Steve Martin (rugby league)
{{short description|Australian RL coach and former rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Steve Martin
|fullname = Steven Martin
|image =
|caption =
|country =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|01|07|df=yes}}
|birth_place = Wagga Wagga, New South Wales{{cite web|last=wagga.nsw.gov.au|title=Steve Martin|url=http://www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/museum/collections/hall-of-fame/inductees/martin,-steve#.UvWfdvmSzEk|work=Sporting Hall of Fame|publisher= Museum of the Riverina|accessdate=8 February 2014}}
|height = {{convert|165|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|70|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position = {{rlp|HB|CE}}
|club1 = Barrow
|year1start = 1975
|year1end = 76
|appearances1 =
|tries1 =
|goals1 =
|fieldgoals1 =
|points1 =
|club2 = Manly-Warringah
|year2start = 1978
|year2end = 81
|appearances2 = 70
|tries2 = 21
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 2
|points2 = 65
|club3 = Balmain
|year3start = 1982
|year3end = 84
|appearances3 = 53
|tries3 = 10
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 1
|points3 = 38
|club4 = Leeds
|year4start = 1983
|year4end = 84
|appearances4 = 25
|tries4 = 4
|goals4 = 0
|fieldgoals4 = 0
|points4 = 16
|teamA = New South Wales
|yearAstart = 1978
|yearAend = 80
|appearancesA = 2
|triesA = 1
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 3
|teamB = Australia
|yearBstart = 1978
|yearBend = 80
|appearancesB = 1
|triesB = 0
|goalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 0
|coachteam1 = North Sydney
|coachyear1start = 1990
|coachyear1end = 92
|coachgames1 = 69
|coachwins1 = 35
|coachdraws1 = 2
|coachlosses1 = 32
|coachteam2 = {{nowrap|Featherstone Rovers}}
|coachyear2start = 1993
|coachyear2end = 94
|coachgames2 = 76
|coachwins2 = 44
|coachdraws2 = 3
|coachlosses2 = 29
|coachteam3 = South Sydney
|coachyear3start = 1998
|coachyear3end =
|coachgames3 = 18
|coachwins3 = 3
|coachdraws3 = 0
|coachlosses3 = 15
|retired = yes
|source = [http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=5259 NRL Stats]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Steve-Martin/summary.html RLP][http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/Steve_Martin/summary.html Coach statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org]
}}
Steve Martin (born 7 January 1957) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1990s. He was a representative player at both state and international levels and played in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition for Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, and the Balmain Tigers. Martin primarily played in the {{rlp|hb}} position.
Playing career
Martin was originally an Australian Rules footballer in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales but switched to rugby league with Wagga Wagga Kangaroos. He spent 1975–1976 playing for Barrow in English club football. He came to the notice of first-grade clubs in Australia when he represented Riverina in the 1976 Amco Cup competition.
Martin débuted for Manly in 1978 and was selected for New South Wales as {{rlp|fe}}. In the same year he played in both the grand final, and the grand final replay win over Cronulla. Martin finished his début season as the NSWRL Rookie of the Year. He was then selected to go on the 1978 Kangaroo tour, playing in eleven tour matches and one Test against France.
Martin was selected to represent New South Wales as an interchange for the inaugural State of Origin game in 1980.{{cite web|publisher=Rugby League Tables|title=State Of Origin – Game 1, 1980|url=http://www.stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game1.html|access-date=2007-12-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930230150/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/game1.html|archive-date=30 September 2007}}
After several positional changes at Manly, Martin moved to Balmain in an effort to consolidate his career at halfback but a series of shoulder injuries kept him from his previous form. In 1983–1984, Martin played for Leeds in England.
Coaching career
In 1986–1987, Martin captain-coached West Tamworth to two premierships but two shoulder dislocations forced his retirement as a player. Moving to the North Sydney Bears in 1990, Martin coached the club to the 1991 preliminary-final but they lost to the Canberra Raiders.
1992 was a disappointing season for the Bears and Martin resigned at the end of the year, being succeeded by Peter Louis. An appointment as coach of Featherstone Rovers in England followed before Martin returned once more to Australia and took up the coaching position at the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 1998 replacing the outgoing Ken Shine. His tenure at the club was brief. Martin was sacked after a disagreement over the disciplining of controversial five-eighth, Julian O'Neill, late in the season and handed the position over to Craig Coleman.{{cite web|publisher=South Sydney Rabbitohs|title=Season by Season – 1998|url= http://www.souths.com.au/tradition/seasonbyseason.asp?Year=1998&go.x=15&go.y=7&go=Submit|accessdate=2007-12-16}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite book|last1=Whiticker|first1=Alan|last2=Hudson|first2=Glen|title=The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players|year=2007|publisher=Gary Allen Pty Ltd|location= Wetherill Park, New South Wales|isbn=978-1-877082-93-1|pages=609}}
- {{cite book|editor=Gary Lester |title=The Sun Book of Rugby League – 1983|year=1983
|publisher=John Fairfax Marketing|location= Sydney, New South Wales|isbn=0-909558-83-3|pages=12}}
{{1978 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles squad 1978 NSWRFL premiership}}
{{New South Wales - Inaugural State of Origin team}}
{{Featherstone Rovers coaches}}
{{North Sydney Bears coaches}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Steve}}
Category:Australia national rugby league team players
Category:Australian rugby league coaches
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Balmain Tigers players
Category:Barrow Raiders players
Category:Featherstone Rovers coaches
Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England
Category:Manly Warringah Sea Eagles players
Category:North Sydney Bears coaches
Category:Rugby league halfbacks
Category:Rugby league players from Wagga Wagga
Category:South Sydney Rabbitohs coaches