboys on a one-year deal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2018/10/11/four-more-signings-for-cowboys/|title = Four more signings for Cowboys|date = 11 October 2018}} After missing the entire pre-season and first two rounds due to injury, Baptiste played two games for the Northern Pride, the Cowboys' Queensland Cup feeder club.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cairnspost.com.au/sport/local-sport/gelamosby-suspended-baptist-return-forces-northern-pride-reshuffle/news-story/fe85f5d6897e4eb000e172c378998228|title = Subscribe to the Cairns Post}}

In Round 5 of the 2019 NRL season, Baptiste made his debut for the Cowboys in their loss to the Melbourne Storm.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2019/04/12/final-team-list-round-5-v-storm/|title=Final team list: Round 5 v Storm|date=12 April 2019}} Baptiste played just eight more games for the Cowboys in 2019 before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in Papua New Guinea's loss to Samoa in June, ruling him out for the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2019/06/24/injury-update-kurt-baptiste/|title = Injury update: Kurt Baptiste|date = 24 June 2019}}

On 13 September 2019, it was announced that he would not be re-signed by the Cowboys.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2019/09/13/cowboys-to-farewell-eight-players/|title = Cowboys to farewell eight departing players|date = 13 September 2019}} In 2020, he joined the Easts Tigers in the Queensland Cup.{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2020/03/10/purcell-poised-to-pounce-with-easts-tigers/|title = Purcell poised to pounce with Easts Tigers|date = 9 March 2020}}

=Canberra Raiders (second stint)=

On 4 August 2020, Baptiste re-signed with the Canberra Raiders until the end of the season, following the cancellation of the 2020 Queensland Cup season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2020/08/04/kurt-baptiste-to-return-to-raiders/|title=Kurt Baptiste to return to Raiders|date=4 August 2020|website=Canberra Raiders}}

Achievements and accolades

=Individual=

Statistics

: Statistics are correct to the end of the 2019 season

=NRL=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:85%;"
width=2%|Season

!width=8%|Team

!width=2%|Matches

!width=2%|T

!width=2%|G

!width=2%|GK %

!width=2%|F/G

!width=2%|Pts

scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2011

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} Brisbane

| 4|| 1|| 0|| —|| 0|| 4

style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2012

| 1

0000
scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2014

| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Canberra

| 5|| 0|| 0|| —|| 0|| 0

style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2015

| 16

2008
scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2016

| 24|| 3|| 0|| —|| 0|| 12

style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2017

| 11

0000
scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2018

|style="text-align:center;"|{{leagueicon|Sydney|16}} Sydney Roosters

| 9|| 0|| 0|| —|| 0|| 0

style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2019

|style="text-align:center;"|{{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} North Queensland

| 9

0000
class="sortbottom"

! colspan=2| Career totals

! 80

! 6

! 0

! —

! 0

! 24

=Championship=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:85%;"
width=2%|Season

!width=8%|Team

!width=2%|Matches

!width=2%|T

!width=2%|G

!width=2%|GK %

!width=2%|F/G

!width=2%|Pts

scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2018

|style="text-align:center;"|{{leagueicon|Leigh|16}} Leigh

| 1|| 0|| 0|| —|| 0|| 0

class="sortbottom"

! colspan=2| Career totals

! 1

! 0

! 0

! —

! 0

! 0

=International=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:85%;"
width=2%|Season

!width=8%|Team

!width=2%|Matches

!width=2%|T

!width=2%|G

!width=2%|GK %

!width=2%|F/G

!width=2%|Pts

scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2016

|style="text-align:center;"|{{flagicon|PNG|16}} Papua New Guinea

| 1|| 0|| 0|| —|| 0|| 0

style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2017

|style="text-align:center;"|{{flagicon|PNG|16}} Papua New Guinea

| 4

0000
scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2018

|style="text-align:center;"|{{flagicon|PNG|16}} Papua New Guinea

| 1|| 0|| 0|| —|| 0|| 0

style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2019

|style="text-align:center;"|{{flagicon|PNG|16}} Papua New Guinea

| 1

0000
class="sortbottom"

! colspan=2| Career totals

! 7

! 0

! 0

! —

! 0

! 0

References

{{reflist}}