Daniel Mortimer
Encyclopedia
Daniel Mortimer is an Australian professional rugby league
player. He currently plays for Sydney Roosters
in the National Rugby League
and previously played for the Parramatta Eels
. He is the son of former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Australian Rugby League player Peter Mortimer
. His uncles Steve Mortimer
and, Chris Mortimer were also well-known Bulldogs players.
, and joined the Parramatta Eels
in 2007. After a partnership with Albert Kelly in the National Youth Competition (Toyota Cup), and several key injuries and departures in the senior team, he was called up to the first-grade squad to take up the five-eighth position. He made his debut for the Parramatta Eels
in Round 12 of the 2009 season against the Cronulla Sharks
.
, which they lost to the Melbourne Storm
. Mortimer's rookie season saw him score 10 tries from 16 matches.
In 2010 after a less than spectacular start to the season, Mortimer reflected on 2009 saying, "We hit form that not many teams have done in the history of footy, so to be judged on that's pretty harsh".
Mortimer drifted out of Parramatta's first-grade squad in the 2011 season, playing for the Wentworthville Magpies
in the New South Wales Cup. At the end of the season he was released by the Eels to sign for the Sydney Roosters
.
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 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...
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...
and previously played for the 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...
. He is the son of former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Australian Rugby League player Peter Mortimer
Peter Mortimer (rugby league)
Peter Mortimer is a former Australian professional rugby league player for the Canterbury Bulldogs and New South Wales....
. His uncles Steve Mortimer
Steve Mortimer
Steve Mortimer OAM, , nicknamed Turvey after Turvey Park in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, where he hailed from, is an Australian former rugby league halfback. Mortimer played a Canterbury-Bankstown club record 272 first grade games between 1976–88. Mortimer's two younger brothers Peter and Chris...
and, Chris Mortimer were also well-known Bulldogs players.
Early career
Mortimer grew up in Orange, New South WalesOrange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
, and joined the 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...
in 2007. After a partnership with Albert Kelly in the National Youth Competition (Toyota Cup), and several key injuries and departures in the senior team, he was called up to the first-grade squad to take up the five-eighth position. He made his debut for the 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...
in Round 12 of the 2009 season against the Cronulla Sharks
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
.
Parramatta Eels
At the time of Mortimer's debut, Parramatta was sitting were coming 13th on the NRL ladder, but a strong run of form saw them finish in eighth position and qualify for the finals series, before defeating the teams coming between first and third to qualify for the grand final2009 NRL Grand Final
The 2009 NRL Grand Final was a rugby league football game played on 4 October 2009 at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney. It was the 12th annual championship game of the National Rugby League staged to decide the premiers of the 2009 NRL season....
, which they lost to the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
. Mortimer's rookie season saw him score 10 tries from 16 matches.
In 2010 after a less than spectacular start to the season, Mortimer reflected on 2009 saying, "We hit form that not many teams have done in the history of footy, so to be judged on that's pretty harsh".
Mortimer drifted out of Parramatta's first-grade squad in the 2011 season, playing for the Wentworthville Magpies
Wentworthville Magpies
The Wentworthville Magpies, colloquially known as Wenty, are a Rugby league team based in the suburb of Wentworthville in Sydney's Western Suburbs. Founded in 1963, the club has competed in various Sydney district competitions and, since 2003, the semi-professional NSWRL Jim Beam Cup competition...
in the New South Wales Cup. At the end of the season he was released by the Eels to sign for 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...
.