Daniel Gartner

Third generation of the famous footballing Gartner family, the son of former C’bury winger Clive Gartner and a cousin of Test winger Russel Gartner, Daniel Gartner was graded as a centre with Manly in 1992. A knee injury ruined his 1993 season but moving to the forwards, he impressed as a mobile, workmanlike backrower with the ability to make his impact in a match. Gartner started from the bench in Manly’s disappointing 17-4 loss to C’bury in 1995 but really came into his own the following year. Chosen as lock forward in Manly’s authoritative win over St George in the following year’s premiership decider, Gartner combined with Nik Kosef and Steve Menzies to form a memorable backrow in a champion pack. Despite not having played in a State of Origin match (a virus ruled him out of the City-Country match and an early chance to impress selectors), Gartner was chosen to make his Test debut against Papua New Guinea in the one-off Test in October. Gartner could not force his way into the representative scene in the divided 1997 season and took his place in the second row in Manly’s last minute loss to Newcastle in the grand final. Following the Northern Eagles merger in 2000, Gartner left for England and played for Bradford in the World Club Challenge Cup against Newcastle in January 2002. He was later a member of the Bradford teams that won the English Challenge Cup and the Super League grand final in 2003.