Oliver Gildart

Oliver Gildart

Personal information
Full name	Oliver Patrick Gildart
Born	(1996-08-06) 6 August 1996 (age 27) Hindley, Greater Manchester, England
Height	181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	86 kg (13 st 8 lb)
Playing information
Position	Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2015–21 Wigan Warriors 143 65 0 0 260 2015(loan) → Workington Town 2 0 0 0 0 2015(loan) → Salford Red Devils 3 1 0 0 4 2022 Wests Tigers 8 1 0 0 4 2022(loan) → Sydney Roosters 2 0 0 0 0 2023 Leigh Leopards 8 1 0 0 0 2024– Hull Kingston Rovers 6 1 0 0 0 Total 172 69 0 0 268 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2018 England 3 1 0 0 4 2019 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1] [2] As of 15 February 2024

Oliver Patrick Gildart (born 6 August 1996) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Hull KR in the Super League.

He has previously played for the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters in the Australian NRL, the Wigan Warriors in the Super League, and spent time on loan from Wigan at Workington Town in the Kingstone Press Championship and the Salford Red Devils in the Super League. Gildart has also played for England and Great Britain at international level.

Gildart won the 2017 Super League Young Player Of The Year, and the 2016 and the 2018 Super League Grand Finals with Wigan.

Early life

Gildart was born in Hindley, Greater Manchester, England to Claire ^[3] and Ian, a former professional rugby league footballer for Wigan, Wakefield, and Oldham. ^[4] He is of Italian descent through his mother, and is eligible to represent the Italian national team. ^[5]

Club career

2015-2016

A product of Wigan's junior system, Gildart made his Super League début on loan for Salford Red Devils in 2015, making a total of three appearances before returning to his parent club. ^[6] He made his début for Wigan in the Super 8s match against Warrington Wolves on 21 August 2015, scoring a try. He then kept his place in the Wigan team for the remainder of the 2015 season, including an appearance in the 2015 Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford in only his tenth career match. ^{[7] [8]}

Gildart continued to show promise throughout the 2016 season. One of the signature tries of the year was scored by him in an away match in Perpignan as he straightened up the line and seared his way to the try-line after a flowing length-of-the-field attack by Wigan. He became a fixture in the centres for Wigan. Gildart scored a try in the 2016 Super League Grand Final against the Warrington Wolves which brought Wigan level at 6–6 before they went on to win 12–6 at Old Trafford. ^[9]

2017

Gildart was in the Wigan team that defeated NRL champions, the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 22–6 to win the World Club Challenge, which ensured Oliver would join father Ian (who was an interchange in the 1987 and 1991 wins) as a World Club Challenge medal winner. Oliver also scored a try in that game. After starting the season in great form, he broke three vertebrae in his back following a Brett Ferres 'crusher' tackle. Gildart was ruled out for three months. He returned with a try against the Leigh Centurions on 8 June. Gildart scored a few weeks later against the Warrington Wolves followed by a brace (two tries) against Leeds. In the Challenge Cup semi-final against Salford, he scored another brace and went on to score another try in the 2017 Challenge Cup Final defeat by Hull F.C. at Wembley Stadium. ^[10]

Against traditional rivals St. Helens he scored the opening try followed by a slick move within the first two minutes. Just a few moments later following a Ben Barba mistake, Gildart raced forty yards to complete his brace.^{[ citation needed ]}

2018-2021

Gildart playing for the Wests Tigers in 2022

Gildart played in the 2018 Super League Grand Final victory over the Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford. ^[11] In 2019, he played thirty-two games for Wigan, including their shock semi-final loss against Salford. ^[12] Gildart also played in the 2020 Super League Grand Final which Wigan lost 8–4 against St Helens. ^[13] On 31 May, Gildart signed a two-year deal to join NRL side, the Wests Tigers. ^[14] In round 10 of the 2021 Super League season, Gildart scored two tries for Wigan in a 18–8 defeat against Hull Kingston Rovers. ^[15]

2022

In round 1 of the 2022 NRL season, Gildart made his club debut for the Wests Tigers in their 26–16 loss against Melbourne. ^[16] In round 9, he scored his first try in the NRL during a 36–22 loss against Manly at Brookvale Oval. ^[17] On 31 July, Gildart joined the Sydney Roosters on a loan deal which would go to the end of the 2022 NRL season. ^[18] He scored five tries on his debut for North Sydney in their 60-4 NSW Cup win over Newcastle. ^[19]

