Matt Orford
Encyclopedia
Matthew Orford is an Australian professional rugby league
player, last playing for the Canberra Raiders
in the National Rugby League
competition. His position of choice is at halfback.
Orford was a North Sydney Bears
junior and started his career with the Northern Eagles
before joining the Melbourne Storm
and later the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
.
He joined the Sea Eagles for the 2006 NRL season and was the captain of the Sea Eagles
. Orford was a member of the Sea Eagles team which lost the 2007 NRL grand final to the Melbourne Storm
. Orford captained the Sea Eagles in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm
.
In September 2008, Orford won the prestigious Dally M Medal
for being voted the best and fairest player of the 2008 NRL season. He finished on 24 points, two points ahead of Billy Slater
. Orford is the first player since Peter Sterling
to win the Dally M Medal and the premiership in the same year.
He signed for the Bradford Bulls
on a three-year deal, starting in the 2010 season. However, his first season with the struggling Yorkshire club has not gone well and was brought to an early finish due to Orford suffering a shoulder injury that would require surgery. He gained a release from the Bulls in order to return home to Australia.
Orford's release was officially granted on 10 January 2011, and he signed with the Canberra Raiders
on the same day.
In September 2011, it was reported Orford was due to be released from the final two years of his contract with Canberra due to injury and requiring surgery.
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, last playing for the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
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...
competition. His position of choice is at halfback.
Orford was a North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
junior and started his career with the Northern Eagles
Northern Eagles
The Northern Eagles were a rugby league team, that competed in the National Rugby League between 2000 and 2002. The club was formed during the rationalisation process of the NRL by the merger of the North Sydney Bears and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2000...
before joining 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....
and later the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
.
He joined the Sea Eagles for the 2006 NRL season and was the captain of the Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
. Orford was a member of the Sea Eagles team which lost the 2007 NRL grand final 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....
. Orford captained the Sea Eagles in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over 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....
.
In September 2008, Orford won the prestigious Dally M Medal
Dally M Medal
The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
for being voted the best and fairest player of the 2008 NRL season. He finished on 24 points, two points ahead of Billy Slater
Billy Slater
Billy Slater is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative fullback, he has played his whole NRL career to date at Melbourne...
. Orford is the first player since Peter Sterling
Peter Sterling
Peter Maxwell John "Sterlo" Sterling OAM is an Australian rugby league commentator and former player. He was one of the all-time great halfbacks and a major contributor to Parramatta Eels' dominance of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership in the 1980s. Sterling played nineteen Tests for...
to win the Dally M Medal and the premiership in the same year.
He signed for the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
on a three-year deal, starting in the 2010 season. However, his first season with the struggling Yorkshire club has not gone well and was brought to an early finish due to Orford suffering a shoulder injury that would require surgery. He gained a release from the Bulls in order to return home to Australia.
Orford's release was officially granted on 10 January 2011, and he signed with the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
on the same day.
In September 2011, it was reported Orford was due to be released from the final two years of his contract with Canberra due to injury and requiring surgery.