Robbie O'Davis

Dynamic Newcastle fullback grabbed his chance at a rep career with both hands during the tumultuous 1995 season. O’Davis came to the Knights from Brisbane Easts after growing up in Toowoomba (where, as a 16-year-old, he played alongside his father Peter in first grade). After starring in Queensland’s State of Origin series win in 1995, (a series in which Super League players were not selected), O’Davis was chosen as a reserve for Australia in the First Test against NZ. When he was dropped after just 3 minutes of field time in the First Test O’Davis faced the prospect of having the briefest of international careers. However, injuries and suspensions to other players, combined with his own undeniable talent saw his selection on the wing for the Third Test of the series. A member of Australia’s victorious World Cup squad at the end of the year, he scored 5 tries in three Tests (South Africa, Fiji and NZ) but did not play in the final against England. O’Davis held his place in the opening State of Origin match in 1996 but failed to make a rep side during the remainder of the year. The divided 1997 ARL season saw O’Davis grow in confidence - representing Queensland and Australia he also captained the Knights in the absence of the injured Andrew Johns and Paul Harragon. In a mesmerising display that earned him the Clive Churchill Medal, O’Davis scored two brilliant tries in Newcastle’s grand final win over Manly. If the 1997 season provided the highlight in the little fullback’s career, then 1998 brought an incredible change of fortune. After securing the fullback Test spot for the ANZac Test it was revealed, in June, that O’Davis had failed a drug test. He initially escaped suspension when his lawyers argued that the newly constituted NRL had no jurisdiction to enforce its ruling and he was cleared to play for Queensland in the deciding State of Origin match. This tactical move appeared to backfire when he was forced to sign a hastily modified NRL contract (involving a mandatory two-year ban for drug abuse) but opted for a lesser 22-week suspension from an ARL judiciary. O’Davis had taken a dietary supplement that included a banned substance and pleaded guilty to naiveté rather than to being a drug cheat. On his return to the game in mid 1999 O’Davis proved that he had lost no favour with selectors when he was chosen in Queensland’s State of Origin team after just one match but a series of injuries robbed him of further representative opportunities. Returning from a broken foot injury in July 2000, he had the misfortune to again break his foot in his comeback match. O’Davis’ second premiership title, Newcastle’s 30-24 grand final win over P’matta in 2001, was personal vindication after an interrupted career but it must have seemed a lifetime removed from the heady days of 1997. Davis’ last rep match was for Queensland in 2002 and Newcastle did not offer him a contract for 2005 – a season in which he was poised to surpass Tony Butterfield’s record number of first grade games (229).