Dane Nielsen facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Born | 10 June 1985 Mackay, Queensland, Australia |
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Playing information
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| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 96 kg (15 st 2 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Wing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dane Nielsen (born 10 June 1985) is an Australian former professional rugby league player. He was known for playing as a centre or winger. He also represented Queensland in the famous State of Origin series.
Nielsen played for several teams in the NRL. These included the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Melbourne Storm, New Zealand Warriors, St. George Illawarra, and South Sydney. He also played for the Bradford Bulls in the Super League in England. A big highlight of his career was winning the 2012 NRL Premiership with the Melbourne Storm.
About Dane Nielsen
Early Life and Background
Dane Nielsen grew up in Mackay, a town in North Queensland, Australia. He has a rich background, being of both Indigenous Australian and Solomon Island descent. Before becoming a professional player, he played junior rugby league for the Norths Devils.
Starting His NRL Journey
Nielsen began his professional rugby league career with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. He made his first appearance in the NRL on 20 July 2007. This debut game was against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Playing Career Highlights
Time with Melbourne Storm
In 2008, Nielsen joined the Melbourne Storm. He quickly became a regular player in the centre position. In 2009, he was sent off the field for a high tackle during a game against the Wests Tigers.
Later that year, he played as a winger for Melbourne in the 2009 NRL Grand Final. The Storm won this game against the Parramatta Eels. However, this premiership was later taken away from the club due to salary cap issues. Nielsen also helped Melbourne win the 2010 World Club Challenge. They beat the English champions, the Leeds Rhinos, in this international match.
In 2011, Nielsen was chosen to play for Queensland. He filled in at centre for the first two games of the 2011 State of Origin series. This was a big achievement for him.
In May 2012, Nielsen signed a three-year contract with the New Zealand Warriors. This deal would start in 2013. Later in 2012, he played in the third and deciding game of the 2012 State of Origin series. Queensland won this game, securing the series victory. At the end of the 2012 season, Nielsen played a key role for the Melbourne Storm in their 2012 NRL Grand final win. They defeated the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in a thrilling match.
Moving to New Zealand Warriors
Nielsen moved to Auckland for the 2013 New Zealand Warriors season. This was also the first season for the Warriors' new Australian coach, Matthew Elliott.
Joining St George Illawarra Dragons
On 19 November 2014, Nielsen signed a two-year contract with the St George Illawarra Dragons. He was set to start playing for them in the 2015 season. His contract with the Dragons ended on 5 May 2015.
Playing for Bradford Bulls
After playing a few games in the Mackay & District Rugby League, Nielsen signed a contract with the Bradford Bulls. He joined the English club on 28 July 2015.
Nielsen played in several important games for the Bulls. This included matches against the Salford Red Devils and the Leigh Centurions. He also played in the "£1 Million Game" against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Return to Australia with South Sydney Rabbitohs
On 25 January 2016, Nielsen returned to Australia. He signed a two-year contract with the South Sydney. He also played in the NSW Cup for the Rabbitohs' feeder club, the North Sydney Bears. Nielsen made his debut for South Sydney in round 8. He played in the centres during a game they lost to the Brisbane Broncos.
In January 2017, Nielsen was sent home from South Sydney training. He had played most of the first half of the season for the North Sydney Bears.
Later Career and Retirement
On 21 July 2017, the English team Featherstone Rovers offered Nielsen a contract. He agreed to the deal in principle, but it did not go through due to visa issues. On 23 July 2017, Nielsen signed to play with the Mackay Magpies. This meant he returned to a club he had played with in 2015.
On 28 March 2018, it was announced that Nielsen had left the Group 9 side Junee Diesels. He had not played a single game for the club.
Images for kids
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Nielsen playing for the Warriors in 2013
