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Colin Best
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Colin Best (born 22 November 1978) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He played primarily in the National Rugby League as a wing or centre for Australian clubs, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, St. George Illawarra Dragons, Canberra Raiders and South Sydney Rabbitohs. Best also played in the Super League for English club, Hull FC.
Key Information
Background
[edit]Before his rugby league career, Best had also represented Australia at a junior level in indoor soccer and has had tinea ever since.
Career
[edit]Best made his first grade debut for Cronulla in round 12 1998 against North Sydney, scoring a try in a 16–12 victory at Shark Park. In 1999, Best made 14 appearances and scored 12 tries as Cronulla won the minor premiership but lost in the preliminary final against rivals St. George at Stadium Australia.
The following year, Best scored 13 tries from 26 games as Cronulla reached the finals but were eliminated by the Brisbane Broncos in the first week. In 2001, Best played in Cronulla's preliminary final defeat against eventual premiers Newcastle.
At the end of 2002, Best signed with Hull in the Super League and spent two years in England before returning to Australia and signing with St. George. In the 2005 NRL season, Best finished as the club's top try scorer with 20 tries. Best played in the club's preliminary final loss against eventual premiers Wests Tigers at the Sydney Football Stadium.
In 2006, Best scored 6 tries in 19 games as St. George reached another preliminary final, however Best missed the match through injury. In 2007, Best signed for Canberra.
In 2008, while playing for Canberra he was awarded the Dally M Winger of the Year Award.
During the 2008 NRL season, Best signed a two-year contract with South Sydney commencing in the 2009. Best scored a try on debut for South Sydney's round 1 victory over rivals the Sydney Roosters which finished 52–12.[2][3][4]
In the 2009 State of Origin series Best was named in the 40 man New South Wales preliminary squad but ultimately was not selected for any of the games.
He signed for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks for two seasons starting in 2011. At the end of the two seasons, Best announced his retirement, after a 15-year career, playing his final game in a finals lost against former club Canberra. Following his retirement, he was one of seventeen Cronulla players found guilty of using illegal substances under the club's 2011 supplements program, having a twelve-month suspension (which had already expired due to backdating) recorded against his name.[5]
Career highlights
[edit]- Junior Club: Engadine Dragons
- First Grade Debut: Round 12, Cronulla v North Sydney, Toyota Park, 30 May 1998
- First Grade Record: 170 appearances scoring 87 tries
References
[edit]- ^ "Colin Best - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ Colin Best signs for the Rabbitohs Archived 26 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "2009 NRL Player Movements". NRL Live. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
{{cite web}}:|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Player Report - Colin Best". www.ssralmanac.com.
- ^ Zemek, Steve (13 October 2016). "Sharks finalise ASADA deal". Yahoo!7. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Colin Best.
- Canberra Raiders profile
- Colin Best NRL.com[permanent dead link]
- (archived by web.archive.org) Stats → PastPlayers → B at hullfc.com
- (archived by web.archive.org) Statistics at hullfc.com
Colin Best
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early Life and Background
Early Life
Colin Best was born on 22 November 1978 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He grew up in the Sutherland Shire, a southern Sydney region steeped in rugby league tradition and home to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, which fostered a vibrant local sports culture that influenced many young athletes in the area.[3] From an early age, Best displayed athletic talent across multiple sports, including a notable stint representing Australia at the junior level in indoor soccer. This early involvement highlighted his speed and agility, skills that would later translate effectively to rugby league.[4] Best's physical build during his formative years—standing at 189 cm tall and weighing around 98 kg—provided a strong foundation for the physical demands of rugby league, particularly suiting him to the wing and centre positions where height aids in contesting high balls and weight supports robust tackling.[1]Junior and Youth Career
