Ian Russell (rugby league) facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Ian Russell | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 10 August 1965 Taree, Australia |
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Playing information
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| Height | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 96 kg (15 st 2 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Lock, Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ian Russell (born 10 August 1965) is a former professional rugby league player from Australia. He played in the 1980s and 1990s. Ian was mainly a lock, which is a key position in the middle of the field. He played for teams like the Illawarra Steelers and North Queensland Cowboys in Australia. He also played in Europe for the Sheffield Eagles, Paris Saint-Germain, and Oldham Bears.
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Playing Career Highlights
Ian Russell started his rugby league journey as a junior player. He played for the Mittagong Lions club. In 1983, he helped his team win an Under-18 Grand Final. He then played for their top-level team in 1984 before joining the Illawarra Steelers.
Time with the Illawarra Steelers
Ian made his first big league appearance for the Illawarra Steelers in 1986. This was his "first grade debut," meaning his first game in the top competition. After playing just one game in 1987, he left the club for a short time.
In 1988, Ian was invited back to the Steelers. Even though he didn't play in the main team right away, he soon became a very important player. In 1990, he was named the Steelers' Player of the Year. This award goes to the best player on the team. He was also considered for the Australian Kangaroos national team.
In 1991, Ian won the Steelers' Player of the Year award again. He also played for the NSW Country Origin team. This team represents players from country areas of New South Wales. He started as a lock in their game against the City team. During the Australian summer of 1990–91, Ian also played for the Sheffield Eagles in England. He scored three tries for them.
In 1992, Ian had a hamstring injury. This meant he missed the finals, which was tough for the Steelers. Despite his injury, he won the Dally M Lock of the Year award. This award recognizes the best player in his position across the league. Over the next two seasons, injuries limited how many games he could play. He finished his time with Illawarra having played 115 games. This made him one of the club's top 10 most-played players.
Joining the North Queensland Cowboys
In 1995, Ian joined the new team, the North Queensland Cowboys. He was the starting lock in their very first game. This was a big moment for the club. He played 11 games in their first season. In 1996, his time with the Cowboys ended after just one game.
Playing in Europe
After leaving the Cowboys in 1996, Ian moved to Europe. He joined Paris Saint-Germain for their first season in the Super League. He played three games for the French club. In 1997, Ian then joined the Oldham Bears in England, where he played six games.
Achievements and Awards
Ian Russell received several important awards during his career:
- Dally M Lock of the Year: He was named the best lock in the league in 1992.
- Illawarra Steelers Player of the Year: He won this award twice, in 1990 and 1991, showing how important he was to his team.
- Illawarra Steelers 25th Anniversary Team of Steel: He was chosen as part of the best team from the Steelers' first 25 years.
Personal Life
Ian Russell's son, Tate, is also a professional athlete. He plays soccer for the Western United team in Australia's top league, the A-League.
