Mal Meninga
Centre
Player Bio
- Honoured:
- 2018
- Date of Birth:
- 08 July 1960
- Birthplace:
- Bundaberg, QLD
- Nickname:
- -
- Debut Team:
- Southern Suburbs
- Date:
- 18 February 1979
- Opposition:
- Brothers
- Venue:
- Davies Park, South Brisbane
- Representative:
- Combined Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Clubs:
- Souths Brisbane, St Helens, Canberra Raiders
Career
Milestones
- Premierships: 1981, 1985, 1989-90, 1994
- Kangaroo Tours: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994
- Australian captain: 24 Tests
- Dally M Centre of the Year: 1990, 1991
- Rugby League Week Player of the Year: 1990
- Golden Boot award: 1989
- Australian Rugby League Team of the Century: 2008
- Queensland Team of the Century: 2008
- Rated No. 13 in Rugby League Week’s Top 100 players: 1992
- Named in NRL Team of the 1980s: 2004
- Named in NRL Team of the 1990s: 2003
- Immortal: 2018
Playing
- First Class Games
- 517
- Points
- 3255
- Tries
- 291
Biography
Mal Meninga's endless list of records and achievements stands as a testament to the strength and perseverance he displayed over a magnificent 17-year career in top level football.
The former police cadet burst onto the scene with Souths in Brisbane in 1978 and was a Queensland representative the following season and in the Australian team soon after his 22nd birthday.
Meninga had been blessed with size and strength and used those qualities to their fullest. He is the only player to tour four times with the Kangaroos and the only player to make two Kangaroo tours as captain.
And he achieved much of this after he withstood the pain and frustration of four broken arms during the 1987–88 seasons.
Meninga recovered from the setbacks as a more mature and more consistent player.
''The true test of a champion is not just what he does as an individual,'' said Bob Fulton of Meninga. ''It's what he does for the players around him''.
Meninga was renowned for charges through the defence as he captained Canberra to three premierships.
Perhaps his most memorable performance came at Old Trafford in 1990, when he helped Australia to salvage the Ashes with a barnstorming try in the final minutes of the second Test.
“The qualities of a champion are pride, discipline and character to fight back. Mal has continually shown them all.”
Wayne Bennett Coach
Mal Meninga - Immortal
Career Stats
Club Career
| Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Suburbs Brisbane | Brisbane Club Competition | 1979 | 1985 | 108 | 77 | 313 | - | 889 |
| Southern Suburbs Brisbane | Official Pre-Season | 1979 | 1984 | 25 | 12 | 70 | - | 177 |
| Southern Suburbs Brisbane | State League | 1982 | 1985 | 21 | 18 | 46 | - | 151 |
| Southern Suburbs Brisbane | President's Cup | 1980 | 1980 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 7 |
| St Helens | England First Class Games | 1984 | 1985 | 31 | 28 | 8 | - | 128 |
| Canberra Raiders | Premiership | 1986 | 1994 | 166 | 74 | 283 | 2 | 864 |
| Canberra Raiders | Mid-Week Competitions | 1986 | 1987 | 3 | 1 | 6 | - | 15 |
| Canberra Raiders | World Club Challenge | 1989 | 1989 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Canberra Raiders | Official Pre-Season |
1990
1993 |
1991
1994 |
12 | 2 | 14 | - | 36 |
Representative Career
Intercity
| Team Name | Competition | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combined Brisbane | Mid-Week Competitions | 1979 | 1984 | 15 | 3 | 43 | - | 97 | |
| Combined Brisbane | Touring Sides | 1979 | 1979 | 1 | - | - | - | - | |
| Combined Brisbane | Newcastle | 1981 | 1981 | 1 | - | 5 | - | 10 | |
| Brisbane City | Queensland Country | 1979 | 1981 | 3 | 5 | 14 | - | 43 |
State
| Team Name | Competition | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland | Interstate Series | New South Wales | 1979 | 1981 | 6 | 3 | 9 | - | 27 |
| Queensland | State of Origin | New South Wales |
1980
1989 |
1986
1994 |
32 | 6 | 69 | - | 161 |
| Queensland | Touring Sides |
1982
1984 |
1982
1984 |
2 | 2 | 10 | - | 27 | |
| Queensland | Tour Matches | 1983 | 1983 | 2 | 3 | 8 | - | 28 |
International
| Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Tests and World Cup |
1982
1988 |
1986
1994 |
46 | 21 | 99 | - | 278 |
| Australia | Tour Matches |
1982
1985
1988
1990
1994 |
1982
1986
1988
1992
1994 |
37 | 29 | 79 | - | 267 |
| Australia | Rest of the World | 1988 | 1988 | 1 | - | 3 | - | 6 |
Other Representative
| Team Name | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Queensland | Papua New Guinea | 1981 | 1981 | 1 | 4 | 9 | - | 30 |
| Oceania | Europe | 1984 | 1984 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| President's XIII | Great Britain | 1988 | 1988 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 8 |
Latest
Immortals
National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