Best developed his rugby league skills through the Engadine Dragons, a key feeder club within the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks' junior pathway system.[5] In his youth, Best primarily trained and competed as a winger and centre, emphasizing speed, aerial ability, and finishing prowess in local and district-level matches.[6][1] A standout performance came in 1997 when he was selected for the Mal Meninga Cup, the under-19 competition, representing the Dragons and showcasing his potential ahead of his professional debut.[5]Professional Playing Career
National Rugby League Clubs
Colin Best made his National Rugby League (NRL) debut on 30 May 1998 for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, coming off the bench in a 16–12 victory over the North Sydney Bears at Toyota Park.[1] During his initial stint with Cronulla from 1998 to 2002, Best established himself as a reliable winger and centre, contributing to the team's competitive edge in the late 1990s; he scored 43 tries across 81 games, including a standout 1999 season with 12 tries in 14 appearances that helped the Sharks secure the minor premiership before a preliminary final loss.[2] His no-nonsense finishing and defensive work bolstered Cronulla's backline dynamics, forming part of a squad that consistently challenged for playoffs.[1] After a period abroad, Best joined the St. George Illawarra Dragons for the 2005–2006 seasons, where he played 45 games and scored 26 tries, highlighted by his 20 tries in 2005 that made him the club's leading try-scorer and supported their push to the preliminary finals.[7] Best's speed and aerial ability enhanced the Dragons' attacking options, particularly on the wing alongside key playmakers, contributing to a more fluid team structure during their strong campaign.[1] Best then moved to the Canberra Raiders for 2007–2008, appearing in 44 games and scoring 18 tries, with his efforts playing a pivotal role in the Raiders' 2008 playoff qualification by providing consistent scoring threat and backline stability that improved overall team performance.[2] In 2009, he signed a two-year contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, where he featured in 46 games over 2009–2010 and added 9 tries, offering veteran experience to a developing squad and aiding their transitional phase through reliable perimeter defense and occasional finishing.[2][1] Best returned to Cronulla for his final seasons in 2011–2012, playing an additional 45 games and scoring 13 tries in a mentorship role that supported younger players while closing out his career with the club where it began.[2] Across his NRL tenure with these clubs, Best amassed 261 games, 109 tries, and 436 points, underscoring his enduring impact as a prolific and versatile outside back.[2]Super League Experience
At the end of the 2002 NRL season, Colin Best signed a two-year contract with Hull FC, joining the Super League club from the Cronulla Sharks as a versatile back capable of playing on the wing, at centre, or full-back.[8] His arrival bolstered Hull's attacking options, and he quickly established himself as a key performer, playing 63 games and scoring 40 tries across all competitions during his tenure from 2003 to 2004.[2] In Super League matches alone, Best featured in 57 games, crossing for 34 tries, while adding six more in the Challenge Cup.[2] Best's adaptation to the Super League was marked by notable successes, particularly in try-scoring, where he became Hull's top performer in 2003 with 21 tries—the first player in club history to reach 20 in a Super League season.[9] His speed and finishing ability shone in key fixtures, including a standout performance against defending champions St Helens on May 26, 2003, where he scored two tries in Hull's 30-6 victory at The Boulevard, contributing to a dominant display that saw the team shut out their opponents.[10] He repeated the feat with another brace in a 42-18 win over St Helens later that season, underscoring his role in Hull's improved form and push toward the playoffs.[11] These contributions highlighted his effectiveness in the more physical, contestable style of Super League play compared to his prior NRL experience. After two seasons, Best returned to Australia in 2004, signing with the St George Illawarra Dragons for the following year as part of a broader exodus that included coach Shaun McRae and teammate Jason Smith heading back home.[6] This move aligned with his career progression, allowing him to rejoin the NRL environment where he had previously thrived.[6]Representative Honours
New South Wales and City Teams
