Chris McQueen

Chris McQueen

Personal information
Full name	Christopher John McQueen
Born	(1987-08-03) 3 August 1987 (age 37) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.89 m)
Weight	16 st 10 lb (106 kg)
Position	Second-row, Loose forward, Wing, Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2009–15 South Sydney 116 24 0 0 96 2016–17 Gold Coast Titans 38 11 0 0 44 2018–20 Wests Tigers 10 0 0 0 0 2020–23 Huddersfield Giants 75 33 0 0 132 2024– Brisbane Tigers 0 0 0 0 0 Total 239 68 0 0 272 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2011–15 Prime Minister's XIII 2 1 0 0 4 2013–14 Queensland 6 0 0 0 0 2017 England 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1] [2]

Chris McQueen (born 3 August 1987) is a former England international rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row or loose forward for the Brisbane Tigers in the Queensland Cup.

He previously played for the Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL, winning the 2014 NRL Grand Final with the Rabbitohs. He played for the Prime Minister's XIII and Queensland in the State of Origin series and played as a winger and centre earlier in his career. despite finishing on the losing side with Huddersfield McQueen was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy after being named player of the match in the 2022 Challenge Cup Final. ^[3]

Background

McQueen was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He grew up in country town of Kingaroy.

McQueen played his junior rugby league for the Kingaroy Red Ants. He is the nephew of Australian former Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill. ^[4] McQueen moved to Brisbane in 2006 to join the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, where he progressed through their Colts system to the Queensland Cup competition. In 2006, his first year playing with the Wynnum Manly Colts side, the team made the grand final, losing to a Norths Devils team that featured future NRL stars Israel Folau and Will Chambers.^{[ citation needed ]}

Playing career

Early career

He played 9 Queensland Cup games in 2007 and cemented his spot in the starting side in 2008, playing 19 games. ^{[5] [6]} In 2008, he signed a two-year contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

South Sydney Rabbitohs

McQueen joined South Sydney in 2009 and spent the majority of the season playing for the Rabbitohs feeder team, the North Sydney Bears in the New South Wales Cup competition. He made his NRL debut in Round 22 of the 2009 season, days after his 22nd birthday. A late call up to the side, McQueen played on the wing and scored a try in South Sydney's 36–22 win over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. ^[7] Due to injury, McQueen missed the entire 2010 season. ^[8] He returned to first grade in 2011, playing almost every game for the South Sydney side, switching between wing and second row, and was named in Australia's 34-man Four Nations train on squad. ^[9] Later that year he represented the Prime Minister's XIII against Papua New Guinea. ^[10]

McQueen playing for the Rabbitohs in 2012

In 2012, he began the season again at wing, before making a permanent switch to second row. In 2013, McQueen cemented his spot in the South Sydney starting side. In 2012 and 2013, he was a member of Queensland's Emerging Origin Squad. ^[11] In 2013, he made his State of Origin debut for Queensland. ^[12] He played all three games of the 2013 State of Origin series in which Queensland extended their record for consecutive series victories to eight.

On 5 October 2014, McQueen was selected to play for South Sydney from the interchange bench in the 2014 NRL Grand final, helping them to a 30–6 victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. ^{[13] [14]}

On 26 September 2015, McQueen again played for the Prime Minister's XIII against Papua New Guinea. ^[15]

Gold Coast Titans

On 11 December 2015, McQueen signed a two-year contract with the Gold Coast Titans starting in 2016, after being released from the final year of his Souths contract. ^{[16] [17]}

Wests Tigers

On 12 April 2017, it was announced that McQueen would join the Wests Tigers on a three-year deal, starting in 2018. ^[18] McQueen started off the 2018 season playing for Intrust Super Premiership NSW side Western Suburbs after being unable to break into the starting 17 for The Tigers. After spending the first 10 games in reserve grade, McQueen was called up to The NRL side for their Round 11 clash against Penrith. ^{[19] [20] [21]}

McQueen was limited to only six games for the Wests Tigers in the 2019 NRL season. McQueen instead spent most of the year playing for Western Suburbs in the Canterbury Cup NSW competition. ^[22]

On 4 September 2020, McQueen was released by the Wests Tigers effective immediately. ^[23]

