Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Samson Neale Backo
- Nickname(s)
- Slammin
- Born
- Sunday, 1st January, 1961
- Died
- Sunday, 3rd August, 2025 (Aged 64 years and 214 days)
- Place Of Birth
- Ingham, Queensland, Australia
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- The Ashes
- 1988
- World Cup
- 1985/1988, 1989/1992
- Test Series
- New Zealand vs Australia 1989
- State of Origin
- 1988, 1989
- Yorkshire Cup
- 1988/1989
- Midweek Cup
- 1989
Biography
Cairns forward (originally from Ingham) matured like vintage wine at Canberra, progressing from lower grade player to Test star. Backo was actually playing in the Group 8 competition in 1981 but returned to Queensland to play with Yeppoon before venturing back to Canberra in 1983. A member of the Raiders’ team that lost to Manly in the 1987 grand final Backo made his State of Origin debut the following year. Chosen for the Test series against Great Britain, he created history by becoming the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series. The massively framed prop was simply unstoppable close to the line but English fans did not see him at his best in his time with Leeds in 1988-89. At the end of the 1988 season he moved back to Brisbane and again starred in Queensland's State of Origin success before touring NZ with the Australian side. A chronic knee injury limited his appearances in 1990, resulting in his withdrawal from the Test side that took on France, and forced his eventual retirement at the end of the season.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Playing Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
| Representative Career - International | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests (Senior International Matches) | - | 6 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 83.33% | List | ||||
| Other International Matches | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| The Ashes | 1 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| World Cup | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Australia | - | 9 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.78% | List | |||
| Test Series | 2 | 6 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 83.33% | List | ||||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| State of Origin | 2 | 7 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 85.71% | List | ||||
| Club Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) | - | 134 | 18 | - | - | 72 | 70 | 61 | 3 | 52.24% | List | ||||
| NSWRFL/NSWRL Finals | - | 6 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 33.33% | List | ||||
| Midweek Cup | 1 | 7 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 57.14% | List | ||||
| Challenge Cup AU | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Club Career - UK | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| English Championship | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 4 | 0 | 69.23% | List | ||||
| Challenge Cup | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Yorkshire Cup | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| UK Top Division | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 4 | 0 | 69.23% | List | ||||
| Overall | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
| First Class | 175 | 27 | - | - | 108 | 114 | 78 | 3 | 65.14% | List | |||||
Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1988-89 | 6 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 83.33% | List | ||||
International Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1988 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Rest Of The World | 1988 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1988 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
World Cup Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1988-89 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Sydney Maroons | 1987 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| QLD | 1988-90 | 7 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 85.71% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1987-1990 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 87.50% | List | ||||
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Canberra | NSWRFL 1983 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 4 | 0 | 42.86% | List | ||||
| Canberra | NSWRL 1984 | 17 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 58.82% | List | ||||
| Canberra | NSWRL 1985 | 21 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 38.10% | List | ||||
| Canberra | NSWRL 1986 | 20 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 35.00% | List | ||||
| Canberra | NSWRL 1987 | 27 | 6 | - | - | 24 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 59.26% | List | ||||
| Canberra | NSWRL 1988 | 22 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 63.64% | List | ||||
| Brisbane | NSWRL 1989 | 15 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
| Brisbane | NSWRL 1990 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Canberra | 1983-88 | 114 | 15 | - | - | 60 | 58 | 53 | 3 | 50.88% | List | ||||
| Brisbane | 1989-90 | 20 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1983-1990 | 134 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 70 | 61 | 3 | 52.24% | List | ||||
English Career - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Leeds | 1988/89 | 18 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 105.56% | List | ||||
English Career - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Leeds | 1988 | 18 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 77.78% | List | ||||
Contributions:
Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Paul Carter, AJ Lucantonio, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Alan Katzmann, Steven Russo, Tony McCarron, Max Turner, Jason Ganter, Bill Bates
Sources:
David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present), Match Video, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999), Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club
Your Say
24/05/2018
Thanks for the memories of a Man that played the game for the game brilliant Sam.
12/07/2025
So devastating to hear that Sam is in hospital and extremely unwell.A damaging foward who always put fear into his opposition.Tuff,strong,loyal and honest player that commended respect.Canberra Raider and Brisbane Broncos Icon.Indigenous Immortal of the game.Sending my love and best wishes.
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