Kevin McGuinness facts for kids

Kevin McGuinness, born on November 10, 1976, is a former professional rugby league player from Indigenous Australia. He played rugby league in the 1990s and 2000s. Kevin played for several teams, including the Salford City Reds in the Super League in England. In Australia, he played for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Wests Tigers, and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. He usually played as a centre.

Rugby League Career

Kevin McGuinness showed his talent for rugby league early on. While he was a student at Sarah Redfern High School, he was chosen to play for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1995. This was a big achievement for a young player.

Starting with Western Suburbs

McGuinness joined the Western Suburbs team on May 7, 1995, when he was 18 years old. His first game was against the Penrith Panthers, where he started as a reserve player. His older brother, Ken, was also on the same team. Kevin played two more games as a reserve. Later that season, he played as a halfback in two games.

In 1996, McGuinness began the season playing as a centre. In one game, he scored his first try against the Auckland Warriors. He had a great performance, scoring two tries in that game, helping Western Suburbs win. He finished that season with 7 tries from 21 games. He played in different positions, including centre, wing, and from the bench. He was a reserve in the team's last ever finals game.

Versatility and Scoring Tries

In 1997, McGuinness started the season as a reserve. He showed how versatile he was by playing as a centre, five-eighth, and hooker at different times. From round 10, he scored 9 tries in just 10 games, showing his skill at scoring points.

For the next two years, Kevin played in every game for the Western Suburbs Magpies. Even though the team had some tough seasons, he managed to score 21 tries. In 1999, he was the team's top try-scorer.

Joining Wests Tigers

In 2000, the Western Suburbs team joined with the Balmain Tigers to form a new team called the Wests Tigers. McGuinness was an important part of this new team. He played in all 24 games that season and scored a personal best of 14 tries.

At the start of 2001, McGuinness continued his strong performance, scoring 5 tries in the first three games. He faced a difficult period later that year. After some time away, he returned to the team for a game against the Newcastle Knights at Campbelltown Stadium, where he scored a try.

In 2002, Kevin McGuinness was highly regarded. A sports writer, Roy Masters, even called him the best player at the Wests Tigers. On August 4, 2002, McGuinness set a record for the Wests Tigers. He scored 4 tries in a single match against the Souths, which was an amazing achievement.

Moving to England

After playing one season with Manly in 2003, McGuinness moved to England in 2004 to play for the Salford City Reds. While playing for Salford, he became a big favorite among the fans. They even gave him the nickname "The Buddha."

He left the Salford City Reds at the end of the 2007 season. Many players left that year, but Kevin received a special farewell. The crowd gave him a standing ovation, and some sections chanted "Buddha, Buddha, Buddha" to show their appreciation for him.

Later Career

After his time playing at the highest level of rugby league, McGuinness continued to play. He won two championships with Wollongong Wests in the Illawarra competition. In 2011, he joined the Queanbeyan Blues team in Canberra's Group 8 competition.

Career Highlights

• First Game: Kevin McGuinness made his first-grade debut on May 7, 1995. This was in Round 9, playing for Western Suburbs against the Penrith Panthers at Penrith Stadium.