Russell Packer (born 9 October 1989) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop for the Wests Tigers, St. George Illawarra Dragons and the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL, and the New Zealand Māori and New Zealand at international level.

Packer was born in Foxton, New Zealand.

Educated at Foxton Beach School and Manawatu College, Packer originally played rugby union from a young age for the junior Foxton rugby club and also for a junior Marist club in Nelson. ^{[citation needed]}

Packer also played in the Foxton Rugby League Under 14s side at the age of nine years in a curtain raiser between the Manawatu Mustangs and Auckland Warriors reserve-grade side in 1998.

Packer then played for the Levin Lions. In 2005, Packer was named in the New Zealand under-16 side. When he was only 16 he debuted for the Central Falcons in the Bartercard Cup. He again achieved national selection in 2006 when he was named both the captain of the Junior Kiwis and as a member of the New Zealand 'A' squad. In 2007, he was named in the New Zealand under-18 side.

In 2007, Packer signed with the New Zealand Warriors but spent most of the season playing for the Auckland Lions in the NSWRL Premier League. He also played for the Central Falcons in the final season of the Bartercard Cup. At the end of 2007 he received an offer from the Sydney Roosters but turned them down, preferring to stay in New Zealand.

He made his NRL debut in Round 10 on 4 May 2008 against the Canberra Raiders. He played in four other NRL games in 2008 and also played twenty games for the Junior Warriors in the new Toyota Cup competition. At the end of the season Packer was named in the National Youth Competition's Team of the Year alongside teammate Ben Matulino. He finished his Toyota Cup career at the end of 2009 with twenty three appearances and five tries.

In 2010, Packer played for the New Zealand Māori against England.