Huddersfield

McQueen joined Huddersfield in the European Super League following his release from the Wests Tigers. In round 2 of the 2022 Super League season, McQueen scored two tries for Huddersfield in a 26-12 victory over the Hull Kingston Rovers. ^[24] On 28 May 2022, McQueen played for Huddersfield in their 2022 Challenge Cup Final loss against Wigan. McQueen was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match. ^[25] On 18 September 2023, McQueen announced he would be retiring from rugby league at the end of the 2023 Super League season. ^[26]

England

McQueen was called up to the England national team by coach Wayne Bennett for the test against Samoa on 6 May 2017. ^[27] It was the first time that McQueen had accepted England after rejecting an approach for the 2013 World Cup in order to play for Queensland in the State of Origin. The Brisbane-born player qualifies for England through his father. ^[28]

Post-NRL career

In 2024, McQueen was part of the Brooklyn Kings RLFC men's side that participated in the NRL Las Vegas 9's, a tournament organised as part of the lead-up to the 2024 NRL season opening matches being played at Las Vegas. ^[29] On 24 January 2025, it was announced that McQueen had signed to play with the Moranbrah Miners in the Mackay competition. ^[30]

References

1. loverugbyleague
2. Rugby League Project
3. "Chris McQueen: Huddersfield Giants' Lance Todd Trophy winner proving he still has what it takes".
4. "Player Poll: Olympians in the making". 11 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
5. "EMERGING TALENT SQUAD - Red Ant Junior - Wide Bay Division - FOX SPORTS PULSE". Sportingpulse.com. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
6. "Souths sign Chris McQueen - The Front Row Forum :: Rugby League". Forums.leagueunlimited.com. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
7. "NRL 2009 - Round 22". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
8. "Rabbitohs Backrower Chris McQueen Chooses Maroons Over England". Dailytelegrpah.com.au. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
9. "Kangaroos train-on squad named". NRL.com. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
10. "Three Rabbitohs in PMS XIII 2011 - South Sydney Rabbitohs". Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
11. "Emerging Players - Queensland Rugby League". Archived from the original on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
12. Phil Lutton (27 May 2013). "Chris McQueen Named in Queensland Maroons State of Origin Squad". Brisbanetimes.com.au. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
13. "Rabbitohs Win 2014 NRL Grand Final Defeating Bulldogs 30-6". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
14. "Rabbitohs Grand Final Player Ratings". NRL.com. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
15. "Merrin to lead Prime Minister's XIII". NRL.com. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
16. "McQueen to become a Titan | NRL". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
17. "Chris McQueen Signs Two Year Deal with Titans". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
18. Media, NRL Digital. "Wests Tigers sign Chris McQueen". NRL CLUBS. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
19. "The NRL-standard players stuck in reserve grade".
20. "Panthers v Wests Tigers final teams". News.com.au. 17 May 2018.
21. "Official Intrust Super Premiership profile of Chris McQueen for Western Suburbs Magpies - NSWRL". Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
22. "What made returning Tiger Chris McQueen's 714-day wait for a win taste even sweeter". Fox Sports. 30 April 2019.
23. "Transfer Centre: Sharks lock in try-scoring machine; Tigers release former title winner". www.foxsports.com.au. 4 September 2020.
24. "Hull KR verdict: Worrying signs as Tony Smith's men overpowered by Huddersfield". www.hulldailymail.co.uk.
25. "Challenge Cup final: Huddersfield Giants 14-16 Wigan Warriors". www.bbc.co.uk. 26 May 2022.
26. "Chris McQueen: Huddersfield Giants back-rower announces retirement". www.bbc.co.uk.
27. "Three England debutants for Samoa Test". BBC Sport.
28. "Graham unconcerned by McQueen call-up". BBC Sport.
29. McQueen, Chris [@mcqueen_1070] (2 March 2024). "Had a blast the last two days at the @vegas9s_rugbyleague" . Retrieved 7 March 2024– via Instagram.
30. Chalk, Ethan Lee (24 January 2025). "Six-time Origin utility confirms new club for 2025". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 24 January 2025.

External links

• Huddersfield Giants profile
• Wests Tigers profile
• NRL profile Archived 8 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine
• Gold Coast Titans profile