Cliff Lyons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cliff Lyons

Lyons in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Clifford Raymond Lyons
Born	(1961-10-19) 19 October 1961 (age 63) Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	89 kg (14 st 0 lb)
Playing information
Position	Five-eighth, Lock
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1985 North Sydney Bears 23 7 4 1 37 1985–86 Leeds 41 9 0 2 38 1986–87 Sheffield Eagles 6 3 3 0 18 1986–99 Manly Warringah 309 80 5 6 336 1988–89 Leeds 12 7 0 0 28 Total 391 106 12 9 457 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1987–91 New South Wales 6 1 0 0 4 1988–92 City Origin 3 0 0 0 0 1988 Rest of the World 1 0 0 0 0 1990–91 Australia 6 2 0 0 8
As of 8 June 2013

Cliff Lyons (born 19 October 1961) is a famous Indigenous Australian former rugby league player. He played in the 1980s and 1990s. Cliff was known for his amazing skills on the field.

He won the Clive Churchill Medal once and the Dally M Medal twice. Cliff played 309 first-grade games for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. He helped them win big championships, called Grand Finals, in 1987 and 1996. Cliff also played for his state, New South Wales, and for Australia. He was part of the successful Australian team that toured England and France in 1990.

His friends called him Napper or Cliffy. He often played as a five-eighth, which is a key attacking position. This is where he was at his best. Cliff was famous for his tricky runs across the field. He would confuse defenders and create chances for his teammates to score. One of his most famous teammates was Steve Menzies.

Cliff Lyons: Rugby League Star

Early Life and Club Beginnings

Cliff Lyons was born in Narrandera, New South Wales, on 19 October 1961. He started playing junior rugby league with the Gundagai Tigers. As a teenager, he moved to the Cronulla area.

In 1981, he joined the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks as a second rower. He also played for the Gundagai Tigers for three seasons. During this time, he played for the Riverina team against New Zealand in 1982 and Great Britain in 1984.

Cliff first joined the top-level NSWRFL Premiership in 1984 with the North Sydney Bears. He played his first game for the Bears in 1985. After that, he played in England during the Australian off-season. He played for Leeds in 1985–86 and Sheffield Eagles in 1986–87.

Playing for the Manly Sea Eagles

In 1986, Cliff moved to the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. The team was coached by Bob Fulton. In his first year, he often played as a lock forward because the team captain, Paul Vautin, was injured.

Winning the 1987 Grand Final

By 1987, Cliff became Manly's main five-eighth. He played alongside the fast halfback Des Hasler. That year, Manly set a new club record by winning 12 games in a row. They reached the 1987 Grand Final against the Canberra Raiders.

Cliff scored the only try in the first half of the Grand Final. His powerful runs broke through the Raiders' defence. He was named the best player of the match, winning the Clive Churchill Medal. After this big win, Manly played against the English champions, Wigan, in England. Wigan won that game 8–2.

State and International Games

In 1987, Cliff also played his first State of Origin game for New South Wales. He played against the famous Queensland captain, Wally Lewis.

In 1988, Cliff played for the City Origin team. He also made his international debut that year. He played for a "Rest of the World" team against Great Britain in England.

Becoming a Top Player

Cliff Lyons was amazing at setting up tries with his unpredictable runs. In 1990, at age 29, he had a fantastic year. He won the top award, the Gold 'Dally M' award, for Player of the Year.

Playing for Australia

After winning the Dally M, Cliff was chosen for the Australian team. They toured England and France in 1990. Australia lost the first game in England. Cliff then played in the second game and helped Australia win. They went on to win the series and keep The Ashes. He also played well in France, being named man-of-the-match in one game.

In 1991, Cliff played for NSW again in State of Origin. He also played for Australia against Papua New Guinea.

More Awards and Grand Finals

Cliff was also great at rugby league sevens games. He won 'Player of the Competition' in 1994. In the same year, he won his second Gold 'Dally M' award. He also became Manly's first Rugby League Week "Player of the Year" since his coach, Bob Fulton.

Cliff stayed with the Sea Eagles even though other teams offered him a lot of money. He played in three Grand Finals in a row from 1995 to 1997. He won his second championship in 1996, beating St. George 20–8.

At the end of the 1998 season, Cliff retired from playing. But in 1999, he made a comeback for Manly. He played his 300th first-grade game that year. He became the oldest player in the NRL at 37 years old. He also holds Manly's record for the most first-grade games played.

Lyons in 2008

Life After Playing

In 2000, Cliff Lyons received the Australian Sports Medal. This award recognized his important contribution to rugby league. After leaving the top league, he became a player-coach for a local club, Umina, in 2001. He even celebrated his 40th birthday while still playing.

Cliff also appeared in the 2006 movie, Footy Legends. He continued to play for local clubs like the Hornsby Lions and the Narraweena Hawks.

In 2018, Cliff Lyons was honored by being inducted into the National Rugby League Hall of Fame. This is a very special award for rugby league legends.

Coaching Career

Cliff Lyons also became a coach. He coached the Narraweena team to win championships in the Manly A-Grade competition. In 2012, he became the coach for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles team in the NSW Cup.

He led Manly to finish 6th in the 2012 NSW Cup season. After that, another former Sea Eagle, Luke Williamson, took over as coach.

Cliff Lyons' Achievements

Cliff Lyons received many awards and honors during his career:

• Dally M Medal Player of the Year: 1990, 1994
• Dally M Five-eighth of the Year: 1990, 1994
• Rugby League Week Player of the Year: 1994
• Clive Churchill Medal winner: 1987 (for best player in the Grand Final)
• Indigenous Team of the Century: 2008 (he was chosen as one of the best Indigenous players ever)
• 2018 National Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee: #102
• Australian Sports Medal recipient