Matt Sing

Originally from Winton in Central Queensland, Matt Sing came to Penrith after representing Central Queensland U'17s as a halfback. When his lower grade form faltered, Sing was sent to Penrith’s Junior League where he was moved to centre by former Panthers’ coach Len Stacker. Such was the improvement in Sing’s confidence that he lasted only one game before being sent back to grade. In quick succession, he was chosen for the Junior Kangaroos and named Penrith’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ in 1994. Not unlike Steve Renouf in his running style (and trademark headgear), Sing remained with the ARL when Penrith joined Super League in 1995 and made his State of Origin debut on the wing in Queensland’s whitewash of NSW. When winger Brett Dallas was injured in the First Test against NZ, Sing was called into the Australian Test team as his replacement for the rest of the series but missed World Cup selection when he was injured late in the year. Penrith threatened legal action when Sing signed with ARL stronghold Easts but in the ensuing court action, Penrith’s move to Super League nullified the hold the club had on Sing and team-mate Brad Fittler. Sing extended his Test career with matches against Papua New Guinea (1996) and Rest of the World (1997) but was originally overlooked for Test duty after the reunification of the game in 1998. Consistently chosen in Queensland’s State of Origin team and a big-game player with the Roosters (2000 grand final winger), he signed with the Nth Queensland North Queensland at the end of 2001. Just when it appeared that he rep career may be winding down Sing was recalled into Queensland’s State of Origin team in 2003 and then became the Cowboy’s first Test player when selected in the one-off Test against NZ in July in which he crossed for 2 tries. In 2004, as Nth Queensland made its charge into the play-offs, Sing came back from a broken jaw injury suffered in the third State of Origin match to score three tries in the North Queensland’ 30-22 win over eventual premiers C’bury in the quarter final. Chosen in the Australian team for the 2004 Tri Nations, he announced his retirement from rep duty after playing in all five Tests in England, including the 44-4 thrashing of Great Britain in the final. Sing contradicted that stance in a highly successful 2005 season – representing Australia in the one-off Test against NZ in April, playing for Queensland in all three matches of the State of Origin series and scoring a try in the North Queensland’ grand final loss to the W’Tigers. Sing left the club the following year to join English club Hull; an unassuming, underrated player except for those who followed his career his 159 career tries placed him fifth on the list of try-scorers in the history of the game.