Antonio Winterstein

Antonio Winterstein (born 30 May 1988) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played for the North Queensland Cowboys and Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. A Samoan international captain, he was a member of the Cowboys' 2015 NRL premiership and 2016 World Club Challenge winning sides.

Born in Auckland, New Zealand he moved to Brisbane in his early years, playing junior rugby league for Logan Brothers, and attended Marsden State High School, where his classmates included future NRL stars Israel Folau and Chris Sandow. Winterstein joined the Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg side in 2007 and played for their inaugural NYC in 2008.

Following the 2008 Toyota Cup (Under-20s) season, Winterstein returned to Brisbane to be closer to family and was invited to train with the Broncos during the off-season. He was selected to play in Round 1 of the 2009 NRL season against his future club the North Queensland Cowboys, and scored a try on début. He scored 16 tries and played almost every game of his first NRL season. He was later named in the New Zealand train-on squad for the 2009 Four Nations series.

Winterstein's streak of 31 consecutive first grade games since his debut was cut in early April 2010 when coach Ivan Henjak dropped him and Ben Te'o for turning up to training late in the lead up to the match against the Dragons, which the Broncos lost. As punishment, Winterstein was relegated to second division for a week, and returned the following week against Cronulla.

At the end of the 2010 NRL season, Winterstein's last with Brisbane, he was part of the New Zealand squad for the 2010 Four Nations but not selected to play in any of the tournament's matches.

Winterstein moved to the North Queensland Cowboys on a 3-year deal with starting from the 2011 NRL season. Winterstein broke his jaw in the Cowboys first trial of the year in February against his former club Brisbane, which resulted in him missing the first month of the NRL. Winterstein returned for the Cowboys in Round 5 against the Gold Coast Titans, playing Centre and starring in the win. After 9 NRL games in 2011, Winterstein tore his pectoral muscle and damaged his shoulder badly in the Round 14 clash against the eventual Premiers Manly. Winterstein was ruled out for the remainder of the season, having played 9 games and scored 4 tries.

In 2012 Winterstein edged out fellow Kiwi international Kalifa Faifai Loa for the Cowboys final wing spot, as the club signed talented Grand Final centre Kane Linnett from the Roosters. Winterstein stayed injury-free in season 2012 and played in all 26 games for the Cowboys; scoring 8 tries. While Wintersteins preferred position is right centre, he was forced to play the majority of the season on the left wing.

Winterstein was awarded for his second season with the Cowboys club with a spot in New Zealand's one-off test squad to play against Australia on 13 October 2012. Winterstein made the New Zealand Four Nations squad in 2010 but missed out on selection in 2011 due to injury.