Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Nickname(s)
- Choppy
- Born
- Thursday, 5th February, 1959
- Current Age
- 67 years and 53 days
- Place Of Birth
- Cunnamulla, Queensland, Australia
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- The Ashes
- 1984
- World Cup
- 1985/1988
- Test Series
- Australia vs New Zealand 1985
- State of Origin
- 1983, 1984, 1980, 1981
- City vs Country Firsts
- 1984
- NSWRL Premiership (NRL)
- 1987
- Midweek Cup
- 1982, 1983
Biography
Cunnamulla centre scored 52 tries during the 1978 season before joining Brisbane Valleys. Close represented Combined Brisbane in the Amco Cup competition in 1979 and made his debut for Queensland the same year. In 1980, while playing for Redcliffe, he was chosen on the Australian tour of NZ but it was his man-of-the-match performance in the inaugural State of Origin match that year that turned heads. 'Choppy' Close was a fierce competitor, as his back-hander to the face of opposing winger Eric Grothe in 1981's State of Origin match testifies; a forward-sized centre who also excelled on the wing in his early career. Signed by Manly in 1982, he was a regular visitor to the State of Origin arena during the 1980s. Close appeared in three Tests on the 1985 tour of NZ but failed to tour with the Kangaroos the following year. After playing in Manly's reserve grade grand final loss in 1987, he linked with the newly formed G’Coast club where his experience was used to good effect in the forwards. After his retirement as a player, Close filled the role of Queensland State of Origin team manager under Paul Vautin (1995-97), Wayne Bennett (1998 & 2001-5) and Mark Murray (1999-00).
- 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) | - | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Other International Matches | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| World Cup | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Queensland Firsts | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Brisbane Firsts | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Australia | - | 9 | 8 | - | - | 29 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 66.67% | List | |||
| Test Series | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| State of Origin | 4 | 9 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 55.56% | List | ||||
| Interstate Series | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| City vs Country Firsts | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Club Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) | 1 | 166 | 43 | - | - | 170 | 79 | 82 | 5 | 47.59% | List | ||||
| NSWRFL/NSWRL Finals | - | 7 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 42.86% | List | ||||
| Midweek Cup | 2 | 20 | 9 | - | - | 35 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
| Challenge Cup AU | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Club Career - UK | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| English Championship | - | 16 | 7 | - | - | 28 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 31.25% | List | ||||
| Challenge Cup | - | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Regal Trophy | - | 4 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Yorkshire Cup | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| UK Top Division | - | 16 | 7 | - | - | 28 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 31.25% | List | ||||
| Other | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSW Reserve Grade | - | 1 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
| First Class | 236 | 78 | - | - | 303 | 120 | 122 | 8 | 50.85% | List | |||||
Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1985 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
International Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1985 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | List | ||||
World Cup Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Australia | 1985 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
Australia - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Brisbane Firsts | 1979-81 | 8 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37.50% | List | ||||
| QLD Firsts | 1979-81 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| QLD | 1980-81, 1983-86 | 9 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 55.56% | List | ||||
| NSW City Seconds | 1983 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| NSW City Firsts | 1984 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1979-1986 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 40.00% | List | ||||
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1982 | 10 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 80.00% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRFL 1983 | 26 | 12 | - | - | 48 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 80.77% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRL 1984 | 18 | 7 | - | - | 28 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 55.56% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRL 1985 | 14 | 9 | - | - | 36 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRL 1986 | 21 | 8 | - | - | 32 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 61.90% | List | ||||
| Manly | NSWRL 1987 | 10 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 70.00% | List | ||||
| Gold Coast | NSWRL 1988 | 18 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 22.22% | List | ||||
| Gold Coast | NSWRL 1989 | 19 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 13 | 1 | 26.32% | List | ||||
| Gold Coast | NSWRL 1990 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 10 | 0 | 23.08% | List | ||||
| Gold Coast | NSWRL 1991 | 17 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 15 | 1 | 5.88% | List | ||||
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Manly | 1982-87 | 99 | 39 | - | - | 154 | 66 | 31 | 2 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Gold Coast | 1988-91 | 67 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 13 | 51 | 3 | 19.40% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1982-1991 | 166 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 170 | 79 | 82 | 5 | 47.59% | List | ||||
NSW/QLD Cup - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Manly (R) | NSWRL Reserve Grade 1987 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
NSW/QLD Cup - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Manly (R) | 1987 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
English Career - By Year | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Hull KR | 1988/89 | 24 | 14 | - | - | 56 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 62.50% | List | ||||
English Career - By Team | |||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Hull KR | 1988 | 24 | 14 | - | - | 56 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 41.67% | List | ||||
Contributions:
Rugby League Tables, AJ Lucantonio, Alan Katzmann, Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Steven Russo, Max Turner, Bill Bates
Sources:
David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present), Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999), Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club
Your Say
07/08/2018
Rampaging centre. Choppy was one of the hardest blokes to tackle in the 80s.
04/06/2024
I was a spectator in the outer at the first ever State of Origin, leaning on the wire fence directly in line with the middle of goal posts at the brewery end of the field when Choppy burst through the middle of the Blues pack to score under those posts, he was an awesome footballer.
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