Dean Widders facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Dean Richard Widders | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 25 October 1979 Armidale, New South Wales, Australia |
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Playing information
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| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 101 kg (15 st 13 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row, Lock, Five-eighth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information
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Dean Richard Widders, born on October 25, 1979, is an Anaiwan Indigenous Australian. He used to be a professional rugby league player in the 2000s and 2010s. He now works for the National Rugby League (NRL) as a manager for Indigenous pathways. He also coached the Parramatta Eels Women team in the 2022 NRLW season.
Contents
Early Life and Rugby Beginnings
Dean Widders was born in Armidale, a town in New South Wales, Australia.
He started playing rugby league when he was just six years old. He played for the local Armidale Colts. His father, Jake Widders, was also a famous player for the Aboriginal team, the Narwan Eels.
As a teenager, Dean continued to improve his rugby skills. He played for the Armidale Greens and the Narwan Eels. During this time, a talent scout from the Sydney Roosters club, Arthur Beetson, even flew to Armidale to watch him play.
Dean Widders' Playing Career
Playing in the NRL
In 1996, when Dean was 17, he moved to Sydney. He joined the Sydney Roosters rugby league club. In the same year, he was chosen to be the captain of an Aboriginal team.
Dean made his first professional appearance for the Roosters in 2000. He played 13 games for the club in the National Rugby League (NRL). In 2002, Dean signed with the Parramatta Eels. In 2005, he was part of the Parramatta team that won the minor premiership, meaning they finished first in the regular season. He left the club at the end of 2006.
In July 2005, Dean Widders was involved in an incident during a game. The captain of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Bryan Fletcher, said something hurtful to him. In 2006, Dean signed a three-year contract to play for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, starting in 2007.
Playing for Castleford Tigers
Dean Widders moved to England to join the Castleford Tigers for the 2009 season. In his first year with the Tigers, he played 19 games and scored 6 tries.
During his time at Castleford, Dean got an injury that kept him from playing for two months. However, he returned to the field and played in a different position, working well with his teammate Rangi Chase.
Dean played his last season for the Castleford Tigers in 2011. The team just missed out on making the playoffs after a close game against Hull KR. Dean's final game for Castleford was their last home game against Hull F.C..
Dean Widders' Work Off the Field
In 1997, Dean Widders went back to Duval High School in Armidale. He completed his Higher School Certificate, which is a qualification for finishing high school.
In 2004, Dean was given the NRL's Ken Stephen Medal. This award recognizes rugby league players who do great work helping young people in their community. In 2006, he was also asked to join the Federal Government's National Indigenous Council. Dean is also an Ambassador for the National Aboriginal Sports Corporation Australia (NASCA).
In November 2018, Dean Widders took part in the Legends of League tournament. He played for the Parramatta team at the Central Coast Stadium in Gosford.
He also coached the Parramatta Eels Women team during the 2022 NRLW season.
Career Highlights and Achievements
- Junior Clubs: Armidale, Narwan
- Career Stats: Played 219 first-grade games and scored 59 tries.
- Representative Honours: Played for Country Origin in 2006 and the Prime Minister's XIII in 2007.
- Honours: Won the Minor Premiership with Parramatta in 2005.
