Neville Costigan
Encyclopedia
Neville Costigan is a professional rugby league
footballer for the Newcastle Knights
of the National Rugby League
. A Queensland State of Origin and Papua New Guinea international representative, Costigan previously played for the Brisbane Broncos
, Canberra Raiders
and most recently, the St. George Illawarra Dragons with whom he won the 2010 NRL premiership with. Costigan primarily plays in the forwards.
. His father is Australian and his mother is of Dyaul Island
. He moved with his parents to Queensland at a very young age.
Costigan won the Broncos' Rookie of the Year award for the 2003
season, and in his short time at the club established a reputation as being a big hitter in defence.
He was involved in an off field incident in 2006, and had his contract terminated by the Broncos. Subsequently, he missed the 2006 premiership, but was part of the 2010 Dragons team that won. He signed a contract with the Canberra Raiders.
He performed well in 2007 for the Raiders and was rewarded when selected for the Queensland State of Origin
side in May 2007. He retained his bench spot for the second game.
He decided to join the St George Illawarra Dragons
from the 2009 season. On 13 August 2008, Neville Costigan signed with the St. George Illawarra Dragons for 2 years starting in 2009. He was looking forward to the opportunity of reuniting with his former coach, Wayne Bennett, as well as the opportunity to finally win a premiership having been sacked by the Broncos just before they won the 2006 title.
In April 2009 he was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland in the opening State of Origin
match for 2009.
He received a recall to the State of Origin arena when Ben Hannant
and Petero Civoniceva
were ruled out with injury, as well as Nate Myles
being suspended.
In June 2010, Costigan signed a 3-year deal with the Newcastle Knights
. Costigan said "Newcastle is a club I am excited about going to, I have now played 100 NRL games and would like to think that I can achieve the 200 game milestone at the Knights. I had other options but I like the town, the lifestyle it offers, their fanatical supporters and the fact I can play a part in the direction the club is heading over the next couple of years. I am also impressed with the coaching staff and other people associated with the Knights that I have met."
Costigan finally became a premiership winning player in 2010 when the St. George Illawarra Dragons won its first premiership, with Costigan part of the side that won its first premiership in 31 years, defeating the Roosters 32-8 in the 2010 NRL Grand Final
. This seems to have taken away the agony of having missed Brisbane's 2006 premiership, having been sacked two months beforehand due to continued off-field incidents. This was his last game for the Dragons, having been forced out of the club due to Mark Gasnier
returning to the club and also salary cap issues.
. Costigan was charged with drink driving and sacked by the Brisbane Broncos
, after he was caught driving around Brisbane
streets with a blood alcohol level
of 0.13, almost three times the legal limit As a result, he missed the Broncos' 2006 premiership.
In 2007, whilst playing for Canberra he was seen on video headbutting Sydney Roosters
winger Amos Roberts
at the conclusion of the Canberra vs. Sydney Roosters
match, which was won by Canberra 37–28.
.
Costigan was considered one of the 2008 World Cup 'Players to Watch' by NRL Live.
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 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...
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...
. A Queensland State of Origin and Papua New Guinea international representative, Costigan previously played for the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
, 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...
and most recently, the St. George Illawarra Dragons with whom he won the 2010 NRL premiership with. Costigan primarily plays in the forwards.
Playing career
Costigan was born in RabaulRabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
. His father is Australian and his mother is of Dyaul Island
Dyaul Island
Dyaul Island is an island in New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea. Its area is 100 km2. The inhabitants live mainly in seven villages, and frequently visit Kavieng, the capital of the province, for supplies or to sell produce and fish. There are two languages, not counting Tok Pisin, spoken on...
. He moved with his parents to Queensland at a very young age.
Costigan won the Broncos' Rookie of the Year award for the 2003
Brisbane Broncos 2003
The 2003 Brisbane Broncos season was the sixteenth in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2003 Telstra Premiership and were once again in the upper echelons of the ladder before losing their last eight games and falling to eighth place, nearly missing the finals for the first time since...
season, and in his short time at the club established a reputation as being a big hitter in defence.
He was involved in an off field incident in 2006, and had his contract terminated by the Broncos. Subsequently, he missed the 2006 premiership, but was part of the 2010 Dragons team that won. He signed a contract with the Canberra Raiders.
He performed well in 2007 for the Raiders and was rewarded when selected for the Queensland 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...
side in May 2007. He retained his bench spot for the second game.
He decided to join the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
from the 2009 season. On 13 August 2008, Neville Costigan signed with the St. George Illawarra Dragons for 2 years starting in 2009. He was looking forward to the opportunity of reuniting with his former coach, Wayne Bennett, as well as the opportunity to finally win a premiership having been sacked by the Broncos just before they won the 2006 title.
In April 2009 he was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland 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 for 2009.
He received a recall to the State of Origin arena when Ben Hannant
Ben Hannant
Benjamin Hannant is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL...
and Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
were ruled out with injury, as well as Nate Myles
Nate Myles
Nate Myles is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative forward, he previously played for the Bulldogs club...
being suspended.
In June 2010, Costigan signed a 3-year deal with 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...
. Costigan said "Newcastle is a club I am excited about going to, I have now played 100 NRL games and would like to think that I can achieve the 200 game milestone at the Knights. I had other options but I like the town, the lifestyle it offers, their fanatical supporters and the fact I can play a part in the direction the club is heading over the next couple of years. I am also impressed with the coaching staff and other people associated with the Knights that I have met."
Costigan finally became a premiership winning player in 2010 when the St. George Illawarra Dragons won its first premiership, with Costigan part of the side that won its first premiership in 31 years, defeating the Roosters 32-8 in the 2010 NRL Grand Final
2010 NRL Grand Final
The 2010 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2010 NRL season. Played on Sunday, 3 October at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, the match was contested by the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters. It was the first time the two sides met in a grand final. They...
. This seems to have taken away the agony of having missed Brisbane's 2006 premiership, having been sacked two months beforehand due to continued off-field incidents. This was his last game for the Dragons, having been forced out of the club due to Mark Gasnier
Mark Gasnier
Mark Gasnier is an Australian former rugby league player, a state and national representative centre three-quarter. He played eleven top-grade seasons with the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, interrupted by two seasons of rugby union played with the French club Stade Français. He was a...
returning to the club and also salary cap issues.
Controversy
In 2006Brisbane Broncos 2006
The 2006 Brisbane Broncos season was the nineteenth in the club's history. Coached by Wayne Bennett and captained by Darren Lockyer, they won the NRL's 2006 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season in 3rd place before going on to win the 2006 NRL Grand Final against minor premiers the...
. Costigan was charged with drink driving and sacked by the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
, after he was caught driving around Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
streets with a blood alcohol level
Blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content , also called blood alcohol concentration, blood ethanol concentration, or blood alcohol level is most commonly used as a metric of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes....
of 0.13, almost three times the legal limit As a result, he missed the Broncos' 2006 premiership.
In 2007, whilst playing for Canberra he was seen on video headbutting 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...
winger Amos Roberts
Amos Roberts
Amos Roberts is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for English club Wigan Warriors of Super League. A country New South Wales representative prolific try-scoring back, he previously played in Australasia's National Rugby League for the St...
at the conclusion of the Canberra vs. 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...
match, which was won by Canberra 37–28.
Papua New Guinea
He was named in the PNG squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup2008 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...
.
Costigan was considered one of the 2008 World Cup 'Players to Watch' by NRL Live.