Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Brett John Finch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Maitland, New South Wales, Australia | 20 August 1981|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 89 kg (14 st 0 lb) [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Five-eighth, Halfback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [2] |
Brett John Finch (born 20 August 1981) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative half back, he played in the National Rugby League for Australian clubs the Canberra Raiders, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels and Melbourne Storm. Finch also played in the Super League for English club the Wigan Warriors (with whom he won the 2011 Challenge Cup Final).
Born in Maitland, New South Wales, Australia, the son of former player Robert Finch. Finch was educated at Erindale College, where he represented 1998 Australian Schoolboys. [3]
He was a Hunter Mariners junior, [4] playing for Valentine Devils.
At the Canberra Raiders Finch won the club's Rookie of the Year award in 1999. He debuted earlier in that year against the Melbourne Storm in round 14 as a 17-year-old.
Finch joined the Sydney Roosters in 2003. As 2002 NRL premiers, the Roosters travelled to England for the 2003 World Club Challenge against Super League champions, St Helens R.F.C. Finch played from the interchange bench in Sydney's victory. In 2004, whilst playing for the Sydney Roosters, Finch threw a bottle back into the crowd after he was pelted by a Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs fan. [5] Finch played for the Sydney Roosters at half back in their 2004 NRL grand final loss to cross-Sydney rivals, Canterbury-Bankstown.
Finch played three State of Origin games for New South Wales after crossing from Canberra. His most famous moment was when he was called into the New South Wales squad on the eve of Game 1 of the 2006 State of Origin series. He then turned out to be a hero by scoring a try, setting up two and by kicking the winning field goal to push New South Wales to a famous 17–16 victory at Telstra Stadium. However Finch had a disastrous Game II, and was dropped for the decider which New South Wales lost. They also lost the 2006 series for the first time since 2001.
The Sydney Roosters and Finch agreed on an early termination of his contract, allowing the Parramatta Eels to sign Finch on a two-year deal from the Roosters, commencing from the 2007 season. The Parramatta club then extended his contract to the end of the 2011 NRL season, reportedly to be worth $1 million for three years.
On 8 April 2009, Parramatta CEO, Denis Fitzgerald, confirmed that Finch would be released from his contract with Parramatta. The contract was not due to expire until the end of the 2011 NRL season. Finch is quoted in media sources as stating that coach Daniel Anderson told him he "may not be the right person to take the club forward in the halfback position". [6]
On 14 April 2009, Finch signed a one-year contract with the Melbourne Storm, his fourth club in eleven NRL seasons. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy commented: "He will add depth and experience to our squad and gives us further options in the halves." [7]
He got his revenge beating his old team, Parramatta, in the 2009 NRL Grand Final, setting up two tries. [8] However, the NRL later discovered significant salary cap breaches and stripped the Melbourne club of this win. This made it third time unlucky for Finch, having lost two Grand Finals with the Roosters (2003 and 2004). Despite the club being stripped of the 2009 premiership, Finch maintained the belief years later that their grand final victory was legitimate and that he is a premiership winning player. [9]
In July 2010, Finch signed with then Super League champions, Wigan. The deal began with the 2011 season and continued through the 2012 season. [10] Finch did not make his début for Wigan until 25 March 2011 in the home defeat by Warrington in round 7 of the super league, where Finch scored Wigan's only try. Finch missed the start of the season due to a thigh injury which saw him miss 6 games for the Wigan, including fiveSuper League games and the 2011 World Club Challenge defeat by St. George Illawarra.
Finch played in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final 28-18 victory over Leeds at Wembley Stadium. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]
After his two-year stint at Wigan, Finch returned to the Melbourne Storm for the 2013 NRL season. He joined the team as a back-up to halves pairing Cooper Cronk and Gareth Widdop. [26]
After retiring at the end of 2013, Finch worked as a sideline commentator on Channel Nine's NRL coverage between 2014 and 2016, as well as semi-regular appearances as a panellist on The NRL Footy Show . He departed Channel 9 at the end of 2016, citing mental health issues.
In 2017, Finch began working for Fox Sports.
