Luke O'Donnell
Encyclopedia
Luke O'Donnell is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer currently playing for the North Queensland Cowboys
of the National Rugby League
. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative back-rower, he previously played for the Balmain Tigers
and Wests Tigers
. His younger brother Kyle O'Donnell
plays for the Newcastle Knights
.
on 31 July 1999. He was sin binned on his debut match, a loss to the Sydney City Roosters
at Leichhardt Oval
. O'Donnell made three appearances off the bench during the 1999 season, all losses.
From 2000, O'Donnell played 4 seasons with the Wests Tigers
, playing in 48 games. However, in the second game of the 2003 season O'Donnell received an 11 week suspension for a late, high tackle that left Michael Monaghan
with a broken jaw, and played no further games with the Tigers. At the time, it was the second longest suspension in NRL history.
from the 2004 season, and that season was named the club's player of the year. Also in 2004 he was in the first Cowboys team to make the semi-finals. The following year O'Donnell played from at second row in the North Queensland Cowboys
' first ever Grand Final in 2005
which they lost to his former club, the Wests Tigers
. He was then chosen for the 2005 Tri-Nations team.
Early in the 2007 NRL season, O'Donnell was involved in a "wishbone" tackle that pulled all his hamstring muscles on his left leg away from his pelvic bone, leaving him unable to play for the rest of the season. The opposition players involved, including Liam Fulton
and Bronson Harrison
were not charged over the incident.
In 2008, O'Donnell received a 7 week suspension relating to 2 separate striking charges and abusing a sideline official.
In August 2008, O'Donnell was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
. He was selected for City in the City vs Country
match on 8 May 2009. Later that month, he was named in the 17 man squad to represent New South Wales in the opening State of Origin
match on 3 June 2009, in Melbourne. Also in 2009 he was named the Cowboys' player of the year for the second time.
In July 2010 it was announced that O'Donnell had signed a four year deal to play for Super League
team Huddersfield Giants
. During his final NRL season he was banned for three weeks following an ugly incident in Game II of the 2010 State of Origin series
where he dangerously tackled Queensland
's Darius Boyd
and appeared to headbutt Dave Taylor. Team-mate Mitchell Pearce
said of the incident,"I thought he was going to eat him!"
O'Donnell was off twice during his time with the Cowboys, once in 2006 (playing against the New Zealand Warriors
in a match the Cowboys lost 26-0) and once in 2008 (in a match against Penrith which the Cowboys lost in golden point extra time).
O'Donnell left the Cowboys as the most suspended player in NRL history, having spent 29 games suspended. "It was really disappointing considering I work so hard and then come game time you feel like you have a target on your head," he later said.
at Huddersfield. He was selected for the Exiles squad for the Rugby League International Origin Match
against England
at Headingley on 10
June 2011.
: NRL Grand Final
– North Queensland Cowboys
– Runners-Up
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 currently playing 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...
of 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...
. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative back-rower, he previously played for the Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
and 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...
. His younger brother Kyle O'Donnell
Kyle O'Donnell
Kyle O'Donnell is a rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League. He usually plays at lock or second-row but can also slot into the centres and on the wing...
plays 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...
.
Tigers
O'Donnell made his first grade debut with the Balmain TigersBalmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
on 31 July 1999. He was sin binned on his debut match, a loss to the Sydney City 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...
at Leichhardt Oval
Leichhardt Oval
Leichhardt Oval is a football stadium in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. It is a home ground for the Wests Tigers rugby league team. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 20,000, with recorded highest crowd figures of 23,000 in the 1981 KB Tooth final South Sydney Rabbitohs versus...
. O'Donnell made three appearances off the bench during the 1999 season, all losses.
From 2000, O'Donnell played 4 seasons with 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...
, playing in 48 games. However, in the second game of the 2003 season O'Donnell received an 11 week suspension for a late, high tackle that left Michael Monaghan
Michael Monaghan
Michael Monaghan is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Warrington Wolves in the European Super League.He played with the Canberra Raiders from 2001 to 2003....
with a broken jaw, and played no further games with the Tigers. At the time, it was the second longest suspension in NRL history.
