Bryan Fletcher
Encyclopedia
Bryan Fletcher is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative second-row-forward, he played his club football in Australia with the Sydney Roosters
then the South Sydney Rabbitohs
before a stint in England with Wigan
.
, making a total of 125 appearances for the red, white and blue. Fletcher began his career in the second row in 1997 and soon gained a cult hero status in Bondi Junction after some superb appearances for the club. This led to Fletcher being called up to the Kangaroo's squad in 1999 despite only 24 first grade appearances in the NRL
. Over the years Fletcher would gain 8 caps for the Australian national side and also play 14 games for NSW
in the State of Origin
test matches.
One of the highlights of Fletcher's career was in the 2000 season when he led the Roosters to their first Grand Final appearance in 20 years as well as helping Australia inflict a humiliating defeat on the New Zealand national team
52–0 as well as a 3–0 whitewash of Queensland
in the State of Origin
series.
Fletcher achieved even more success in the 2002 season with a Grand Final victory with the Rooster's in what was Fletchers final appearance for the club before moving to rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs
.
. Fletcher was soon installed as the club's captain after signing due to his playing pedigree. In 2003 he won the George Piggins Medal as the club's best and fairest player of the season.
The Rabbitohs' captaincy was stripped from him after an altercation on the pitch with Parramatta Eels
player Dean Widders
in which Fletcher made a racially based comment towards Widders. It turned out to be the turning point in the Rabbitohs' season, with Ashley Harrison
taking the captaincy from him and the Rabbitohs winning most of their matches under him in a late season surge which saw them avoid a third consecutive wooden spoon.
He later apologised for the event, saying: "I apologise unreservedly for comments that I made to Dean Widders in yesterday's game. The comments were totally unacceptable and for that I am sorry.
"My actions have set a very poor example for kids who follow Rugby League and these types of comments cannot be tolerated in our game."
to play for Super League
outfit Wigan Warriors
after two years at Souths. Fletcher joined the Wigan club in 2006 in time for the pre season training but was sidelined for the opening four rounds of Super League after needing emergency Bowel Surgery in early January.
Fletcher's debut came against Warrington Wolves
on 10 March 2006 and made an instant impact as a substitute scoring his first try three minutes into his first appearance. He was one of the stalwarts that helped Wigan through one of the most tumultuous times in the clubs history on and off the field in 2006 with the dismissal of Ian Millward
as head coach, the low morale within the team and seeing the once feared Wigan club sitting at the bottom of the table. Thanks to Fletcher's impact in the second row and the prop positions Wigan managed the seemingly impossible and survived relegation from the Super League, finishing 7th and just missing a playoff place to local rivals Warrington Wolves
.
Fletcher has begun pre season training with Wigan for the 2007 season and played in the clubs first friendly over the weekend against Huddersfield Giants
in which Wigan lost 24–22.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative second-row-forward, he played his club football in Australia with the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
then the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
before a stint in England with Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
.
Sydney Roosters
Fletcher's junior club was the Paddington Colts. He started his top-level career at Sydney RoostersSydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
, making a total of 125 appearances for the red, white and blue. Fletcher began his career in the second row in 1997 and soon gained a cult hero status in Bondi Junction after some superb appearances for the club. This led to Fletcher being called up to the Kangaroo's squad in 1999 despite only 24 first grade appearances in the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. Over the years Fletcher would gain 8 caps for the Australian national side and also play 14 games for NSW
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
in the State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
test matches.
One of the highlights of Fletcher's career was in the 2000 season when he led the Roosters to their first Grand Final appearance in 20 years as well as helping Australia inflict a humiliating defeat on the New Zealand national team
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
52–0 as well as a 3–0 whitewash of Queensland
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League and selects the members of Queensland State of Origin teams....
in the State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
series.
Fletcher achieved even more success in the 2002 season with a Grand Final victory with the Rooster's in what was Fletchers final appearance for the club before moving to rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
.
South Sydney
In 2002 Fletcher left the Roosters and moved to perennial strugglers the South Sydney RabbitohsSouth Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
. Fletcher was soon installed as the club's captain after signing due to his playing pedigree. In 2003 he won the George Piggins Medal as the club's best and fairest player of the season.
The Rabbitohs' captaincy was stripped from him after an altercation on the pitch with Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
player Dean Widders
Dean Widders
Dean Richard Widders , an Indigenous Australian, is a former professional rugby league player.-Childhood:...
in which Fletcher made a racially based comment towards Widders. It turned out to be the turning point in the Rabbitohs' season, with Ashley Harrison
Ashley Harrison
Ashley Harrison is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Gold Coast Titans of the NRL...
taking the captaincy from him and the Rabbitohs winning most of their matches under him in a late season surge which saw them avoid a third consecutive wooden spoon.
He later apologised for the event, saying: "I apologise unreservedly for comments that I made to Dean Widders in yesterday's game. The comments were totally unacceptable and for that I am sorry.
"My actions have set a very poor example for kids who follow Rugby League and these types of comments cannot be tolerated in our game."
Wigan Warriors
Before the scandal that led to Fletcher being stripped of his captaincy, banned for 1 game and fined A$10,000 he had agreed to a move to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to play for Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
outfit Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
after two years at Souths. Fletcher joined the Wigan club in 2006 in time for the pre season training but was sidelined for the opening four rounds of Super League after needing emergency Bowel Surgery in early January.
Fletcher's debut came against Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
on 10 March 2006 and made an instant impact as a substitute scoring his first try three minutes into his first appearance. He was one of the stalwarts that helped Wigan through one of the most tumultuous times in the clubs history on and off the field in 2006 with the dismissal of Ian Millward
Ian Millward
Ian Millward is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. Millward is currently the head coach at Super League side Castleford....
as head coach, the low morale within the team and seeing the once feared Wigan club sitting at the bottom of the table. Thanks to Fletcher's impact in the second row and the prop positions Wigan managed the seemingly impossible and survived relegation from the Super League, finishing 7th and just missing a playoff place to local rivals Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
.
Fletcher has begun pre season training with Wigan for the 2007 season and played in the clubs first friendly over the weekend against Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
in which Wigan lost 24–22.