Cory Paterson
Encyclopedia
Cory Paterson is an Australian professional rugby league
player. He currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys
in the National Rugby League
(NRL). He previously played 77 NRL matches for the Newcastle Knights
. His usual position is in the second-row.
, Paterson attended St Francis Xavier College in Hamilton, Newcastle
and in 2005 represented Australia at schoolboy level.
In 2007, Cory Paterson was promoted to train with the Newcastle Knights
first team squad. He made his debut in round 2 of that year in a win against the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
At the end of the 2008 season, Paterson was selected in the Prime Minister's XIII
to play the Papua New Guinea national team
in Port Moresby
. He then toured the United States to visit a number of National Football League
clubs and trial for the Oakland Raiders
. Paterson suffered depression
during the 2009 season, causing him to miss some NRL matches, but returned to good form on the field in 2010 season, when he was selected for the Indigenous All Stars squad. In 2011, Paterson represented the Indigenous All Stars again, but midway through the season he was released from his contract by the Knights, a decision made by the club's incoming coach Wayne Bennett.
After being released by Newcastle, Paterson almost immediately signed for the North Queensland Cowboys
, on a contract to play for the remainder of the 2011 season and two additional seasons. Paterson was told by the Knights that he was not part of their long term plans and was free to look elsewhere for 2011 and beyond. Paterson converted to Islam
during the 2011 season, requiring him to fast
during daylight hours in the month of August, co-inciding with the Cowboys run-in to the NRL finals series. Paterson is close to Anthony Mundine
and Sonny Bill Williams
, two prominent former rugby league players who converted to Islam. He sought advice on fasting as a professional rugby league player from Hazem El-Masri, a devout Lebanese-born Muslim who played over 300 first-grade matches for the Canterbury Bulldogs
.
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...
player. He currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in the National Rugby League
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...
(NRL). He previously played 77 NRL matches for the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
. His usual position is in the second-row.
Career
After playing junior rugby league in his home town of Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Paterson attended St Francis Xavier College in Hamilton, Newcastle
Hamilton, New South Wales
Hamilton is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district. The main commercial centre is located around Beaumont Street and boasts a vibrant multicultural atmosphere providing an array of restaurants, retail, fashion and commercial outlets...
and in 2005 represented Australia at schoolboy level.
In 2007, Cory Paterson was promoted to train with the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
first team squad. He made his debut in round 2 of that year in a win against the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
At the end of the 2008 season, Paterson was selected in the Prime Minister's XIII
Prime Minister's XIII
Prime Minister's XIII or the PM's XIII is the name of a representative rugby league team selected on an annual basis by the Prime Minister of Australia that consists of mainly young Australian players drawn from the National Rugby League competition to take on the Papua New Guinea national rugby...
to play the Papua New Guinea national team
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
in Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
. He then toured the United States to visit a number of National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
clubs and trial for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Paterson suffered depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
during the 2009 season, causing him to miss some NRL matches, but returned to good form on the field in 2010 season, when he was selected for the Indigenous All Stars squad. In 2011, Paterson represented the Indigenous All Stars again, but midway through the season he was released from his contract by the Knights, a decision made by the club's incoming coach Wayne Bennett.
After being released by Newcastle, Paterson almost immediately signed for the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
, on a contract to play for the remainder of the 2011 season and two additional seasons. Paterson was told by the Knights that he was not part of their long term plans and was free to look elsewhere for 2011 and beyond. Paterson converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
during the 2011 season, requiring him to fast
Sawm
Sawm is an Arabic word for fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means to abstain from eating, drinking , having sex and anything against Islamic law...
during daylight hours in the month of August, co-inciding with the Cowboys run-in to the NRL finals series. Paterson is close to Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
and Sonny Bill Williams
Sonny Bill Williams
Sonny William 'Sonny Bill' Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player and former rugby league player. He is only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the country in rugby league. In rugby union he usually plays as a centre...
, two prominent former rugby league players who converted to Islam. He sought advice on fasting as a professional rugby league player from Hazem El-Masri, a devout Lebanese-born Muslim who played over 300 first-grade matches for the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
.