Dale Shearer (born 25 July 1965 in St George, Queensland) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative winger/fullback of Aboriginal heritage, he played club football in Queensland, New South Wales and England. His playing career included a NSWRL Premiership win with Manly-Warringah in 1987 and a Rugby League World Cup final win in 1988. Ten years after his retirement, Shearer was still the all-time top try-scorer in State of Origin history and he was named on the wing of the Indigenous Australian team of the century.
[edit] Playing career
At the age of 18, Dale Shearer caught the attention of many people during his time at the Queensland club, Sarina Crocodiles in the Winfield State League with some impressive performances. He was a member of Mackay's second successful Foley Shield team in 1984, as well as representing Queensland in the match against New Zealand.[2] Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles coach Bob Fulton was quick to sign him before anyone else in 1985. He made his test debut for the Kangaroos in 1986, and later in that year went on to represent Australia on their undefeated tour of England and France. He scored a record four tries against France in the final match of the tour.[3] Shearer was a member of the Manly premiership winning side in 1987. Following the grand final victory he travelled with Manly to England for the 1987 World Club Challenge against their champions, Wigan. In the following off season he also played 14 games in the championship-winning Widnes team in England for the 1987–88 RFL championship.
Shearer's time at the Manly club went sour when he took them to court in 1989, requesting to be released from his contract after a bitter dispute.[4] He failed to win the court case but an agreement was made to let Shearer join the Brisbane Broncos in 1990. That year he was the Broncos' top point-scorer and at the end of the 1990 NSWRL season, he went on the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. However, Shearer was not happy with Brisbane either, and at the end of the 1991 NSWRL season he moved to the struggling Gold Coast Seagulls.
Shearer's Australian test career seemed to be over after a poor match against New South Wales in Melbourne in 1991. However, he fought his way back into the Queensland State of Origin side and was selected for Australia's three test series against New Zealand in 1993. He proved his critics wrong and was one of the stand out players in the three-test series. He was also named man-of-the-match in the third match of the 1993 State of Origin series. Shearer took the record for most tries scored by one player in State of Origin history. He played out the rest of his football career at the North Queensland Cowboys before a teary final exit from the sport in 1998.
[edit] Post-playing
After his retirement Shearer remained in Townsville to do Aboriginal representative work for local organisations in North Queensland. In 2000, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his "outstanding achievement in rugby league". In August, 2008, Shearer was named at wing in the Indigenous Team of the Century.[5]
Shearer was critically injured in a car crash at Peregian Springs on 21 February 2009.[6] The crash came one year after the death from cancer of his wife Delyse.[7]
In 2010 Shearer faced bankruptcy when ordered to repay approximately $1.5m to former State of Origin teammate Adrian Lam for an outstanding loan which dated back to 2005.[8]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Shearer, Dale |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
25 July 1965 |
| Place of birth |
St George, Queensland |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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