Eorl Crabtree
 Crabtree while playing for Huddersfield in 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Eorl Lance Crabtree | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 October 1982[1] Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 8 in (203 cm)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 18 st 4 lb (116 kg)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 28 March 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eorl Crabtree (born October 2, 1982) is an English professional rugby league footballer for Huddersfield of Super League. An England international representative prop forward, he has played his entire career to date at Huddersfield. He has earned the nickname 'Fat Robbie Savage' for his large size and Robbie Savage likeness.
Biography
Born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, Crabtree has lived in Meltham since he was three years old and attended Honley High School. He is the nephew of legendary professional wrestler Shirley "Big Daddy" Crabtree, himself a former rugby league player who played for Bradford Northern, although he never made an appearance for the first team.
Club career
Crabtree signed for Huddersfield on his 17th birthday and made his debut for the club in 2001. The following season he scored 25 tries in 37 league and cup appearances whilst playing at centre during Huddersfield's National League promotion season. His breakthrough year in Super League was 2004 where, under coach Jon Sharp, he established himself as a regular in Huddersfield's first team and developed a reputation as an imposing figure with his mix of size and athleticism. Crabtree played for Huddersfield in the 2006 Challenge Cup final at second-row forward against St Helens RFC but the Giants lost 12-42. Crabtree had a superb 2009 campaign at Huddersfield. Having helped them to a third-place finish in Super League and to Wembley for the Challenge Cup final, Crabtree also impressed national coach Tony Smith who selected Eorl in the England squad for the 2009 Four Nations. At the end of the year, Crabtree signed a new long-term contract until the end of the 2015 season.
Crabtree was an integral part of the Huddersfield team that finished top of Super League XVIII, and was one of four Huddersfield players selected in the Super League Dream Team that year. In April 2014, Crabtree made his 350th appearance for the Giants in a 33-14 win over Warrington in Super League XIX. With this appearance he is currently the 14th most capped Huddersfield club player ever.[4] In 2015, he signed an extension to his contract taking him until the end of the 2017 season.[5] On September 3 2015, Crabtree made history and became the 10th most capped club player of the Huddersfield Giants. He also scored a rare try on his 400th appearance for the club. He is 85 appearances away from equaling Douglas Clark's record for the most appearances for the Huddersfield Giants.[6]
International career
Eorl is a full England international having played 13 times for his country. He featured in the 2009 and 2010 Four Nations tournaments, but missed out on selection in 2011.
References
- ^ Stott, Julie (6 October 2010). "England Four Nations Pen Pics". News of the World. UK: News Group Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Giants to Boast Biggest Pack". Huddersfield Giants. Huddersfield Giants. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
- ^ "Huddersfield Giants 1st Team Eorl Crabtree". Huddersfield Giants web site. Huddersfield Giants. 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
- ^ "Huddersfield Giants prop Eorl Crabtree reaches club 350 appearances". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 2014-04-02. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
- ^ Eorl Crabtree: Huddersfield Giants prop signs new deal
- ^ "Huddersfield beat Castleford to close on Super League semi-finals". theguardian. 2015-09-03. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
- ^ Baxter, T. "Eorl faces Daddy of a day EASY! EASY!". The Daily Mirror Thursday, August 24, 2006. p. 69.
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