Phil Sigsworth

Graded as a 16-year-old in 1976, Sigsworth went back to the Newtown juniors for two seasons before returning to the club's U’23s team. A capable utility player, Sigsworth was originally a five-eighth who settled into the fullback role. Coming back from a broken jaw injury in 1980 he had a memorable 1981 season debuting for NSW, making his sole Test appearance as a reserve against France and playing in the club’s grand final loss against P’matta. The following year Sigsworth was involved in an infamous in-goal bungle with winger Phillip Duke which resulted in Wally Lewis scoring the winning try in the second State of Origin match. At Manly in 1983, Sigsworth was the club's sole try-scorer in the grand final loss to P’matta (as a centre) and finished second runner up in 'Dally M' Player of the Year polling. He battled knee injuries during the remainder of his career but linked with former coach Warren Ryan at C’bury in the mid 1980s. In the 1986 grand final he became the first player in 24 years to be sent off when he caught Brett Kenny in a high, reflex tackle in the club's 4-2 loss to P’matta. Sigsworth was the assistant coach to Tom Raudonikis at Wests in the late 1990s and continued in this role under Wayne Pearce with the merged W’Tigers in 2000 until replaced by in-coming coach Terry Lamb.