Colin Best earned selection for the New South Wales City team in 2001 during his time with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, marking his only appearance at this level of representative rugby league.[2] The annual City vs Country match, in which Best participated, functioned as a key trial for potential inclusion in the New South Wales State of Origin squad, with selectors drawing from top NRL performers across Sydney-based clubs.[12] Best was named to start at centre for City in the June 8, 2001, fixture against Country at Carrington Park in Bathurst, joining a backline featuring players like Hazem El Masri on the wing and Anthony Minichiello on the opposite flank.[13] In his role, Best provided support in both attack and defense, leveraging his speed and positioning typical of a winger-centre hybrid to aid team structure amid the match's demands.[2] City suffered a 10-42 defeat, with their points coming from two tries to Matt Geyer and Mark Gasnier and a single goal from El Masri; Best did not register a try or assist in the loss.[13]International and Other Representations
Despite a long and consistent professional career marked by strong performances, including scoring over 100 tries in first-grade rugby league, Colin Best never earned senior international selection for the Australian Kangaroos.[1] This omission persisted even during his peak form in 2008, when he was named Dally M Winger of the Year after a prolific season with the Canberra Raiders, where he scored 14 tries in 24 appearances.[1] Best was not included in any Test matches, World Cup squads, or other senior international fixtures, reflecting the highly competitive nature of Australia's winger positions during his era.[2] At the junior level, Best represented Australia in the Super League Under-19s side in 1997, showcasing his early potential as a versatile outside back.[1] No further junior international rugby league appearances are documented, and he did not feature in invitational teams such as the All Stars during the latter stages of his career from 2010 to 2012.[2] His representative experience remained limited to domestic levels, including one appearance for NSW City in 2001.[2]Achievements and Legacy
Major Awards and Accolades
During his tenure with the Canberra Raiders in 2008, Colin Best was awarded the Dally M Winger of the Year, the highest individual positional honour in the National Rugby League (NRL). This award is determined through a 3-2-1 voting system by a panel of journalists and former players after each regular-season match, with points accumulated across the season to identify the top performer in the winger position. Best's selection underscored his exceptional finishing ability and defensive contributions, as he scored 14 tries in 24 appearances, helping propel the Raiders to a strong mid-season performance.[14][15][1][16] Earlier in his career, Best earned club-specific recognition with the St. George Illawarra Dragons in 2005, finishing as the team's leading try scorer with 20 tries across 25 games. This honour highlighted his role as a key attacking weapon on the wing, contributing significantly to the Dragons' push into the finals series that year.[17] These accolades cemented Best's reputation as one of the NRL's premier wingers during the mid-2000s, emphasizing his speed, aerial prowess, and try-scoring consistency over exhaustive career statistics.[1]Career Statistics and Records
Over the course of his professional career spanning the National Rugby League (NRL) and Super League, Colin Best played 318 first-grade matches, scoring 143 tries for a total of 572 points.[2] These figures encompass 261 NRL appearances with 109 tries (436 points) and 57 Super League games with 34 tries (136 points), reflecting his consistent output as a winger and centre across multiple clubs.[2] Best's club statistics highlight his productivity, particularly in his early years and peak seasons. He began with Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in 1998, amassing 81 games and 43 tries during his first stint (1998–2002), before returning for 45 games and 13 tries (2011–2012). At St. George Illawarra Dragons (2005–2006), he featured in 45 matches, scoring 26 tries, including a standout 20 tries in 24 games during the 2005 season. His two-year tenure with Canberra Raiders (2007–2008) yielded 44 games and 18 tries, while at South Sydney Rabbitohs (2009–2010), he played 46 games for 9 tries. In Super League with Hull FC (2003–2004), Best appeared in 57 matches, crossing for 34 tries.[2] The following table summarizes Best's first-grade statistics by club:| Club | Years | Games | Tries | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (1st stint) | 1998–2002 | 81 | 43 | 172 |
| Hull FC (Super League) | 2003–2004 | 57 | 34 | 136 |
| St. George Illawarra Dragons | 2005–2006 | 45 | 26 | 104 |
| Canberra Raiders | 2007–2008 | 44 | 18 | 72 |
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | 2009–2010 | 46 | 9 | 36 |
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (2nd stint) | 2011–2012 | 45 | 13 | 52 |
| Total | 318 | 143 | 572 |