Dean Widders
Encyclopedia
Dean Richard Widders an Indigenous Australian
, is a former professional rugby league
player.
at the age of six, he tried many other sports but excelled especially in rugby league. Widders was also an avid reader during his childhood, a skill that he continues to promote.
During Widders' teenage years he honed his rugby league skills and became well known in the local area as a lock playing for the Armidale Greens. During this time a Sydney Roosters
selector flew to Armidale to see Widders' play. When Widders' was 14, in 1993, he was invited to a selection trial and proved to be one of the best players.
side.
Widders' played NRL Premier League for the Roosters, occasionally playing in NRL matches. In 2002 Widders' signed with the Parramatta Eels
, he finished with this club at the end of 2006.
Widders' was involved in a racial vilification
incident in July 2005 when South Sydney Rabbitohs
captain Bryan Fletcher
racially abused him http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/fletcher-in-race-row/2005/07/03/1120329328346.html. In 2006 he signed a three year contract to play for the South Sydney Rabbitohs starting in 2007. Widders lost form remarkably in 2008 and played most of the year for NSW Cup side North Sydney before being released 1 year early and signing for Castleford Tigers in England where he has played since 2009
in Castlefords opening game against Leeds Rhinos
Dean unfortunately picked up an injury and missed 2 months of the season but has since came back and played in an unfamiliar role of linking up with Rangi Chase
He has blossomed in the position and remains a big favourite with the tigers fans.
The club failed to make the play offs after a narrow defeat to Hull KR. Dean said his final goodbyes to the Castleford
public in the last home game against Hull RLFC
Widders' is very well respected in his hometown of Armidale, New South Wales: in 2004 he was awarded the NRL's Ken Stephens Medal for his positive work with youth in the community and in 2006 he was appointed to the Federal Government's National Indigenous Council. Widders is also an Ambassador for the National Aboriginal Sports Corporation Australia (NASCA).
When Widders' was a child he had access to reading material, in a context where not many Aboriginal children did. Widders' now travels around Australia distributing books to indigenous children and indigenous communities. He also helps indigenous children with their writing skills via email.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, is a former professional rugby league
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.
Childhood
Dean Widders played his first game of rugby leagueRugby 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...
at the age of six, he tried many other sports but excelled especially in rugby league. Widders was also an avid reader during his childhood, a skill that he continues to promote.
During Widders' teenage years he honed his rugby league skills and became well known in the local area as a lock playing for the Armidale Greens. During this time a 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...
selector flew to Armidale to see Widders' play. When Widders' was 14, in 1993, he was invited to a selection trial and proved to be one of the best players.
Playing career
At the age of 17, in 1996, Widders' moved to Sydney to play with the Sydney Roosters. In this year he also captained an AboriginalIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
side.
Widders' played NRL Premier League for the Roosters, occasionally playing in NRL matches. In 2002 Widders' signed with 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 finished with this club at the end of 2006.
Widders' was involved in a racial vilification
Racial vilification
Racial vilification is the term in the legislation of Australia that refers to a public act that encourages or incites others to hate people because of their race, nationality, country of origin, colour or ethnic origin...
incident in July 2005 when 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...
captain Bryan Fletcher
Bryan Fletcher
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...
racially abused him http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/fletcher-in-race-row/2005/07/03/1120329328346.html. In 2006 he signed a three year contract to play for the South Sydney Rabbitohs starting in 2007. Widders lost form remarkably in 2008 and played most of the year for NSW Cup side North Sydney before being released 1 year early and signing for Castleford Tigers in England where he has played since 2009
Castleford Tigers 2009
Dean joined Castleford for the 2009 season. Dean played 19 times in his first season for the tigers scoring 6 tries. He became a big fans favourite usually coming from the bench.Castleford Tigers 2010
Dean started 2010 in great fashion scoring the final and clinching try away at HeadingleyHeadingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road...
in Castlefords opening game against Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
Dean unfortunately picked up an injury and missed 2 months of the season but has since came back and played in an unfamiliar role of linking up with Rangi Chase
Rangi Chase
Rangi Chase is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays in the Super League competition for the Castleford Tigers. He attended famous Maori school Te Aute College in 1999 before moving to Australia where he attended Keebra Park State High School...
He has blossomed in the position and remains a big favourite with the tigers fans.
Castleford Tigers 2011
Dean continued to play in 2011 and had a good season in which was his final season at Castleford TigersCastleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
The club failed to make the play offs after a narrow defeat to Hull KR. Dean said his final goodbyes to the Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
public in the last home game against Hull RLFC
Off-field
In 1997 Widders' returned to Duval High School in Armidale to complete his Higher School Certificate.Widders' is very well respected in his hometown of Armidale, New South Wales: in 2004 he was awarded the NRL's Ken Stephens Medal for his positive work with youth in the community and in 2006 he was appointed to the Federal Government's National Indigenous Council. Widders is also an Ambassador for the National Aboriginal Sports Corporation Australia (NASCA).
When Widders' was a child he had access to reading material, in a context where not many Aboriginal children did. Widders' now travels around Australia distributing books to indigenous children and indigenous communities. He also helps indigenous children with their writing skills via email.
Career highlights
- Junior Club: Armidale, Narwan
- Career Stats: 103 first grade games to date scoring 26 tries