Terry Newton

Terry Newton

Personal information
Full name	Terry Newton
Born	7 November 1978(1978-11-07) Wigan, United Kingdom
Died	c. 26 September 2010(2010-09-26) (aged 31) Orrell, Wigan, United Kingdom
Playing information
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	15 st 10 lb
Position	Hooker
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1996–1999	Leeds Rhinos	39	3	0	0	12
2000–2005	Wigan Warriors	186	62	0	0	248
2006–2009	Bradford Bulls	90	27	0	0	108
2010	Wakefield Wildcats	2	0	0	0	0
	Total	317	92	0	0	368
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1998–2010	Great Britain	15	3	0	0	12
1999–2010	England		0	0	0	0
As of 27 September 2009
Source: Rugby League Project

Terry Newton (7 November 1978 – c. 26 September 2010) was an English international rugby league player. He played for Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and was one of a handful of players to feature in each of the first 15 seasons of Super League. In February 2010, he was given a two-year ban after being one of the first sportsmen to have tested positive for human growth hormone. He was found hanged in his home seven months later.

Career

Club

Newton joined Leeds after a protracted transfer from Wigan amateur team St Judes, after Warrington had claimed they had also signed the young Newton.

Terry missed his first year of Academy rugby due to the problem however when he finally joined in March 1996 he made an immediate impact. He made his debut against Sheffield Eagles at Headingley in April of that year and by the next season was a regular in the side making 26 appearances in 1997 and scoring 2 tries.

His progression continued in 1998, despite going on loan to Bramley for a month, he still played in the Grand Final team at Old Trafford before playing his best season at the club in 1999. Leeds had signed Great Britain hooker Lee Jackson and Newton’s opportunities looked limited, however coach Graham Murray came up with a game plan that used both to their maximum potential. Newton, with his no nonsense direct play would start games with Jackson coming on off the bench to carve teams open. He played 83 times for Leeds and scored 6 tries.

Newton joined Wigan Warriors and made his début for the Warriors on Boxing Day 1999 against St Helens. He was a prolific try scorer for Wigan, bagging over a dozen tries in each of his first two seasons. Newton signed a 4-year extension to his Warriors contract in August 2002. He played much of the 2003 season despite needing a knee operation. He decided to put the operation back to the end of the year because the club was suffering an injury crisis at the time. He was rewarded for his efforts when he was included in the 2003 Super League 'Dream Team'.

At Wigan, Newton featured in three Super League Grand Finals, and was on the losing side on each occasion. He also featured on the losing side in the 1998 Grand Final, while playing for Leeds.

Newton moved to Bradford Bulls for the start of the 2006 season as part of a swap deal involving Mickey Higham. He was a consistent performer for the Bulls, but the club did not feature in a major final during his time there. He was allowed to leave the club following the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2009 season.

Newton signed for Wakefield following the expiry of his contract at Bradford.

International

Newton won international honours with two caps for England against France in October 1999, and he gained two caps in the 1998 Great Britain v New Zealand test series whilst at Leeds. Terry would surely have represented Great Britain in the 2001 Ashes series had it not been for a broken arm suffered in the Warriors Grand Final defeat to Bradford Bulls at Old Trafford.

He made his return to the Great Britain squad for the 2003 Ashes series, despite needing a knee operation, and was selected for the Tri-Nations squad the following year.

Newton won caps for England while at Leeds Rhinos in 1999 against France (2 matches), while at Wigan Wariors in 2001 against Wales, and won caps for Great Britain while at Leeds Rhinos in 1998 against New Zealand, while at Wigan Warriors in 2002 against Australia (sub), in 2003 against Australia (3 matches), in 2004 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand, while at Bradford Bulls in 2006 against New Zealand (2 matches), New Zealand (sub), and Australia (2 matches), and in 2007 against New Zealand.

Suspension

On 22 February 2010 Newton was banned for two years by the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) after failing a drug test on 24 November 2009. He was just two games into 2 year deal that he had signed with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, but the contract was cancelled.

The father of two young girls became a pub licensee following his ban.

Death

On 26 September 2010, Newton was found hanged in a house on Harswell Close in the Orrell district of Wigan. A later post mortem found traces of cocaine, amphetamines and the steroid nandrolone within his system, prescription anti-depressants, and consumption of alcohol, all of which could have impaired his judgement. Newton had left several notes stating he wanted to die. Coroner Jennifer Leeming recorded an open verdict.

Statistics

Club career

Year	Club	Apps	Pts	T	G	FG
1998	Leeds Rhinos	14	4	1	–	–
1999	Leeds Rhinos	25	8	2	–	–
2000	Wigan Warriors	28	48	12	–	–
2001	Wigan Warriors	31	60	15	–	–
2002	Wigan Warriors	30	32	8	–	–
2003	Wigan Warriors	27	16	4	–	–
2004	Wigan Warriors	24	56	14	–	–
2005	Wigan Warriors	26	36	9	–	–
2006	Bradford Bulls	20	20	5	–	–
2007	Bradford Bulls	23	36	9	–	–
2008	Bradford Bulls	10	12	3	–	–

Representative career

Year	Team	Matches	Tries	Goals	Field goals	Points
1999	England	2	0	0	0
2001	England	3		0	0
2002	Great Britain	1	0	0	0
2003	Great Britain	3	1	0	0	4
2004	Great Britain	4	2	0	0	8
2006	Great Britain	4	0	0	0
2007	Great Britain	1	0	0	0

External links

• Terry Newton Wigan Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.
• Bradford profile
• 2001 Ashes profile
• Newton looking to hit Hull early
• Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org
• Profile at leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk