Sam Thaiday facts for kids

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Sam Thaiday

Personal information
Full name	Samuel Arthur Thaiday
Born	(1985-06-12) 12 June 1985 (age 40) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height	181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	112 kg (17 st 9 lb)
Position	Second-row, Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2003–18 Brisbane Broncos 304 40 1 0 162 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2006–17 Queensland 29 3 0 0 12 2006–17 Australia 32 2 0 0 8 2007–13 Prime Minister's XIII 2 0 0 0 0 2010–16 Indigenous All Stars 3 0 0 0 0
Education	Kirwan State High School
Alma mater	St Leo's College
Relatives	Milton Thaiday (cousin)

Samuel Arthur Thaiday (born 12 June 1985) is a famous Australian former rugby league player. He played his entire career for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL). Sam was even the captain of the Broncos from 2012 to 2013. He played for both the Australian national team and the Queensland State of Origin team.

Sam could play in many different positions, like second-row, prop, and lock. He helped the Broncos win the 2006 premiership. In 2008, he was one of only three active players chosen for the Indigenous Australian rugby league team of the century. Sam announced his retirement from the NRL at the end of the 2018 season. He still plays rugby league for the Samford Stags in a local competition.

Early Life and Family

Sam Thaiday was born in Sydney, New South Wales. When he was four years old, his family moved to Townsville, Queensland. Sam is from the Torres Strait Islander community.

He started playing junior rugby league for the Brothers club in Townsville. He also went to Kirwan State High School. His cousin, Milton Thaiday, also became a professional NRL player.

Later, Sam moved to Brisbane to study medicine. He lived at St Leo's College while he was there.

Family Background

Sam's father, Billy, was born on Yam Island in the Torres Strait. He worked on Thursday Island before joining the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He joined the RAAF when they needed people from the Torres Strait Islands to serve in Australia.

Sam's mother, Julie Thaiday, grew up in rural Western Australia. She also served in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Sam's Rugby League Career

Starting Out: 2000s

The Brisbane Broncos signed Sam Thaiday in 2002. Their coach, Wayne Bennett, saw him play in a junior game. Sam made his first National Rugby League (NRL) appearance on 11 July 2003. He was just 18 years old.

He played against the Bulldogs in the 2003 NRL season. In 2004 and 2005, he played more games, often coming off the bench. Sam scored his first try in 2005 against the Parramatta Eels.

Big Wins and First International Games

In 2006, Sam's strong playing earned him a spot on the Queensland team. He played in all three games of the 2006 State of Origin series, which Queensland won.

Later that year, Sam helped the Broncos win the 2006 NRL Grand Final. He also made his international debut for the Australian national team. He played against New Zealand and Great Britain.

In 2007, the Broncos played in the 2007 World Club Challenge in England. Sam played in this game, but the Broncos lost. He had an injury that year and missed the State of Origin series.

Finding His Form

Sam got back into great form in the 2008 NRL season. He won "man of the match" awards in two games. This helped him earn a starting spot in the 2008 State of Origin series. He scored 8 tries in 2008, which was his best season for tries.

In April 2009, Sam was chosen for the Queensland squad. He was named "man of the match" in the second game of the 2009 State of Origin series. Sam continued to play very well for the Broncos.

Sam Thaiday playing against the Knights in 2008

Sam Thaiday training with Queensland in 2009

Sam Thaiday playing for the Broncos in 2009

At the end of 2009, Sam played for Australia in the 2009 Four Nations tournament in Europe. This was his first time representing Australia since 2006.

Later Career: 2010s

In 2010, Sam was selected to play for Australia in the 2010 ANZAC Test. He was named "man of the match" in their win against New Zealand.

Sam was known for being a very protective teammate. He would often get involved in scuffles to defend his fellow players. He scored his first State of Origin try in Game 1 of the 2010 State of Origin series. Queensland won that series 3–0. Sam also played in all 5 of Australia's test matches that year. He also played in the first-ever All-Stars match for the Indigenous All Stars.

Becoming Captain

In 2011, it was announced that Sam Thaiday would become the Broncos' captain. He took over from the retiring Darren Lockyer. Sam played in all three State of Origin matches again. After the 2011 NRL season, he played for the Australian national team in the 2011 Four Nations tournament. He scored his first international try in the final against England. In November 2011, Sam was named "second-row forward of the year" at the RLIF Awards.

In 2012, Sam continued to play in the front row sometimes due to injuries. As captain, he faced some criticism when the Broncos lost several games in a row. Despite this, Brisbane made it to the finals. Sam played for Australia in the 2012 ANZAC Test. He also played in Game I of the 2012 State of Origin series.

Changing Positions

Sam started playing more often in the front row in the 2013 NRL season. He played his first 14 games there before moving back to the second row. The Broncos missed the finals that year. Sam played for Australia in the 2013 ANZAC Test. He also played in all three games of the 2013 State of Origin series. Queensland won their eighth series in a row. He played a key role in Australia's success at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

In 2014, Sam missed some games due to injury. He also stepped down as captain, and Corey Parker took over. Sam played as a lock for part of the season. He missed Game 1 of the 2014 State of Origin series. Queensland lost the series for the first time since 2005.

Return to Form

In 2015, Sam played very well again under coach Wayne Bennett. He played in different positions before settling into the prop position. Sam played in his second Grand Final, but the Broncos lost a very close game to the Cowboys. He played in all 3 games of Queensland's winning Origin campaign. He also played in Australia's winning ANZAC Test.

In 2016, Sam was chosen for Queensland in the 2016 State of Origin series. He played in all three Origin games. He also played for Australia in the 2016 Four Nations tournament.

Thaiday warming up for the Kangaroos in London in 2016

An injured Thaiday on international duty at Anfield in 2016

In 2017, Sam spent more time on the bench for the Broncos. He played in different positions like hooker and prop. He was dropped from the Queensland team after Game 1 of the State of Origin series. His Australian career also ended after the ANZAC Test.

Retirement from Rugby League

On 6 July 2018, Sam Thaiday announced he was retiring from rugby league. He did this in a funny way, dressing up as an elderly man at a press conference. He said he wanted to do things his own way.

After his announcement, the Warriors team gave Sam a special farewell after a game. They wanted to show respect for his long career.

In the 2018 NRL season, Sam mostly played as a prop. In Round 22, he played his 300th first-grade match. His last regular-season game was at Suncorp Stadium, where the Broncos won. Sam's career ended when the Broncos lost a finals match to the St George Illawarra Dragons.

Sam Thaiday is seen as a great NRL player. He played 304 matches, all for the Brisbane Broncos. He scored 40 tries in his career. He played 29 times for Queensland, helping them win 10 Origin titles in 11 seasons. He also played for Australia 34 times, winning several major tournaments.

Life After Playing Rugby League

Since 2017, Sam Thaiday has been an ambassador for the Starlight Foundation. This charity helps seriously ill children. In 2023, he became an ambassador for a campaign promoting red meat.

Sam also made an appearance playing in a local rugby league grand final in 2023. In January 2025, it was announced that Sam Thaiday would be a part of the TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.

Career Statistics

Season	Team	Appearances	Tries	Goals	Goal-kicking Percentage	Field Goals	Points
2003 NRL Season	Brisbane Broncos	1	-	-	-	-	-
2004 NRL Season		8	-	-	-	-	-
2005 NRL Season		14	1	-	-	-	4
2006 NRL Season		20	2	-	-	-	8
2007 NRL Season		16	1	1/2	50%	-	6
2008 NRL Season		22	8	-	-	-	32
2009 NRL Season		23	3	-	-	-	12
2010 NRL Season		22	2	-	-	-	8
2011 NRL Season		21	3	-	-	-	12
2012 NRL Season		21	4	-	-	-	16
2013 NRL Season		21	2	-	-	-	8
2014 NRL Season		19	4	-	-	-	16
2015 NRL Season		23	2	-	-	-	8
2016 NRL Season		22	4	-	-	-	16
2017 NRL Season		26	3	-	-	-	12
2018 NRL Season		25	1	-	-	-	4
	Totals	304	40	1			162

Awards and Achievements

• Dally M Second Rower of the Year: 2010, 2011
• Ron McAuliffe Medal: 2010
• Ken Stephen Memorial Award: 2011
• RLIF Second Rower of the Year: 2011