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Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | David Bayssari | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 15 June 1970 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Five-eighth, Halfback | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 7 February 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
David Bayssari (born 15 June 1970) is a Lebanese former professional rugby league footballer who played first-grade for the Balmain Tigers.
Bayssari, played for the Wentworthville Magpies as a junior. In 1988, he won the Australian Schoolboys Grand Final, in that game he also won Player of the Match.
In 1991, he played his first game of first grade for Balmain which came against Canterbury-Bankstown in round 1 of the 1991 season at Leichhardt Oval.
In his 93 game career, Bayssari played a number of positions for Balmain. Bayssari's time at the club was a difficult period in Balmain's history as they missed the finals each season and finished last in 1994 which was only the fourth time a Balmain side had come last in the competition. [3]
Bayssari also played during the period in which Balmain changed their name to the "Sydney Tigers" at the start of the Super League war and moved their home games to Parramatta Stadium. Bayssari's final game in the top grade came in round 7 of the 1997 ARL season against North Sydney which ended in a 9-7 victory for Balmain at Leichhardt Oval. [4]
In 1998, the year after his retirement, he went on to coach the reserve grade teams and was the assistant for the NRL team for Balmain and later on the Wests Tigers once the club had merged. [5] He also coached the Sydney Bulls, from 2005 until 2009 in the Ron Massey Cup, making the Grand Final 4 seasons in a row and winning the premiership in 2006. From 2011 to 2013 Bayssari was the head coach of the Lebanese national side. [6]
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football team, based in the Inner West and South West Sydney. They have competed in the National Rugby League (NRL) since being formed at the end of the 1999 NRL season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs Magpies. The Wests Tigers started playing in the 2000 NRL season and they won their maiden premiership in 2005. It is one of only two clubs that has never lost a Grand Final in which it has participated. The club also won the final edition of the World Sevens in 2004. The club has only qualified for three finals series since their inception.
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles. In 1999 they formed a joint venture club with the Western Suburbs Magpies club to form the Wests Tigers for competition in the National Rugby League (NRL). They no longer field any senior teams in the lower divisions. At the time of the joint venture only South Sydney Rabbitohs and the St George Dragons had won more titles than the Tigers.
Mark Bradley Geyer is an Australian radio host and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-rower, he is a rugby league media identity. Geyer's club career was played primarily with Penrith, with whom he won a premiership in 1991, as well as the Balmain Tigers and the Western Reds. He is the brother of fellow former professional rugby league footballer Matt Geyer.
Wayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic lock for the Balmain Tigers, he was known as Junior. Pearce represented New South Wales in the State of Origin Series as well as the Australian national rugby league team. Pearce also made an appearance the 1988 Australian television movie The First Kangaroos, which depicted the 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain.
Leichhardt Oval is a rugby league and soccer stadium in Lilyfield, New South Wales, Australia. It is currently one of three home grounds for the Wests Tigers National Rugby League (NRL) team, along with Campbelltown Stadium and Western Sydney Stadium. Prior to its merger with the Western Suburbs Magpies, it was the longtime home of the Balmain Tigers, who used the ground from 1934–1994 and 1997–1999. It was named after Ludwig Leichhardt.
Mark O'Neill is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played in Australia for the Balmain Tigers, then the Wests Tigers following the joint venture of Balmain and the Western Suburbs Magpies, and in England for the Leeds Rhinos and the Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League. O'Neill usually played as a second-row.
William Keith Barnes AM, also known by the nickname of "Golden Boots", is a Welsh-born Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He was a fullback for the Australian national team and for the Balmain Tigers. He played in 14 Tests between 1959 and 1966, as national captain on 12 occasions. He was known as "Golden Boots" due to his exceptional goal-kicking ability. After his playing days he became a referee and later co-commentated on the Amco Cup on Network Ten with Ray Warren in the 1970s. He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
Troy Wozniak is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer in the Australasian National Rugby League (NRL) competition. He played for the Balmain Tigers, Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers as well as Widnes Vikings in the Super League. Wozniak was primarily a utility player.
Robert Peter Farah is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international, Lebanese international and captain of New South Wales Blues team, he has played the majority of his professional career with the Wests Tigers, with whom he won the 2005 NRL Premiership. Between 2006 and 2012, Farah played for City in six City vs Country representative games, captaining the team from 2009 onwards. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs during the 2017 and 2018 National Rugby League seasons.
David Brooks is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A one-club man, Brooks played his entire first-grade career with the Balmain Tigers in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership. Brooks primarily played in the second-row.
Laloaoa Milford is a Samoan former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He most recently played rugby union for the Santa Monica Rugby Club. He was hired as the head coach for the University of Southern California Rugby Club in August, 2015. He represented Samoa.
Patrick Politoni is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup. He previously played for the Wests Tigers, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL.
Ava Seumanufagai is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who is the captain-coach of Campbelltown City Kangaroos. He has previously played for Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League, Wests Tigers, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the NRL and the Leeds Rhinos in the European Super League.
Mitchell Moses is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays as a halfback for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League (NRL). He also captained the Lebanon national team.
Shannon Nevin is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Balmain Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL) and its predecessor the Australian Rugby League (ARL).
Kevin Hardwick is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played for the Balmain Tigers and played at either second-row or lock.
Jack Winchester was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He played for Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition.
Adam Starr is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s. He played for the Balmain Tigers and Eastern Suburbs in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition, Australian Rugby League and NRL competitions.
Brendan Magnus is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Balmain Tigers and the London Broncos. His position of choice was five-eighth.
Leigh Hennessy is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played with the Balmain Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL). He primarily played at fullback.