2023

Gildart post-match for England in 2018

In October 2022, Gildart was released early from his contract with a year left from the West Tigers. ^[20] A one-year contract with the Dolphins for 2023 was subsequently confirmed. ^[21] Gildart played on the wing for the Dolphins in one pre-season NRL trials match. Otherwise, he played as a centre for Central Queensland Capras in the Queensland Cup. On 1 August, Gildart signed with English side Leigh Leopards until the end of the 2023 Super League season. ^[22]

International career

In July 2018, Gildart was selected in the England Knights Performance Squad. ^[23] Then, the 2019 Great Britain Lions tour of the Southern Hemisphere. ^[24] His Great Britain test debut was against Tonga. ^[25]

Career statistics

Club	Season	Appearances	Tries	Goals	F/G	Points
Wigan Warriors	2015	7	4			16
Workington Town	2015	2				0
Salford Red Devils	2015	3	1			4
Wigan Warriors	2016	30	12			48
	2017	20	15			60
	2018	29	13			52
	2019	34	12			48
	2020	9	5			20
	2021	14	4			16
Wests Tigers	2022	8	1			4
Sydney Roosters	2022	2				0
Central Queensland Capras [26]	2023	12	5			20
Leigh Leopards [27]	2023	4	4			16
Hull Kingston Rovers	2024	0	0	0	0	0
Total		174	72			288

References

1. "Oliver Gildart". Rugby League Project.
2. "Player Summary: Oliver Gildart". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
3. Wilkinson, Phil (24 May 2017). "Warriors star's mum and sister, 10, were caught up in terror attack". Wigan Today. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
4. "Oliver follows in dad's rugby bootsteps". Leigh Journal. 26 December 2012.
5. Wilkinson, Phil (30 March 2017). "Gildart aims to take centre stage". Wigan Today. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
6. Wilkinson, Phil (13 May 2015). "Centre Gildart gained a lot from Salford stint". Wigan Today.
7. Walker, Gareth (8 October 2015). "Wigan starlet Oliver Gildart grew up around rugby league silverware – now he wants some of his own". Mirror.
8. "Leeds pip Wigan to seal treble after brilliant, breathless Grand Final". Guardian. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
9. "Warrington 6-12 Wigan: Super League Grand Final – as it happened!". Guardian. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
10. "Hull FC 18-14 Wigan recap as the Black and Whites claim back-to-back Challenge Cup triumphs". Mirror. 26 August 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
11. "Super League Grand Final 2018: Wigan 12-4 Warrington – as it happened". Guardian. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
12. "Salford seal maiden Super League Grand Final appearance". Sky Sports.
13. "Super League Grand Final: Wigan 4-8 St Helens". BBC Sport.
14. "Wigan Warriors centre to join West Tigers in NRL next season". Skysports.com.
15. "Wigan Warriors 8-18 Hull Kingston Rovers". BBC Sport.
16. "Melbourne Storm fight back to down Wests Tigers 26-16 after Newcastle, St George Illawarra record NRL wins". ABC News. 12 March 2022.
17. "North Queensland defeats Newcastle 36-16 for fourth straight NRL win as Sydney Roosters and Manly post victories". ABC News. 7 May 2022.
18. "Oliver Gildart joins Roosters on short-term deal from Wests Tigers". Sportingnews.com. August 2022.
19. "NRL Round 23: Five standout performers from NSW Cup and QLD Cup". Sportingnews.com. 14 August 2022.
20. McAllister, Josh (27 October 2022). "Wests Tigers release England international Oliver Gildart". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
21. "The Dolphins confirm the signing of Oliver Gildart after he was released by Wests Tigers". Sportingnews.com. 31 October 2022.
22. "Leigh Leopards confirm the signing of former Wigan Warriors centre Oliver Gildart". Wigantoday.net.
23. "Ten new additions in England Knights squad". Loverugbyleague.com. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
24. "Zak Hardaker shock inclusion in 24-man Great Britain squad for tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea". Telegraph. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
25. "Great Britain left bruised at Tonga party". Thetimes.co.uk. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
26. "Official Hostplus Cup profile of Oliver Gildart for Central Queensland Capras | Dolphins". Dolphinsnrl.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
27. "RL Records - Oliver Gildart". Stats.rugbyleaguerecords.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.

External links

• CQ Capras profile
• Super League profile
• UK Rugby League Records