Ethan O'Neill

Last updated
Ethan O'Neill
Ethan O'Neill.jpg
Personal information
Full nameEthan O'Neill
Born (1999-06-01) 1 June 1999 (age 26)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height6 ft 3 in (1.90 m)
Weight15 st 8 lb (99 kg)
Playing information
Position Second-row
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
2025 Leigh Leopards 2270028
2026– Leeds Rhinos 00000
Total2270028
Source: [1] [2]
As of 9 January 2026

Ethan O'Neill (born 1 June 1999) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Leeds Rhinos in the Betfred Super League.

Contents

He has previously played for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League. O'Neill was contracted to the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. He has also played for the Tweed Heads Seagulls, Central Queensland Capras and the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup, as well as South Sydney in the New South Wales Cup. [3] [4] He played as a centre earlier in his career.

Background

O'Neill was born in Randwick, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He grew up in Maroubra, New South Wales and in Widnes, Cheshire, England. [5] He is the son of former professional rugby league footballer Julian O'Neill. [6]

He played for the Clovelly Crocodiles as a junior where he was coached by his future Leigh coach Adrian Lam. [7] He progressed through the Sydney Roosters junior system, playing in their Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg sides between 2015 and 2019. [8]

O'Neill played for the Queensland under-16 team. [9] [10]

Career

O'Neill played in the Roosters under 20s side in 2018 and 2019 before moving to the Tweed Heads Seagulls ahead of the 2021 Queensland Cup season. [11]

He made his debut in March 2021 for the Tweed Seagulls against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Queensland Cup. He played 4 games for the Tweed before leaving for the Central Queensland Capras. [12]

O'Neill made his Capras debut in July 2021. [13] He played 25 games over the course of a one and a half year stay at Browne Park, before returning to New South Wales to join the Rabbitohs ahead of the 2023 NSW Cup season. [14]

He played in a NRL trial match for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in February 2023. O'Neill played 25 games over the course of the season and in September 2023 won the 2023 NSW Cup Grand Final with victory over the North Sydney Bears. [15] In October 2023 he scored a try in winning the 2023 NRL State Championship, with victory over the Brisbane Tigers. [16]

After a highly successful 2023 O'Neill moved to the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League. He featured in one NRL trial match in 2024, but did not play in first-grade. [17]

He spent all of the 2025 season playing in the Queensland Cup for the Burleigh Bears, as a contracted player with the Brisbane Broncos. [18]

O'Neill joined the Leigh Leopards in the Super League on a two year deal ahead of the 2025 Super League season. [19]

He left the Leopards to join the Leeds Rhinos ahead of the 2026 Super League season. [20]

References

  1. ↑ "Player Summary: Ethan O'Neill". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club.
  2. ↑ Rugby League Project
  3. ↑ Leigh sign Australian forward O'Neill
  4. ↑ itsrugby profile
  5. ↑ 'I do all this for my family': O'Neill motivated by tragedy and history
  6. ↑ Leigh Leopards sign Julian O'Neill's son Ethan O'Neill
  7. ↑ Ethan O'Neill looking to add bite to Leigh Leopards pack
  8. ↑ 18TH MAN - Ethan O’Neill
  9. ↑ Queensland U16 team
  10. ↑ Weidler, Danny (2015-05-09). "Julian O'Neill in Facebook spat with Jack Elsegood over son Ethan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  11. ↑ Tweed Seagulls look to their youth in season 2020
  12. ↑ Get to know... Ethan O'Neill
  13. ↑ Capras edged by Cutters in XXXX Rivalry Round
  14. ↑ Leigh Leopards forward Ethan O'Neill joins Leeds Rhinos
  15. ↑ Rabbitohs 22-18 Bears
  16. ↑ Rabbitohs 42-22 Tigers
  17. ↑ Leigh Leopards star eyes NRL and Origin dream after Super League hunt
  18. ↑ Leeds Rhinos news: Ethan O'Neill makes 'something special' vow, explains move from Leigh Leopards
  19. ↑ Ex-South Sydney Rabbitohs second-rower Ethan O’Neill makes Super League move
  20. ↑ Ethan O’Neill’s 172-word message as Leeds move and Leigh exit announced
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