Maurice Blair facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Maurice Blair | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 October 1984 Maryborough, Queensland, Australia |
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| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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| Position | Five-eighth, Centre, Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 4 January 2024
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Maurice "Bobby" Blair, born on October 16, 1984, is a former professional rugby league player from Australia. He is an Indigenous Australian. Maurice played in different positions, including second-rower, five-eighth, and centre. He played for several big teams like the Penrith Panthers, Melbourne Storm, Gold Coast Titans, and Hull Kingston Rovers in England. He finished his career playing for the Northern Pride.
Contents
Early Life and Junior Career
Maurice Blair was born in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. He started playing rugby league at a young age. Maurice played his junior football with the Maryborough Rovers club. Later, he joined the Souths Logan Magpies team.
Playing Career Highlights
Maurice Blair had a long and successful career in rugby league. He played for several teams in Australia and England.
Penrith Panthers (2007–2010)
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Maurice Blair made his first big game appearance in 2007. He played for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL season. This was against the New Zealand Warriors. In his first year, he played nine games. He also scored six tries for the Panthers.
Melbourne Storm (2011–2013)
Blair joined the Melbourne Storm team for the 2011 NRL season. He played his first game for the Storm against the Brisbane Broncos. In his first two years, he played some games for the main team. In the 2013 NRL season, he played in Melbourne's final games. He scored a try in an important elimination final against the Newcastle Knights.
Gold Coast Titans (2014)
Maurice Blair then moved to the Gold Coast Titans for the 2014 NRL season. He played 15 games for the Titans that year.
Hull Kingston Rovers (2015–2018)
In October 2014, Blair signed a two-year contract with Hull Kingston Rovers. This team plays in the Super League in England. He played his first game for them in February 2015. He also played in the 2015 Challenge Cup Final.
In 2016, Maurice Blair was named Hull Kingston Rovers' 'Player of the Year'. However, the team was moved down from the Super League that year. They lost a special game called the Million Pound Game.
Just one year later, Blair helped his team win promotion back to the Super League. In 2018, he played his 100th game for Hull Kingston Rovers. He played his last game for them on September 30, 2018. It was a 30–0 win against the Widnes Vikings. He was named 'Man of the Match' for his great performance.
Northern Pride (2019)
In February 2019, it was announced that Blair would play for the Northern Pride. This team is part of the QRL State competition, known as the Queensland Cup. Maurice Blair retired from playing at the end of the 2019 season.
Representative Career
Maurice Blair also represented his heritage in rugby league. In 2008, he played for the Indigenous All Stars team. He played as a centre in this game. The Indigenous All Stars beat the New Zealand Māori team 34–26. This game was part of the opening ceremony for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
Personal Life
Maurice Blair was in a relationship with Courtney Tairi. She is a former netball player for the New Zealand national netball team.
Awards and Recognition
Maurice Blair received several awards during his time with Hull Kingston Rovers.
Club Awards (Hull Kingston Rovers 2015–2018)
- 2016: Roger Millward – 'Player of the Year Award'
- 2018: Colin Hutton – 'Special Recognition Awards'
- 2018: Colin Hutton – 'Outstanding Contribution Award' (for his 100th appearance)
