Royce Simmons

Last updated

Royce Simmons
Personal information
Full nameRoyce Michael Simmons
Born (1960-05-02) 2 May 1960 (age 63)
Gooloogong, New South Wales, Australia
Height173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight86 kg (13 st 8 lb)
Playing information
Position Hooker
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1980–91 Penrith Panthers 238151361
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1984–88 New South Wales 101004
1986–87 Australia 100000
Coaching information
Club
YearsTeamGmsWDLW%
199294 Hull F.C. 271011637
199401 Penrith Panthers 18777610441
201112 St Helens 412441359
Total2551111113344
Source: [1] [2]
As of 18 November 2010

Royce Michael Simmons (born 2 May 1960) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. A one-club man, he played as a hooker for the Penrith Panthers in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) from 1980 to 1991, winning a premiership in his final season. He later coached the Panthers from 1994 to 2001, in between coaching English sides Hull F.C. (1992–94) and St Helens (2011–12). [3]

Contents

Born in Gooloogong, New South Wales, Simmons was a representative of his home state. He made ten appearances for Australia during 1986–87.

In June 2016, Simmons was inducted into the Penrith Panthers Hall of Fame alongside Grahame Moran, Greg Alexander and Craig Gower.

Playing career

After trialing with both St George and Souths, Simmons was eventually given a contract in 1980 with Penrith. Simmons played much of his first year at lock but was moved to hooker late in the 1981 season.

Simmons was first selected to represent New South Wales as a hooker for games II and III of the 1984 State of Origin series, replacing Rex Wright who had been chosen for game I.

After missing the 1985 series when selectors chose Balmain's Benny Elias instead, Simmons regained his place for the Blues in the successful 1986 series against Queensland, including a Man of the Match in game I. Simmons secured a place as the first Penrith player to represent Australia when made his Test debut in the first match against New Zealand at Carlaw Park in Auckland, and played in ten international games over the next year. Simmons' final Test appearance came in Australia at Lang Park, Brisbane, against New Zealand, losing 6–13.

At the end of the 1986 NSWRL season, Simmons was selected for the undefeated 1986 Kangaroo tour and played in all six tests on the tour against Papua New Guinea, Great Britain and France. Simmons and Halfback Greg Alexander became the first Penrith players to be selected for a Kangaroo Tour.

Simmons was selected for all games of the 1987 State of Origin series, including the fourth game held at the Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach, California (United States). His last appearance in a New South Wales jersey was in game I of the 1988 series at the Sydney Football Stadium, with NSW losing 18–26. The Blues would not win another game until Game 1 of the 1990 series.

In 1983, Simmons was appointed captain of the team, a position he retained until 1990 when he captained the Panthers in the 1990 Grand Final loss to the Canberra Raiders. Despite struggling with injuries, he memorably scored two tries in the 1991 Grand Final against the same opponents. The Panthers won their first premiership, and Simmons retired with his second try late in the game (and Alexander's brilliant sideline conversion) sealing the win for the Phil Gould coached Panthers. In the post-game celebrations, Simmons said he wanted to have a beer with every Penrith supporter. He also stated that despite being overjoyed at finally winning a premiership, nothing could erase the bad memory of losing the 1990 decider to the Raiders. [4] [5] Following the grand final victory he travelled with the Panthers to England for the 1991 World Club Challenge which was lost to Wigan.

In October 2004, Simmons was named at hooker in the Panthers' "Team of Legends'". [6]

Coaching career

Simmons began coaching in 1992 for St Marys reserve grade side. Late that year he moved to England to coach Hull F.C. for two seasons. [7] [8]

Simmons went on to become Panthers coach in the closing stages of the 1994 NSWRL season after Phil Gould was dismissed, and served for seven seasons until he was himself sacked from the position after the 2001 NRL season, when the Panthers won the wooden spoon. [9] The Panthers made the finals twice under Simmons' tenure, in the 1997 Super League finals and National Rugby League season 2000 finals.

Simmons served as the Wests Tigers assistant coach under his former coach Tim Sheens from 2003 to 2010, [10] during which time they took out the 2005 NRL Premiership. He has also worked as Tim Sheens' assistant coach for the Australian national team.

Simmons was named to take over the coaching position at St Helens in 2011. [11]

He coached the St Helens in the 2011 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford. [12] [13]

He parted company with St Helens in March 2012. [14] Simmons was sacked after a five-game losing streak. Commenting on the decision, he said, "If I had a neck, I'd probably hang myself." [15]

In November 2012, Simmons was named assistant coach at NRL side Wests Tigers.

Health

In February 2022, Simmons revealed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penrith Panthers</span> Australian rugby league football club

The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Greater Western Sydney suburb of Penrith that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL). The team is based 55 km (34 mi) west of the centre of Sydney, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Penrith are the current reigning NRL Premiers, having won the title five times, including the last three times consecutively.

Gregory Peter Stephen Alexander, also known by the nickname of "Brandy", is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, who has since become a radio, television commentator and rugby league journalist. Originally a goal-kicking half-back, in his career he played for and captained the Penrith Panthers and the Auckland Warriors clubs and also represented his country and state on several occasions. Alexander's position for the majority of his career was at half-back, however early in his career – particularly in representative sides – he was moved to fullback. It was this ability to play different positions with great success that saw Alexander make both the 1986 and the 1990 Kangaroo Tours.

