Liam Fulton
Encyclopedia
Liam Mark Fulton is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer. He play for the Wests Tigers
in the National Rugby League
(NRL) competition. Fulton primarily plays at lock.
Fulton is considered to be a jokester, known for making prank phone calls, but is also a noted clubman. Team-mate Benji Marshall describes him as, "not the biggest, he's not the strongest in the gym, he doesn't look athletic with his shirt off. He weighs only 96 kilograms. But he puts that body on the line every week, he makes his tackles and I have never played with a second-rower who runs a better line. He is so talented."
While attending Westfields Sports High School
, Fulton played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2002, and captained the S.G. Ball Cup
team to victory in the Grand Final in 2002 while playing for the Western Suburbs Magpies
.
Fulton again tasted success in 2005 when the Wests Tigers defeated the North Queensland Cowboys
in the 2005 NRL grand final
to win the club's first NRL premiership. This early success in his career was tempered by a serious shoulder injury in the opening game of the 2006 season, which sidelined him for the whole season.
Due to salary cap issues Wests Tigers
were forced to let Fulton go to Huddersfield Giants
for the 2009 season, and was a member of the team that played in the Challenge Cup
final. In October 2009, Fulton signed a two year contract to return to the Wests Tigers from 2010.
In 2011, Fulton made his representative debut, playing for first NRL All Stars
, and later City Origin.
Midway through 2011, Fulton was given permission to negotiate with other clubs as Wests Tigers struggled to fit incoming forward Adam Blair
under the salary cap. Fulton said of the opportunity, "There's a lot of talk going around signing players and people having to leave but at the end of the day I've got another two years here." He ended up remaining with the club, with former team-mate Mark O'Neill describing his end-of-season form as, "career best."
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. He play for the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
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) competition. Fulton primarily plays at lock.
Fulton is considered to be a jokester, known for making prank phone calls, but is also a noted clubman. Team-mate Benji Marshall describes him as, "not the biggest, he's not the strongest in the gym, he doesn't look athletic with his shirt off. He weighs only 96 kilograms. But he puts that body on the line every week, he makes his tackles and I have never played with a second-rower who runs a better line. He is so talented."
Playing career
Fulton started playing junior football for Greystanes Devils under-7s when he was four years old.While attending Westfields Sports High School
Westfields Sports High School
Westfields Sports High School is Australia's first Sports High school. It is a coeducational school in Fairfield West, Sydney, Australia...
, Fulton played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2002, and captained the S.G. Ball Cup
S.G. Ball Cup
The S G Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played in New South Wales, played between teams made up of players aged under 18. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. The competition includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSW Cup clubs...
team to victory in the Grand Final in 2002 while playing for the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
.
Fulton again tasted success in 2005 when the Wests Tigers defeated 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 2005 NRL grand final
2005 NRL Grand Final
The 2005 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2005 National Rugby League season. It was played on the night of Sunday, 2 October at Sydney's Telstra Stadium between 4th-placed Wests Tigers and 5th-placed North Queensland Cowboys, the only two clubs in the...
to win the club's first NRL premiership. This early success in his career was tempered by a serious shoulder injury in the opening game of the 2006 season, which sidelined him for the whole season.
Due to salary cap issues Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
were forced to let Fulton go to 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....
for the 2009 season, and was a member of the team that played in the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final. In October 2009, Fulton signed a two year contract to return to the Wests Tigers from 2010.
In 2011, Fulton made his representative debut, playing for first NRL All Stars
All Stars Match
The National Rugby League All Stars Game is an annual Australian rugby league football match, contested between representative teams, namely the Indigenous All Stars versus the NRL All Stars...
, and later City Origin.
Midway through 2011, Fulton was given permission to negotiate with other clubs as Wests Tigers struggled to fit incoming forward Adam Blair
Adam Blair
Adam Blair is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League until 1 November 2011, when he will join the Wests Tigers. A New Zealand international representative forward, Blair spent six seasons with the Storm, winning...
under the salary cap. Fulton said of the opportunity, "There's a lot of talk going around signing players and people having to leave but at the end of the day I've got another two years here." He ended up remaining with the club, with former team-mate Mark O'Neill describing his end-of-season form as, "career best."
Career highlights
- First Grade Debut: Round 26, Wests Tigers v New Zealand WarriorsNew Zealand WarriorsThe New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
at Ericsson StadiumMt Smart StadiumMt Smart Stadium, formerly Ericsson Stadium, is a stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the home ground of National Rugby League team, the New Zealand Warriors...
, 6 September - Premierships: 2005 (West Tigers v North Queensland CowboysNorth Queensland CowboysThe 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...
)