Tom Learoyd-Lahrs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tom Learoyd-Lahrs

Personal information
Full name	Thomas Learoyd-Lahrs
Born	(1985-09-13) 13 September 1985 (age 39) Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height	194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	115 kg (18 st 2 lb)
Position	Prop, Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2004–05 Brisbane Broncos 10 0 0 0 0 2006–14 Canberra Raiders 109 8 0 0 32 2015 Melbourne Storm 1 0 0 0 0 Total 120 8 0 0 32 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2005 Queensland Residents 1 0 0 0 0 2009–10 New South Wales 4 0 0 0 0 2010–12 NSW Country 3 0 0 0 0 2010–12 Indigenous All Stars 3 0 0 0 0 2010 Australia 4 0 0 0 0

Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, born on September 13, 1985, is a former professional rugby league player from Australia. He played in the 2000s and 2010s. Tom represented Australia and his home state, New South Wales, in big games like the State of Origin. He played for famous teams in the National Rugby League (NRL), including the Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders, and Melbourne Storm.

Early Life and Junior Rugby

Tom Learoyd-Lahrs was born in Tweed Heads, New South Wales. He is also of Indigenous Australian descent. As a child, he lived in different places like Kingscliff, New South Wales and Wandoan, Queensland. Later, he moved to Tamworth, New South Wales when he was a teenager. There, he attended Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School.

In Tamworth, Tom started playing junior rugby league. He played for local teams such as the Werris Creek Magpies and the North Tamworth Bears.

Rising Through the Ranks

While still at Farrer High School, Tom signed a special contract with the Brisbane Broncos. This was a big step in his rugby career. He also got to represent Australia as part of the Australian Schoolboys team in both 2003 and 2004. Before that, he played for New South Wales teams for younger players, including the under-17 team in 2002 and the under-19 team in 2003.

Professional Playing Career

Tom Learoyd-Lahrs had an exciting career playing for several top teams.

Brisbane Broncos Debut

Tom made his first appearance in the NRL for the Broncos in 2004. This was in Round 2 of the 2004 NRL season. He played against the Parramatta Eels at Suncorp Stadium. In his first year, he played eight NRL games. He also played in a final game against the Melbourne Storm. During this time, he also represented Queensland's under-19 team and the Junior Kangaroos.

In 2005, Tom played only two NRL games for the Broncos. He spent most of that season playing for the Toowoomba Clydesdales in the Queensland Cup.

Time with the Canberra Raiders

In 2006, Tom moved to the Canberra Raiders. For his first three seasons there, he played 31 games. Injuries sometimes kept him off the field during this period. In 2009, he started playing his best rugby again. This led to him being chosen to play for New South Wales in Game III of the 2009 State of Origin series. This was a huge achievement.

The year 2010 was a big one for Tom. He played 20 games for the Raiders. He also played in all three State of Origin games for New South Wales. In October, he made his first appearance for the Australian national team. He played four games in the 2010 Four Nations tournament. After this amazing year, Tom faced more injuries. He played 42 games over the next four seasons. In 2014, his last year with the Raiders, he did not play in any first-grade games.

Short Stint with Melbourne Storm

On September 1, 2014, Tom signed a contract to play for the Melbourne Storm for the 2015 season. He only played one game for the Storm, which was a loss to the Manly Sea Eagles in Round 2. He also played five games for the Sunshine Coast Falcons, their feeder club, due to a knee injury. In October 2015, Tom announced that he was retiring from the NRL.

Life After NRL

After retiring from the NRL, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs continued to be involved in rugby league.

In 2016, he went back to Tamworth. He played for the North Tamworth Bears. His team won the Group 4 premiership that year. In 2021, Tom and his family moved to Townsville, Queensland. In 2022, he worked as a coach for the Norths Thuringowa Devils. This team plays in the Townsville & Districts Rugby League competition.

Personal Life

In 2005, Tom Learoyd, as he was known then, added "Lahrs" to his surname. He did this to honor his biological father, Michael Lahrs. Tom's son, Kaiden, is also following in his footsteps. Kaiden is currently a member of the North Queensland Cowboys NRL squad.