Connor Watson facts for kids
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Personal information
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 31 May 1996 Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 89 kg (14 st 0 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Playing information
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Hooker, Lock, Five-eighth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
As of 24 July 2025
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Connor Watson, born on May 31, 1996, is an Australian professional rugby league player. He plays as a hooker for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL). He also plays for the Indigenous All Stars team. Connor is a versatile player, meaning he can play in many different positions. He has also played for New South Wales in the State of Origin series.
Before joining the Roosters again, he played for the Newcastle Knights. He started his NRL career playing from the bench. Over time, he played in different positions like five-eighth, fullback, hooker, and lock. In 2017, he also represented the NSW Country Origin team.
Contents
Early Life and Rugby Beginnings
Connor Watson was born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. He is from an Indigenous Australian background. When he was five years old, his family moved to Avoca Beach.
He started playing junior rugby league for the Terrigal Sharks and Kincumber Colts. Later, he received a special scholarship from the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF). This scholarship allowed him to attend Knox Grammar School, where he played rugby union. Even while playing rugby union, he still played some rugby league with the South Eastern Seagulls. After that, the Sydney Roosters signed him to their team.
Playing Career Highlights
Starting in the NRL
In 2015 and 2016, Connor played for the Sydney Roosters' junior team, called the NYC team. In July 2015, he signed a new two-year contract with the Sydney Roosters.
In 2016, Connor made his first appearance in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters. This was in a game against the Penrith Panthers. Later that season, he scored his first NRL try against the Wests Tigers. In December, he extended his contract with the Roosters until the end of 2018.
Success and Team Changes
In February 2017, Connor was named the best player at the 2017 NRL Auckland Nines tournament. His team, the Roosters, won the final. On May 7, he played for Country Origin against City Origin in Mudgee.
On July 24, 2017, Connor signed a three-year contract to play for the Newcastle Knights. This move started in 2018. He decided to leave the Roosters a year early to join the Knights.
Time with the Newcastle Knights
In 2018, Connor played his first game for Newcastle in their exciting win against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. In his second game for Newcastle, he scored his first try for the club against the Canberra Raiders.
In 2020, Connor faced some challenges with ankle problems. He then suffered a serious Achilles injury while playing against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. This injury unfortunately ended his season early.
After playing over 60 games for the Newcastle Knights, Connor decided to return to the Sydney Roosters. He signed a two-year contract to rejoin his former team in 2022.
Return to the Sydney Roosters
In 2022, Connor played 21 games for the Sydney Roosters. This included their final game of the season, which was an elimination final loss to South Sydney.
In 2023, Connor was unable to play for the entire 2023 NRL season. He suffered a patella tendon injury during a Roosters training session.
Recent Seasons and State of Origin
On June 16, 2024, Connor was chosen to play for New South Wales in game two of the 2024 State of Origin series. He played in both game two and game three, helping New South Wales win the series 2-1.
In the 2024 NRL season, Connor played 21 matches for the Sydney Roosters. The team finished third on the ladder. He played in all three of the club's finals matches, including their preliminary final loss against Melbourne.
In round 2 of the 2025 NRL season, Connor scored two tries for the Sydney Roosters. This helped them win an exciting game against Penrith. In May 2025, Connor was again selected to play for New South Wales in the 2025 State of Origin series. He played in all three games, but New South Wales lost the series 2-1.
Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 |  Sydney Roosters |
16 | 5 | 20 |
| 2017 | 22 | 4 | 16 | |
| 2018 |  Newcastle Knights |
15 | 7 | 28 |
| 2019 | 21 | 4 | 16 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2021 | 25 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2022 | Sydney Roosters |
21 | 3 | 12 |
| 2024 | 21 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2025 | 9 | 3 | 12 | |
| Totals | 155 | 31 | 124 |
