Phil Blake
Encyclopedia
Phil Blake is an Australian former rugby league
footballer of the 1980s and 90s who represented New South Wales on one occasion. Originally a half back, Blake developed into a utility player and played first grade matches in all the backline positions, as well as at hooker and lock. Phil Blake is the younger brother of former Manly, Canberra
and South Sydney
player Michael Blake.
, Blake played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1981.
. Blake won the Dally M Rookie of the Year
award and was considered unlucky to miss out on selection for the 1982 Kangaroo tour
.
He continued his good form in 1983 when he broke the Sea Eagles club record for the most tries scored in a season with 27 and finished the year as the top try scorer in the league. Blakes 27 tries were scored from just 23 games played. As of 2011 this is still the Manly club record for most tries in a premiership season. Manly won through to the 1983 Grand Final, again against Parramatta, and for the second time in two seasons, were on the wrong end of the scoreline at the end losing 6-18.
Blake found the going tough under Manly coach Bob Fulton
and he was often shuffled around the backline to allow others to play in their preferred positions. Despite this he was still one of the league's most prolific try scorers with his great speed over 30-40m, and his general reading of the play giving him an advantage.
During 1985/6 Phil Blake traveled to England and played for Warrington
.
In the 1986 NSWRL season Blake was again the leagues top try scorer, sharing the mark with Balmain's
English
import Garry Schofield
. Following the season, Blake signed to play for the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1987.
He returned to Warrington for the 1988/89 season. After returning from England, Blake, and Souths went from being minor premiers in 1989 to finishing with the wooden spoon in 1990, the biggest slide from grace in the competitions history.
for 1991, however despite the Bears reaching the finals for the first time since 1982, he only played eleven games for the club and moved again at the end of the year, joining the Canberra Raiders
.
Blake moved again at the end of the 1992 season, joining the St. George Dragons
. He came off the reserves bench for the Dragons in the 1993 Grand Final who lost their second Grand Final in two seasons to the Brisbane Broncos
.
In 1995 he joined the new Auckland Warriors franchise, and was in their inaugural run-on side. He played three seasons for the club, his longest spell at one club since the Rabbitohs. Phil Blake, who played fullback in the Warrior's first game against the Broncos at Auckland
’s Mt Smart Stadium before 29,220 fans, scored the new club's first ever try in the game's 21st minute after a dash down the left wing by Whetu Taewa
. Blake, as always there in support, had an easy 10m run to the line. Despite this the Warriors went down narrowly to the two time premiership winners 25-22.
Blake was appointed the sprint coach at the South Sydney Rabbitohs
for their return season in 2002. When Craig Coleman
was fired as head coach at the beginning of the 2003 season, Blake was appointed the temporary head coach until he was replaced by Paul Langmack
.
In 2008 Blake suffered from a series of potentially life-threatening blood clots and spent some time in hospital. He is currently the head coach at the Manly Marlins
rugby union
club. The Marlins play in the Shute Shield
. In 2010 Blake underwent triple heart bypass 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...
footballer of the 1980s and 90s who represented New South Wales on one occasion. Originally a half back, Blake developed into a utility player and played first grade matches in all the backline positions, as well as at hooker and lock. Phil Blake is the younger brother of former Manly, Canberra
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 South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
player Michael Blake.
Early years
While attending Manly Christian Brothers CollegeChristian Brothers College
Christian Brothers College can refer to one of several schools:* Christian Brothers College, Adelaide* Christian Brothers College, Bulawayo* Christian Brothers College, Burwood* Christian Brothers College, Cork* Christian Brothers College, Monkstown Park...
, Blake played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1981.
Manly
Blake made his debut for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in 1982 and made an immediate impact. In his rookie year he played halfback was a try scorer in Manly's losing Grand Final side against ParramattaParramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
. Blake won the Dally M Rookie of the Year
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...
award and was considered unlucky to miss out on selection for the 1982 Kangaroo tour
1982 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France
The 1982 Kangaroo Tour was the fifteenth Kangaroo Tour where the Australian national rugby league team plays a number of matches against British and French rugby league teams, in additions to the Test matches...
.
