Martin Lang (rugby league)

This article is about the rugby league footballer. For the Olympic fencer, see Martin Lang (fencer).

Martin Lang

Lang in 2013
Personal information
Born	(1975-09-26) 26 September 1975 (age 48)
Playing information
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	102 kg (16 st 1 lb; 225 lb)
Position	Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1996–01 Cronulla Sharks 109 2 0 0 8 2002–04 Penrith Panthers 67 0 0 0 0 Total 176 2 0 0 8 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1998–00 Queensland 8 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]

Martin Lang (born 26 September 1975) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played as a prop in the National Rugby League for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the Penrith Panthers as well as representing for the Queensland Maroons in State of Origin. Martin Lang is the son of Australian former international and coach John Lang, under whom he played his entire top-grade career.

Playing career

Lang made his first grade debut for Cronulla-Sutherland against the Sydney City Roosters in round 21 1996 at the Sydney Football Stadium. In the same year he played in the club's qualifying final victory over Western Suburbs.

In 1997, Cronulla joined the rival Super League competition during the Super League war. Lang missed out on playing in Cronulla's grand final team due to a dislocated shoulder sustained in the semi-final. Cronulla went on to lose the Grand Final to the Brisbane Broncos. In 1998, Lang made his State of Origin debut for Queensland, before going on to play a total of 8 games. Lang was awarded the Cronulla Sharks 1998 player of the year award. In 1999, Lang played 23 games as Cronulla won the minor premiership but suffered preliminary final heartbreak against St. George at Stadium Australia. ^[2]

Lang was a hard-running prop with a straight, unswerving style when taking the ball forward. ^[3] He ran 4,571 metres with the ball over the 2000 NRL season, more than any other player in the competition. ^[4]

Lang's final game for Cronulla was the club's preliminary final loss against eventual premiers Newcastle in the 2001 NRL season.

Lang played at prop forward for the Penrith Panthers in their 2003 NRL grand final victory over the Sydney Roosters. As 2003 NRL premiers, the Penrith travelled to England to face Super League VIII champions, the Bradford Bulls in the 2004 World Club Challenge. Lang played at prop forward in the Penrith's 22–4 loss.

Retiring at the end of the 2004 NRL season, in 2005, Lang underwent surgery to replace a disc in his spine, operated on by Dr Matthew Scott-Young. Lang has said, "prior to the surgery, I couldn't do anything for most of 2005. Over a nine month period, I couldn't even lift my children." ^[5]

Post playing

Residing on the Gold Coast, Martin Lang completed a Bachelor of Exercise/Biomedical Science at Griffith University, earning an academic award. Lang is now a PhD candidate (neuroscience), studying contact sport-induced traumatic brain injury phenotypes. He is also involved in the neurosurgical device industry (spine).

References

1. "Martin Lang – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
2. "A history of heartbreak: Cronulla Sharks' tale of woe in NRL finals". The Sydney Morning Herald.
3. "Lang may you run – News – BigPond Sport". Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
4. Proszenko, Adrian (6 May 2012). "Gallen set to smash record". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 7 May 2012.
5. Josh Massoud (20 April 2012). "Ya want fries with that belting?". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 23 April 2012.