Kevin McGuinness facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Born | 10 November 1976 New South Wales, Australia |
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Playing information
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| Height | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 81 kg (12 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Relatives | Ken McGuinness (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kevin McGuinness (born 10 November 1976) is an Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league player. He played in the 1990s and 2000s. Kevin was known for playing as a centre. He played for teams like the Salford City Reds in England. In Australia, he played for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Wests Tigers, and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. These teams are part of the top-level National Rugby League (NRL) competition.
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Kevin McGuinness's Rugby League Journey
Kevin McGuinness started playing rugby league at a young age. While he was still in high school, he showed great talent. In 1995, he was chosen to play for the Australian Schoolboys team. This is a big honour for young players.
Starting with Western Suburbs Magpies
Kevin joined the Western Suburbs Magpies team in 1995 when he was 18. His first game was on 7 May 1995. He came off the bench as a reserve player. His older brother, Ken McGuinness, also played in the same team. Kevin played a few more games as a reserve. Later that season, he even played as a halfback.
In 1996, Kevin became a regular player. He often played as a centre. In one game, he scored two tries, which are like touchdowns in rugby league. He ended that season with 7 tries from 21 games. He played in different positions, including centre, wing, and from the bench. The Magpies made it to the finals that year. This was the last time the club reached the finals.
From 1997 to 1999, Kevin showed how versatile he was. He played as a centre, five-eighth, and even hooker. He scored 9 tries in 10 games during one part of the 1997 season. For the next two years, he played in every game for the Magpies. Even though the team had tough seasons, Kevin scored 21 tries. In 1999, he was the team's top try-scorer.
Moving to Wests Tigers
In 2000, the Western Suburbs Magpies joined with another team, the Balmain Tigers. They formed a new team called the Wests Tigers. Kevin was part of this new team. He played in all 24 games that year. He scored a personal best of 14 tries.
In 2001, Kevin started strong, scoring 5 tries in the first three games. However, he then had a break from the sport. He returned to the team later that year. He played in round 23 against the Newcastle Knights. In that game, he scored another try.
In 2002, Kevin was considered one of the best players at the Wests Tigers. A famous rugby league writer, Roy Masters, said he was the team's top player. On 4 August 2002, Kevin set a record for the Wests Tigers. He scored 4 tries in one game against the Souths. This was an amazing achievement!
Time with Manly and Salford
After playing for Manly in 2003, Kevin moved to England in 2004. He joined the Salford City Reds team. While playing for Salford, he became a favourite among the fans. They even gave him the nickname "The Buddha." Kevin left the Salford City Reds at the end of the 2007 season. When he left, the fans gave him a special cheer. They chanted "Buddha, Buddha, Buddha" to show their appreciation.
After his professional career, Kevin continued to play rugby league at a local level. He won two championships with Wollongong Wests. This was in the Illawarra competition in Australia. In 2011, he joined the Queanbeyan Blues team in Canberra.
Career Milestones
- First Professional Game: Kevin's first game in the top league was in 1995. It was Round 9, playing for Western Suburbs against the Penrith Panthers. The game took place at Penrith Stadium on 7 May.