He continued his good form in 1983 when he broke the Sea Eagles club record for the most tries scored in a season with 27 and finished the year as the top try scorer in the league. Blakes 27 tries were scored from just 23 games played. As of 2011 this is still the Manly club record for most tries in a premiership season. Manly won through to the 1983 Grand Final, again against Parramatta, and for the second time in two seasons, were on the wrong end of the scoreline at the end losing 6-18.
Blake found the going tough under Manly coach Bob Fulton
Bob Fulton
Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
and he was often shuffled around the backline to allow others to play in their preferred positions. Despite this he was still one of the league's most prolific try scorers with his great speed over 30-40m, and his general reading of the play giving him an advantage.
During 1985/6 Phil Blake traveled to England and played for Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
.
In the 1986 NSWRL season Blake was again the leagues top try scorer, sharing the mark with Balmain's
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...
English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
import Garry Schofield
Garry Schofield
Garry E. Schofield OBE is an English retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. At the time of his retirement he was the most-capped Great Britain player of all time along with Mick Sullivan, with 46 appearances. He also won three England caps, making him the highest...
. Following the season, Blake signed to play for the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1987.
Souths
Blake joined Rabbitohs and went on to play four seasons for the club. Returning to his schoolboy position of five-eighth, Blake was instrumental in Souths winning the minor premiership in 1989.He returned to Warrington for the 1988/89 season. After returning from England, Blake, and Souths went from being minor premiers in 1989 to finishing with the wooden spoon in 1990, the biggest slide from grace in the competitions history.
Nomad
After three seasons at Souths, Blake joined the North Sydney BearsNorth 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...
for 1991, however despite the Bears reaching the finals for the first time since 1982, he only played eleven games for the club and moved again at the end of the year, joining 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...
.
Blake moved again at the end of the 1992 season, joining the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
. He came off the reserves bench for the Dragons in the 1993 Grand Final who lost their second Grand Final in two seasons to 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...
.
In 1995 he joined the new Auckland Warriors franchise, and was in their inaugural run-on side. He played three seasons for the club, his longest spell at one club since the Rabbitohs. Phil Blake, who played fullback in the Warrior's first game against the Broncos at Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
’s Mt Smart Stadium before 29,220 fans, scored the new club's first ever try in the game's 21st minute after a dash down the left wing by Whetu Taewa
Whetu Taewa
Whetu Taewa is a former professional rugby league player who represented his country six times between 1989 and 1996.-New Zealand:...
. Blake, as always there in support, had an easy 10m run to the line. Despite this the Warriors went down narrowly to the two time premiership winners 25-22.
Retirement
Blake trained with the Manly team at the start of the 1998 season before announcing his retirement. He finished his career having played 261 games, scoring 138 tries as well as kicking eight goals and fifteen field goals.Blake was appointed the sprint coach at the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
for their return season in 2002. When Craig Coleman
Craig Coleman
Craig Coleman is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He primarily played at halfback and remains second on the list of most first-grade games played for Souths, 208....
was fired as head coach at the beginning of the 2003 season, Blake was appointed the temporary head coach until he was replaced by Paul Langmack
Paul Langmack
Paul Langmack is an Australian former rugby league coach and representative and premiership-winning player.-Playing Career:While attending Fairfield Patrician Brothers, Langmack played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1982....
.
In 2008 Blake suffered from a series of potentially life-threatening blood clots and spent some time in hospital. He is currently the head coach at the Manly Marlins
Manly RUFC
Manly Rugby Union Football Club are a rugby union club based in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The club was formed in 1906 and competes in the New South Wales Rugby Union competitions, the Shute Shield and Tooheys New Cup. Manly, known as the Marlins, play their home games at Manly...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club. The Marlins play in the Shute Shield
Shute Shield
The Shute Shield is a rugby union competition in Sydney, New South Wales. It is the premier grade rugby trophy in NSW rugby. The Shute Shield is awarded at the end of the Sydney Club Rugby season to the team that wins the Grand Final...
. In 2010 Blake underwent triple heart bypass surgery.
Representative career
Despite narrowly missing out on a Kangaroos jersey in 1983, Blake never established himself at Representative level. In 1988, he played for City, and in 1989 he came off the bench in a State of Origin match for New South WalesNew South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
.