Riley Brown
{{short description|Australian rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Riley Brown
|fullname = Riley Brown
|image = Riley Brown.jpg
|image_size = 200
|caption =
|position = {{Rlp|SR|HK|FE}}
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|10|15|df=yes}}
|birth_place = Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia
|height = {{convert|185|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|99|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|club1 = {{nowrap|Newcastle Knights}}
|year1start = 2004
|year1end = 07
|appearances1 = 40
|tries1 = 7
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 28
|club2 = Sydney Roosters
|year2start = 2008
|year2end = 09
|appearances2 = 27
|tries2 = 0
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 0
|club3 = {{nowrap|Gold Coast Titans}}
|year3start = 2010
|year3end = 11
|appearances3 = 9
|tries3 = 0
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 0
| teamA = {{nowrap|NSW Residents}}
| yearAstart = 2004
| yearAend =
| appearancesA = 1
| triesA = 1
| goalsA = 0
| fieldgoalsA = 0
| pointsA = 4
|updated = 8 January 2024
}}
Riley Brown (born 15 October 1984) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League (NRL). He primarily played as a Hooker.
Background
Brown was born in Bundaberg, Queensland. He was raised in the town of Singleton, New South Wales where, at 17 years of age, he represented Singleton Greyhounds at first team level.{{cite news|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/10/1086749842799.html?from=moreStories|title=The day that changed Knight Riley Brown forever|date=11 June 2004|accessdate=7 September 2009}}
Playing career
Brown made his NRL debut on 4 April 2004, for the Newcastle Knights against the St George Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium. Brown made seven appearances for Newcastle the following season as the club finished last on the table claiming the wooden spoon.
After playing 40 games for the Newcastle club, Brown was told to look elsewhere after coach Brian Smith's clean-out midway through the 2007 season.{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Smith-defends-Knights-cleanout/2007/05/30/1180205327875.html|title=Smith defends Knights cleanout|date=30 May 2007|accessdate=7 September 2009| location=Melbourne}} Brown was signed by the Sydney Roosters for the 2008 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/about/club-history/official-debut-numbers/|title=OFFICIAL DEBUT NUMBERS|website=Newcastle Knights}}
In his first game for the Sydney Roosters, Brown infamously injured South Sydney player Craig Wing in the 8th minute of the match with a shoulder charge into Wing's back while Wing was being held up by two other players.{{cite news|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23386202-5016289,00.html|title=Wing sidelined for months|date=17 March 2008|accessdate=7 September 2009| first1=James| last1=Phelps| first2=Dean| last2=Ritchie}} Brown was not charged over the incident.{{cite news|last=Jancetic|first=Steve|newspaper=The Herald Sun|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,21985,23389774-14823,00.html|title=No charge for Riley Brown over Wing tackle|date=17 March 2008|accessdate=7 September 2009}}{{cite web|url=https://www.roosters.com.au/about/past-players/|title=Men's Honour Roll|website=Sydney Roosters}}
Brown broke his arm in the Roosters' 2008 qualifying final loss to the Brisbane Broncos.{{cite news|last=Walter|first=Brad|url=http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/broken-arm-ends-browns-season/2008/09/12/1220857842329.html|title=Broken arm ends Brown's season|date=13 September 2009|accessdate=7 September 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915234700/http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/broken-arm-ends-browns-season/2008/09/12/1220857842329.html|archivedate=15 September 2008 }} He did not return to first grade until round 21 of the 2009 NRL season. Brown made a total of six appearances in 2009 as the Sydney Roosters had a horrid season on the field finishing with the wooden spoon.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/the-wooden-spoon-to-premier-gold-roosters-run-recalls-league-history-20100921-15lfu.html/|title=The wooden spoon to premier gold? Roosters run recalls league history|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}
Brown joined the Gold Coast Titans in 2010. Brown's last game in first grade was a 16–12 loss against Manly in Round 10 2011. At the end of 2011, Brown was released from the club as the Gold Coast finished with the wooden spoon. It was the players third wooden spoon in his career.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/eels-give-titans-thrashing-with-blunt-wooden-spoon-20110903-1jrsx.html/|title=Eels give Titans thrashing with blunt wooden spoon|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}
After leaving the NRL, Brown played for the Cessnock Goannas, South Newcastle and Central Newcastle.{{cite web|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/5205343/browns-return-boosts-goeys-attacking-flair/|title=Riley Brown returns to Cessnock to partner former NRL bad-boy Paul Carter in the halves|website=www.newcastleherald.com.au}}
Personal life
On 2 June 2000, Brown's mother Judith was murdered in her Anna Bay home. Brown's father, Ross, was convicted of the crime but Brown believes that his father is innocent.{{cite news|last=Hooper|first=James|newspaper=The Sunday Telegraph|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/rileys-fight-to-save-a-family/story-e6frexr9-1111115862985|title=Riley's fight to save a family|date=23 March 2008|accessdate=7 September 2009}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/16/playerid/28/seasonid/7/default.aspx NRL profile]
- [http://sydneyroosters.com.au/players/player_profile.php?grade=first_grade&player_name=Riley%20Brown Sydney Roosters Profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Riley}}
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Cessnock Goannas players
Category:Gold Coast Titans players
Category:New South Wales Residents rugby league team players
Category:Newcastle Knights players
Category:Sportspeople from Singleton, New South Wales
Category:Rugby league five-eighths
Category:Rugby league players from Bundaberg
Category:Rugby league second-rows