The Clive Churchill Medal is the award given to the player judged to be man-of-the-match in the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985. A prestigious honour in the NRL, the medal's recipient is chosen by the selectors of the Australian national team and announced and awarded at the post-grand final ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Fittler</span> Australia international rugby league player and coach

Bradley Scott Fittler, also known by the nickname of "Freddy", is an Australian rugby league commentator, television presenter, and former player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Sheens</span> Australian professional rugby league coach (born 1950)

Timothy Sheens is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. Head Coach of the Australia national team between 2009 and 2015, he has also been the head coach of National Rugby League (NRL) clubs, the Penrith Panthers, the Canberra Raiders, the North Queensland Cowboys and the Wests Tigers. As a player, Sheens was a prop forward with Sydney's Penrith club in the 1970s and 1980s before he retired and became their coach.

Luke Priddis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative hooker, he played club football in the National Rugby League for the Canberra Raiders, Brisbane Broncos and Penrith Panthers and, finally, the St. George Illawarra Dragons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NSW Cup</span> Australian rugby league competition

The NSW Cup, currently known as the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a rugby league competition for clubs in New South Wales. The competition has a history dating back to the NSWRFL's origins in 1908, starting off as a reserve grade competition, and is now the premier open age competition in the state. The New South Wales Cup, along with the Queensland Cup, acts as a feeder competition to the National Rugby League premiership. The competition is the oldest continuous rugby league competition in the Australia.

Ivan Cleary is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League (NRL) and a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a fullback and centre in the 1990s and 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Des Hasler</span> Australian rugby league footballer and coach

Desmond John Hasler is an Australian professional rugby league coach and former player who is the current head coach of the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League.

John Lang is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1980s through to the 2010s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played his club football in Brisbane with the Eastern Suburbs Tigers and in Sydney with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters. After playing, Lang became a first-grade coach in Brisbane with Easts, then in Sydney with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs. Lang also coached the Australian Super League test team in 1997.

The 1991 NSWRL season was the eighty-fourth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This year the New South Wales Rugby League experimented with a draft system for the first time. Sixteen clubs competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup premiership during the season, which culminated in a replay of the previous year's grand final between the Canberra Raiders and the Penrith Panthers.

The history of the Penrith Panthers stretches back to the 1960s when a team from Penrith entering Sydney's elite competition was first mooted. After admission to the NSWRFL premiership in 1967, the club struggled on-field until reaching the finals for the first time in the 1980s, and reaching the grand final in the 1990s. The Panthers were a part of 1997's Super League competition before continuing in the re-unified NRL competition. To date they have won five premierships: 1991, 2003 2021, 2022 and again in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zane Tetevano</span> New Zealand and Cook Islands international rugby league footballer

Zane Tetevano is a professional rugby league footballer, who plays as a prop and loose forward. He has played for both the Cook Islands and New Zealand at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 NRL Grand Final</span>

The 2003 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding match of the 2003 NRL season. In what was a contest of Sydney's east versus west, defending premiers the Sydney Roosters played against minor premiers the Penrith Panthers. The first grand final since 1996 to feature two Sydney-based teams was played on the night of Sunday, 5 October at Telstra Stadium in the inner western suburb of Sydney Olympic Park. Domestically, live free-to-air television coverage was provided by Nine's Wide World of Sports. The match was also broadcast live in the United States by Fox Soccer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isaah Yeo</span> Australia international rugby league footballer

Isaah Ferguson-Yeo is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a lock and second-row forward for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL and Australia at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moses Leota</span> NZ & Samoa international rugby league footballer

Moses Leota is a professional rugby league footballer from New Zealand who plays as a prop and lock for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL. He has played for both Samoa and New Zealand at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Eisenhuth</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Matt Eisenhuth is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a lock for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarome Luai</span> Samoan international & National Rugby League (NRL) rugby league footballer

Jarome Luai is a Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL. He is a three time premiership winning player with the Panthers, and he has represented the NSW Blues in State of Origin, Samoa at test and 9's level and the Māori All Stars at international level.

Barry Walker is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played for the Penrith Panthers in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitch Kenny</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Mitchell Kenny is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL. He is a NRL premiership winning player of 2022 and 2023.

References

  1. NRL Stats [ permanent dead link ]
  2. Rugby League Project
  3. St Helens RLFC (18 November 2010). "Simmons proud to be at Saints". St Helens RLFC. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  4. "A walk down NRL grand final memory lane". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 15 December 2010.
  5. Liz Ellis (4 October 2003). "Adversity brings out Penrith spirit". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
  6. "Team of Legends". Penrith Panthers. Archived from the original on 25 January 2008. Retrieved 3 February 2008.
  7. "Coaches and Captains". hullfc.com. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  8. "Factbox on sacked Penrith coach Royce Simmons". Australia: AAP Sports News. 11 September 2001. Retrieved 25 July 2010.[ dead link ]
  9. "Simmons sacked as Penrith coach". AAP Sports News (Australia). 9 November 2001. Archived from the original (fee required) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2008.
  10. "Simmons ready to return a better coach". AAP Sports News (Australia). 27 August 2002. Archived from the original (fee required) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2008.
  11. "Simmons new St Helens coach". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  12. "Leeds claim Grand Final glory as inspired Rob Burrow sinks St Helens". The Guardian. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  13. "St Helens 16 Leeds 32". The Daily Telegraph. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  14. "Saints part company with Royce Simmons". St Helens Star. 18 March 2012. Archived from the original on 22 April 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  15. Ian Laybourn (21 March 2012). "Simmons to be missed in Super League". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  16. Penrith Panthers legend Royce Simmons set for charity walk after revealing Alzheimer's diagnosis

Further reading