Steve Renouf facts for kids

Steven Renouf (born 8 June 1970) is a former professional rugby league player from Australia. He played in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. People called him 'the Pearl' because he was one of the sport's best centres.

Renouf set many records for the Brisbane Broncos club. He played for Brisbane for eleven years and helped them win four championships. After that, he moved to England to play for the Wigan Warriors for two seasons before he retired. He was also chosen for Australia's Indigenous team of the century.

Playing Career of Steve Renouf

Playing for the Brisbane Broncos

Steven Renouf was born in Murgon, Queensland, Australia, on 8 June 1970. He has both Aboriginal and European heritage. He started playing rugby league as a junior for the Murgon Mustangs. He then joined the Brisbane Broncos as a teenager and improved his skills there.

Renouf played his first top-level game in 1989. He scored his first try for the Broncos in 1990. The next year, he set a new club record by scoring four tries in one home game. He was also the Broncos' top try scorer in 1991 and 1992.

In 1992, the Broncos won their first championship, called the Winfield Cup. They beat St. George 28–8 in the Grand Final. A famous moment from that game was Renouf's 98-meter try in the second half. He ran almost the entire length of the field to score!

International and Club Success

After the Broncos won the Grand Final, Renouf joined the Kangaroos team. He traveled to England for the 1992 World Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Renouf played his first game for Australia in front of a huge crowd of over 73,000 fans. He scored the only try of the match, helping Australia beat Great Britain 10–6 to win the Rugby League World Cup.

A week later, Renouf played for Brisbane in the 1992 World Club Challenge. They played against the English champions, Wigan Warriors, in Wigan. The Broncos won 22–8, becoming the first Australian team to win the World Club Challenge in England.

In 1997, Renouf scored 14 tries for the Broncos. This included three tries in the 1997 Super League Grand Final. He was named the best player of that match. The Broncos won that Grand Final 26–8.

He also played centre for the Brisbane Broncos when they won the 1998 NRL grand final. When he left the Broncos, he was still the club's all-time leading try scorer. He had scored a total of 142 tries for them.

Playing for the Wigan Warriors

Renouf started playing for the Wigan Warriors in England in 2000. In his first game, he scored two tries. Wigan won that game by a very large score of 98–4.

In 2000, Renouf received the Australian Sports Medal. This award recognized his important role in Australian rugby league on the world stage. Renouf played for the Wigan Warriors in the 2000 Super League Grand Final, but they lost to St Helens R.F.C.. His last game at the top level was the 2001 Super League Grand Final in Manchester. His team lost to the Bradford Bulls 37–6.

Renouf really enjoyed his time with the Wigan Warriors. He said that his two years there were "absolutely brilliant."

After Retirement and Hall of Fame

After returning to Australia, Renouf continued to play football for Easts in the Queensland Cup. He even scored a try in the 2004 Grand Final, though his team lost.

In 2006, Renouf was honored by the Broncos. He became the seventh former player to be added to the Broncos official Hall of Fame. In 2007, during the Broncos' 20-year celebration, he was named one of the 20 best players to ever play for the club.

In August 2008, Renouf was chosen as a centre in the Indigenous Team of the Century. This team recognized the best Indigenous rugby league players from 1908 to 2007.

In August 2024, the National Rugby League announced that Steve Renouf was inducted into the National Rugby League Hall of Fame. He was one of eleven male players in the 2024 group.

Personal Life of Steve Renouf

Living with Diabetes

When Steve Renouf was 23, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He had been losing weight and felt very tired. He went to the doctor and found out he had the condition.

Renouf wants young people with diabetes to know that "diabetes is not all doom and gloom, you can live with it." His advice is to "Never think that it can stop you from achieving your goals. Just look after it, and you can achieve anything." He managed his diabetes carefully so he could keep playing football.

Work and Family

Steve Renouf has worked as an electrician and in sales and marketing. He has five children: four sons and one daughter. He currently works for the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health. He is an Ambassador for their Deadly Choices health program, which helps Indigenous people stay healthy.

After retiring from playing, Renouf also worked as a commentator for a sports radio show.

In February 2006, a book about Renouf was released. It was called The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story. The book talks about his rugby league career and his early life. It also shares how he faced challenges as an Aboriginal person growing up.