Cowboys
O'Donnell joined the North Queensland CowboysNorth 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...
from the 2004 season, and that season was named the club's player of the year. Also in 2004 he was in the first Cowboys team to make the semi-finals. The following year O'Donnell played from at second row in 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...
' first ever Grand Final in 2005
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...
which they lost to his former club, 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...
. He was then chosen for the 2005 Tri-Nations team.
Early in the 2007 NRL season, O'Donnell was involved in a "wishbone" tackle that pulled all his hamstring muscles on his left leg away from his pelvic bone, leaving him unable to play for the rest of the season. The opposition players involved, including Liam Fulton
Liam Fulton
Liam Mark Fulton is an Australian professional rugby league footballer. He play for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition. Fulton primarily plays at lock....
and Bronson Harrison
Bronson Harrison
Bronson Harrison is a professional rugby league footballer for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League. He primarily plays at lock. He previously played for the Wests Tigers...
were not charged over the incident.
In 2008, O'Donnell received a 7 week suspension relating to 2 separate striking charges and abusing a sideline official.
In August 2008, O'Donnell was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
. He was selected for City in the City vs Country
City vs Country Origin
City vs Country is an annual Australian rugby league football match that takes place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represents the Sydney metropolitan area...
match on 8 May 2009. Later that month, he was named in the 17 man squad to represent New South Wales in the opening 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...
match on 3 June 2009, in Melbourne. Also in 2009 he was named the Cowboys' player of the year for the second time.
In July 2010 it was announced that O'Donnell had signed a four year deal 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...
team 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....
. During his final NRL season he was banned for three weeks following an ugly incident in Game II of the 2010 State of Origin series
2010 State of Origin series
The 2010 State of Origin series was the 29th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules...
where he dangerously tackled Queensland
Queensland State of Origin Team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
's Darius Boyd
Darius Boyd
Darius Boyd is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. Boyd plays at fullback, however he is also very capable as a three-quarter back, as proven by his selection for Australia and Queensland as a winger...
and appeared to headbutt Dave Taylor. Team-mate Mitchell Pearce
Mitchell Pearce
Mitchell Pearce is an Australian rugby league footballer currently playing for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League...
said of the incident,"I thought he was going to eat him!"
O'Donnell was off twice during his time with the Cowboys, once in 2006 (playing against the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The 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...
in a match the Cowboys lost 26-0) and once in 2008 (in a match against Penrith which the Cowboys lost in golden point extra time).
O'Donnell left the Cowboys as the most suspended player in NRL history, having spent 29 games suspended. "It was really disappointing considering I work so hard and then come game time you feel like you have a target on your head," he later said.
Giants
Luke O'Donnell joined old Cowboys' teammate David FaiumuDavid Faiumu
David Faiumu is a professional rugby league footballer for the Huddersfield Giants of Super League...
at Huddersfield. He was selected for the Exiles squad for the Rugby League International Origin Match
Rugby League International Origin Match
The Rugby League International Origin Match is an annual rugby league fixture between the English national side and an Exiles side consisting of foreign players currently playing in the English Super League competition. The match was held for the first time at Headingley Carnegie Stadium in Leeds...
against England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
at Headingley on 10
June 2011.
Achievements
2005 tri Nations series, 2005 city team, 2006 ANZAC test, 2006 tri nations series, 2006 NSW State of Origin, 2009 State of Origin, 2010 State of OriginIndividual
- 2006 North Queensland Cowboys season's Players' Player of the Year
- 2009 North Queensland Cowboys season's Players' Player of the Year
- 2009 North Queensland Cowboys season's Player's Player of the year
Team
2005National Rugby League season 2005
The 2005 NRL season was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs contesting the 2005 Telstra Premiership, which culminated in a grand final...
: NRL Grand Final
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...
– 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...
– Runners-Up