Connor Watson facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Born | 31 May 1996 Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Height | 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 89 kg (14 st 0 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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| Position | Lock, Hooker, Five-eighth, Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 27 September 2024
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Connor Watson, born on May 31, 1996, is an Australian professional rugby league player. He plays for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL). Connor is a versatile player, often playing as a lock, positions, hooker, positions, or five-eighth, positions. Before joining the Roosters again, he also played for the Newcastle Knights. He even represented the Country Origin team.
Connor Watson's Early Life
Connor Watson was born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. He is of Indigenous Australian heritage. When he was five years old, his family moved to Avoca Beach.
Junior Rugby League and School
Connor 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 found time to play some rugby league with the South Eastern Seagulls. Eventually, he was signed by the Sydney Roosters to play professionally.
Connor Watson's Playing Career
Connor Watson began his professional rugby league journey with the Sydney Roosters. He played for their junior team in the NYC in 2015 and 2016. In July 2015, he signed a new two-year contract with the Roosters.
NRL Debut and First Try (2016)
Connor made his first appearance in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters in Round 7 of the 2016 NRL season. This big moment happened in a game against the Penrith Panthers. Later that season, in Round 13, he scored his very first NRL try against the Wests Tigers. By December, he extended his contract with the Roosters until the end of the 2018 season.
Tournament Win and Team Change (2017)
In February 2017, Connor had a fantastic start to the year. He was named the best player of the tournament at the 2017 NRL Auckland Nines, which the Roosters won! On May 7, he played for the Country Origin team against the City Origin team. He came off the bench in their game in Mudgee. On July 24, Connor decided to sign a three-year contract with the Newcastle Knights, starting in 2018. He moved to the Knights to get more playing opportunities.
Starting with the Knights (2018)
In Round 1 of the 2018 season, Connor made his debut for the Newcastle team. They had an exciting 19-18 win in extra time against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. In Round 2, he scored his first try for the Knights in their 30–28 win against the Canberra Raiders at Canberra Stadium.
Injury Setback (2020)
During the 2020 NRL season, Connor faced some challenges with ankle problems. Sadly, in Round 11, he suffered a serious leg injury while playing against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. This injury meant he couldn't play for the rest of the season.
Returning to the Roosters (2021-2022)
After playing over 60 games for the Newcastle Knights, Connor decided to return to his former club. In 2021, he signed a two-year contract to rejoin the Sydney Roosters for the 2022 season. In the 2022 NRL season, Connor played in 21 games for the Roosters. This included their final game of the season, an elimination final loss to South Sydney.
Another Injury (2023)
Unfortunately, Connor was unable to play during the entire 2023 NRL season. He suffered a knee injury during a training session with the Roosters.
State of Origin Success (2024)
On June 16, 2024, Connor Watson was chosen to play for New South Wales in Game Two of the important 2024 State of Origin series. He played in both Game Two and Game Three of the series, helping New South Wales win the shield by two games to one. Connor also played 21 matches for the Sydney Roosters in the 2024 NRL season. The team finished third on the ladder, and Connor played in all three of their finals matches, including their preliminary final loss against Melbourne.
Career Statistics
Connor Watson's playing statistics are shown in the table below.
| 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 | |
| Totals | 146 | 28 | 112 |