In 2018, Finch married his partner of 5 years Elli Johnston, who in 2019 gave birth to the couple's only daughter, Mackenzie. [27] In May 2023, it was reported that the two were "no longer together". [28]
On 24 October 2019, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Finch checked himself into a mental health facility after an incident on an interstate flight. Concerns were raised after Finch was seen asleep with a bloody nose on a flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast. One witness was quoted as saying "He looked like he couldn’t bring himself to get off the plane. White as a ghost, couldn’t control his runny nose and (appeared) paranoid. He wasn’t abusive. He just didn’t want to get off the plane, like he was scared about something". [29]
In late September Finch joined the YKTR Sports organisation, run by former rugby league player Isaac John. On 30 September Finch launched his podcast, Brett Finch Uncensored, with Brad Fittler featuring as his first guest. [30] The podcast ran independently to YKTR Sports.
On 14 December 2021, Finch was arrested and charged with five counts of sharing child abuse material. [31] In May 2022, NSW Police laid an additional two charges which included using a carriage service to make available child abuse material. [32] In August 2022, Finch pleaded guilty to one count of using a carriage service to make available child abuse material. The other charges were dropped. [33] On 23 November 2022, Finch avoided a custodial sentence and was handed a two-year community sentence. A conviction was recorded with Finch also needing to obey strict probation conditions along with seeing a psychologist for a 12-month period. [34]
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Kylie Leuluai is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer. A New Zealand Māori and Samoa international representative prop, he most notably played at club level for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. He also played club football in Australia for National Rugby League clubs; the Balmain Tigers, Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels, and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
Ricky John Stuart is an Australian professional rugby league football coach who is the head coach of the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL) and a former rugby league footballer who played as a halfback in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
Chris Walker is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played mostly in the 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played his club football in the National Rugby League for the Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm, Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta. Walker also had a stint in the Super League for French club Catalans Dragons. He is the younger brother of fellow professional NRL players Shane Walker and Ben Walker. At one point in the late 1990s, all three brothers were playing together for the Brisbane Broncos.
David Joseph Solomona is a former professional rugby league footballer, who last played for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League. He was regularly amongst the top off-loaders in the competition.
Luke Kevin Burt is a professional rugby league coach who was the interim co-coach of the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL, and an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. Burt and Craig Hodges were replaced by Justin Holbrook as head coach just before 2020 NRL season commenced.
Ryan Hoffman is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for Melbourne Storm and the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League, and the Wigan Warriors in the Super League, as a second-row.
Brett Delaney is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played as a centre and second-row forward in the 2000s and 2010s.
Jeff Lima is a former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Canberra Raiders in the NRL. A New Zealand international representative prop, he previously played for the Wests Tigers, Melbourne Storm, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Wigan Warriors and the Catalans Dragons in the Super League, as well as France's Elite One Championship for the Saint-Gaudens Bears.
Frank-Paul Nu'uausala, also known by the nicknames of "Frank Paul the Wrecking Ball" or "Frank the tank", is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer. A New Zealand international representative forward, Nu'uausala most notably played for the Sydney Roosters with whom he won the 2013 NRL Premiership.
Lee Mossop is an English retired professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop forward for the Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League and the England Knights and England at international level.
Daniel Mortimer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who last played as a hooker, scrum-half or stand-off for the Leigh Centurions in the Betfred Championship. He previously played for the Parramatta Eels, Gold Coast Titans, Sydney Roosters and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Mortimer was a Prime Minister's XIII representative and won the 2013 NRL Grand Final with the Roosters.
The 2009 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the NRL's 2009 Telstra Premiership season. Played on 4 October 2009 at Sydney's ANZ Stadium was contested between the Parramatta Eels and the Melbourne Storm, the latter competing in their 4th grand final in a row. That was later stripped from them for breaking the salary cap rule. It was also the first Grand Final to feature the two referee system, with Shayne Hayne and Tony Archer being the first referees to jointly officiate in an NRL Grand Final.
Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player who last coached New Zealand at international level. He played as a fullback, winger and centre in the 1990s.
Brad Takairangi is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth or centre. He has played for the Cook Islands, New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori at international level.
Albert Kelly is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth or halfback for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Hostplus Cup.
Michael Oldfield is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a winger and centre for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL.
Brayden Wiliame is a former rugby league footballer who last played as a centre, winger and second-row forward for New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Matt Ikuvalu is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for the Catalans Dragons in the Super League.
Brian To'o is an Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL.