Paul Sironen
Encyclopedia
Paul Sironen is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer who was a prominent second rower for the Balmain Tigers
during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was part of the team that played in successive Grand Finals in 1988 and 1989, and included other representative players Steve "Blocker" Roach, Wayne Pearce
, Benny Elias
and Garry Jack
. He made a number of appearances for both New South Wales in State of Origin and also for Australia, and has been named as part of the Wests Tigers
Team of the Century.
offered Sironen a scholarship to move to Waikiki
in Hawaii and play American football
in the position of defensive tackle. Sironen decided that he "never got to touch the ball" enough and, after the first season ended, he moved back to Australia. Sironen joined the Balmain Tigers and, in his debut year, he was named as the Dally M
Rookie of the Year.
In the 1988 season, Sironen played in the Grand Final in which Balmain where defeated by twenty four points to twelve by the Canterbury Bulldogs
. The following year the club again made the Grand Final. Unfortunately for the club and Sironen, who scored a try in the match, the club again lost the Grand Final by nineteen points to fourteen against the Canberra Raiders
. In the 1990 season, Sironen was named as the Dally M Second-rower of the Year. Also at the end of the 1990 NSWRL season, he went on the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
.
In 1991 Sironen was injured for the majority of the season. At the end of the 1994 NSWRL season, he went on the 1994 Kangaroo tour
.
At the start of the 1995 season he was named as the captain of the club but he resigned as club captain after six rounds of the competition, in order to focus more specifically on his own game. Sironen surpassed Garry Jack's
club record for the most first grade games. At the end of the 1998 season, Sironen left the club to finish out his career for French club US Villeneuve
. In total he played 246 matches for the Tigers scoring twenty-one tries which is a total of 84 points. He was named as a starting second rower in the Wests Tigers Team of the Century as well as the Balmain Team of the Century.
In France, where he was affectionately known as "the beast", Sironen helped his club Villeneuve-sur-Lot to victory in the final of the 1999 French championship season.
in which Australia defeated New Zealand by 25-12.
In 1989, Sironen played in two Test matches on the tour of New Zealand. Sironen then made two more Test appearances, against France
and New Zealand
. He again was selected for the 1990 Kangaroo Tour
in 1990, where he was a stand out performer in the five Tests and in Australia's attempts to retain the Ashes. Although he was injured for the majority of the 1991 season, he did manage to play for Australia during the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, helping the Kangaroos retain The Ashes, winning man-of-the-match award in the third and deciding Test.
Sironen was selected for the 1992 World Cup final
in England in which Australia defeated Great Britain 10-6. In the 1993-94 season, Sironen had to overcome back problems to be included in the Australian squad. He became just the fourth forward in the history of the game to make a third 1994 Kangaroo Tour
. He was involved in controversy, after being hit by British forward Barrie McDermott
in the first Test, and was sent off in the match against St Helens.
Altogether Sironen made 21 appearances for his country, scoring three tries.
management team in Australia.
Sironen is the only original model left on Lowes Menswear
television commercials which also feature Darryl Brohman, who replaced the other original models Steve "Blocker" Roach and Ray Hadley
.
While playing football, Sironen also served in the New South Wales Police Force and in 2008, rugby league's centenary year in Australia, he was named at second-row in a NSW Police team of the century.
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 who was a prominent second rower 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...
during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was part of the team that played in successive Grand Finals in 1988 and 1989, and included other representative players Steve "Blocker" Roach, Wayne Pearce
Wayne Pearce
Wayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'...
, Benny Elias
Benny Elias
Benjamin Elias is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He played primarily as a hooker for Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership. He was one of the leading hookers from the mid 1980s until his retirement at the end of the 1994 season...
and Garry Jack
Garry Jack
Garry Jack is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative in the Australian national team and star player with the Balmain Tigers. Jack was a for the Tigers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, under the captaincy of Wayne Pearce and the coaching of Warren Ryan...
. He made a number of appearances for both New South Wales in State of Origin and also for Australia, and has been named as part of 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...
Team of the Century.
Playing career
In the early 1980s, the University of HawaiiUniversity of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
offered Sironen a scholarship to move to Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
in Hawaii and play American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
in the position of defensive tackle. Sironen decided that he "never got to touch the ball" enough and, after the first season ended, he moved back to Australia. Sironen joined the Balmain Tigers and, in his debut year, he was named as the Dally M
Dally M Awards
The Dally M Awards are the official annual player awards for the National Rugby League competition. The most prestigious of these awards is the Dally M Medal which is only ever awarded to Australian born Players...
Rookie of the Year.
In the 1988 season, Sironen played in the Grand Final in which Balmain where defeated by twenty four points to twelve by the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
. The following year the club again made the Grand Final. Unfortunately for the club and Sironen, who scored a try in the match, the club again lost the Grand Final by nineteen points to fourteen against 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 1990 season, Sironen was named as the Dally M Second-rower of the Year. Also at the end of the 1990 NSWRL season, he went on the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
1990 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France
The 1990 Kangaroo Tour was the seventeenth Kangaroo Tour, where the Australian national rugby league team travelled to Europe and played eighteen matches against British and French rugby league teams, in addition to three Test matches...
.
In 1991 Sironen was injured for the majority of the season. At the end of the 1994 NSWRL season, he went on the 1994 Kangaroo tour
1994 Kangaroo Tour
The 1994 Kangaroo Tour was the last played in the conventional format, where the Australian side plays a number of matches against British and French clubs or provincial outfits, in additions to the Test matches...
.
At the start of the 1995 season he was named as the captain of the club but he resigned as club captain after six rounds of the competition, in order to focus more specifically on his own game. Sironen surpassed Garry Jack's
Garry Jack
Garry Jack is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a representative in the Australian national team and star player with the Balmain Tigers. Jack was a for the Tigers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, under the captaincy of Wayne Pearce and the coaching of Warren Ryan...
club record for the most first grade games. At the end of the 1998 season, Sironen left the club to finish out his career for French club US Villeneuve
US Villeneuve
Villeneuve Leopards, translated from Léopards d'Aquitaine and sometimes known as Union Sportive Villeneuve, are a French rugby league club from the town of Villeneuve-sur-Lot in the département of Lot-et-Garonne. They play in the Elite One Championship.-History:Sport Athlétique Villeneuvois.13 ...
. In total he played 246 matches for the Tigers scoring twenty-one tries which is a total of 84 points. He was named as a starting second rower in the Wests Tigers Team of the Century as well as the Balmain Team of the Century.
In France, where he was affectionately known as "the beast", Sironen helped his club Villeneuve-sur-Lot to victory in the final of the 1999 French championship season.
New South Wales
In the 1993-94 season, Sironen had to overcome back problems to be included in the State of Origin squad. In total he made fourteen appearances for New South Wales although he failed to score a single point in his State of Origin career.Australia
In his first season in professional rugby league, Sironen was called up to the Australian squad to play against Papua New Guinea and a test match against France, as well as being selected for the 1986 Kangaroo Tour. In 1988 he was selected to play in Australia's World Cup campaign, including the final on 9 October 1988 at Eden ParkEden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
in which Australia defeated New Zealand by 25-12.
In 1989, Sironen played in two Test matches on the tour of New Zealand. Sironen then made two more Test appearances, against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
and New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. He again was selected for the 1990 Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
in 1990, where he was a stand out performer in the five Tests and in Australia's attempts to retain the Ashes. Although he was injured for the majority of the 1991 season, he did manage to play for Australia during the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, helping the Kangaroos retain The Ashes, winning man-of-the-match award in the third and deciding Test.
Sironen was selected for the 1992 World Cup final
1989 - 1992 Rugby League World Cup
-1990:---------------------1991:-------------------------1992:----In addition to being a World Cup allocated match, this was the third and deciding test of the 1992 Ashes series....
in England in which Australia defeated Great Britain 10-6. In the 1993-94 season, Sironen had to overcome back problems to be included in the Australian squad. He became just the fourth forward in the history of the game to make a third 1994 Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
. He was involved in controversy, after being hit by British forward Barrie McDermott
Barrie McDermott
Barrie McDermott is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain international representative , he played his club football at Oldham, Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos , Bramley and Widnes.McDermott later became the Head of Youth Development with...
in the first Test, and was sent off in the match against St Helens.
Altogether Sironen made 21 appearances for his country, scoring three tries.
Life outside rugby league
Affectionately known as "Siro" during his playing days, he was also a former police officer and American Football player prior to his career with the Balmain Tigers. Most recently, he has branched out into business as part of the Krispy KremeKrispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is the name of an international chain of doughnut stores that was founded by Vernon Rudolph in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The parent company of Krispy Kreme is Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc...
management team in Australia.
Sironen is the only original model left on Lowes Menswear
Lowes Menswear
Lowes Menswear is an Australian menswear chain established in 1898. They primarily sell workwear, suits, clothes for larger men, and schoolwear. Lowes has recently added ladieswear, surfwear, and boyswear....
television commercials which also feature Darryl Brohman, who replaced the other original models Steve "Blocker" Roach and Ray Hadley
Ray Hadley
Raymond Morris Hadley OAM is an Australian talkback radio broadcaster. He presents 2GB Sydney's morning show, and leads the Continuous Call Team, a rugby league-based talkback radio panel program.-Early Life:...
.
While playing football, Sironen also served in the New South Wales Police Force and in 2008, rugby league's centenary year in Australia, he was named at second-row in a NSW Police team of the century.