Wendell Sailor facts for kids
.jpg) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Personal information
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wendell Jermaine Sailor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 July 1974 Sarina, Queensland, Australia |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Playing information
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 191 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 106 kg (234 lb; 16 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rugby league
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rugby union
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Tristan Sailor (son) Dane Gagai (cousin) Jacob Gagai (cousin) Josh Hoffman (cousin) Travis Waddell (cousin) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wendell Jermaine Sailor (born 16 July 1974) is a famous Australian athlete who played both rugby league and rugby union. He was one of the few players to represent his country in both sports!
In rugby league, Wendell was a key player for the Brisbane Broncos in the 1990s. He helped them win championships in 1993, 1997, 1998, and 2000. As a winger, his strong running and size made him a tough player to stop, and he scored many tries. He also played for Queensland in the State of Origin series and represented Australia (the Kangaroos) 16 times. He was a star in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, where he scored the most tries and was named the best player.
In 2001, Wendell switched to rugby union, joining the Queensland Reds. Later, he played for the New South Wales Waratahs. He made his debut for Australia (the Wallabies) in 2003 and played 37 games. This included playing in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final. After a break from the sport, he returned to rugby league in 2008 with the St George Illawarra Dragons before retiring in 2009.
Since retiring from playing, Sailor has worked in television. He has been a presenter and appeared on reality TV shows.
Contents
Early Life and Background
Wendell Sailor was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. His family heritage includes South Sea Islanders from the Solomon Islands and the West Indies. He grew up in Sarina, Queensland, with his adoptive parents. His adoptive father is a Torres Strait Islander. Wendell's son, Tristan Sailor, also plays rugby league.
Rugby League Career (1993–2001)
Starting with the Broncos
In 1993, Wendell Sailor joined the Brisbane Broncos. He played a few games and scored three tries in his first year. Even though he was new, the Broncos won the premiership that year. He was named the Broncos' Rookie of the Year.
The next year, Sailor played in more games and scored 14 tries. He quickly became a regular player for the Broncos. Fans in Brisbane loved his speed and power. He soon became a well-known name in rugby league.
International and State Games
In 1994, Sailor played for the Broncos when they hosted the British champions, Wigan Warriors. At the end of the 1994 season, he was chosen for the Kangaroo Tour of Europe. He scored two tries in his first game against Cumbria. He then played in several other matches, including his first Test game for Australia against Great Britain.
In 1996, Wendell made his debut for the Queensland Maroons in the State of Origin series. He played in two games that year, even playing at fullback in one match.
Super League Success
In 1997, Wendell had a fantastic year in the Super League competition. He scored the most tries for the Broncos. He helped them win the World Club Championship and then the Super League premiership. They beat the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 26–8 in the grand final. After this, Sailor played for Australia in all three matches of the Super League Test series against Great Britain.
NRL Premierships and Awards
After the Super League competition ended, the Broncos won the first-ever National Rugby League (NRL) competition in 1998. They defeated the Canterbury Bulldogs 38–12 in the 1998 NRL grand final, where Sailor scored a try.
In 1999, Sailor was named man-of-the-match in the final game of the State of Origin series. This win helped Queensland keep the shield. Later that year, he scored the winning try against New Zealand to help Australia win the Tri-nations title.
In 2000, Sailor was again the Broncos' top try-scorer. He played on the wing and scored a try in their 2000 NRL grand final win over the Sydney Roosters. This gave him another premiership ring. He was also named the Broncos' Player of the Year and Best Back. He received the Australian Sports Medal for his contributions to rugby league.
World Cup Star
Sailor traveled to Europe to play in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup for Australia. He scored the most tries in the tournament. He also scored two tries in the final victory over the Kiwis. He was named the best player of the tournament. After this win, the Australian coach said Wendell was one of the best players of all time.
Wendell Sailor scored over 100 tries for the Brisbane Broncos, which is a great achievement. He also holds the record for scoring four tries in a single Broncos match. In 2007, the Broncos celebrated their 20-year anniversary. They named Wendell Sailor as one of the 20 best players to ever play for the club.
Rugby Union Career (2001–2006)
On 7 February 2001, Wendell Sailor announced he would switch to rugby union. He signed a deal with the Australian Rugby Union and the Queensland Reds. This made him the first Australian rugby league player to switch to rugby union while still playing for the national team.
Sailor made his debut for the Wallabies in June 2002. This was in a Test match against France. He and former teammate Mat Rogers became the 41st and 42nd Australian players to play both rugby codes. In 2003, Sailor was chosen for the Wallabies to play in the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup. He scored the first try of the tournament in the opening match against Argentina. Sailor played in several games during the World Cup, including the final.
In 2006, Sailor joined the New South Wales Waratahs. They won their first game of the season against Queensland.
Rugby League Comeback (2008–2009)
After a break from playing, Wendell Sailor returned to rugby league in May 2008. He signed a two-year contract with the St George Illawarra Dragons. Many former NRL players thought he would be a good influence on the young Dragons team.
Sailor first played for the Shellharbour Marlins, a feeder team for the Dragons. He scored two tries in his first game for them. After two more weeks, he joined the Dragons' NRL team. On 6 June, he made his NRL comeback against his old club, the Brisbane Broncos.
He scored his first NRL try since 2001 against the Brisbane Broncos in round 23. He later scored three tries in the Dragons' 40–14 victory over the Eels in round 25.
For the 2009 season, Sailor was reunited with his former Broncos coach, Wayne Bennett. Bennett had moved to coach the St. George Illawarra Dragons. Sailor was an important player for the Dragons. He helped them finish first in the regular season and win the Minor Premiership. He was also nominated for the Dally M Winger of the Year award.
Wendell Sailor announced his retirement on 12 November 2009, at 35 years old. His last game for the Dragons was against his old team, the Broncos, at Suncorp Stadium. His very last match was the 2010 All Stars game for the Indigenous team on 13 February 2010. He scored the first try in this game.
Television Career
.jpg)
In 2006, Wendell Sailor was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. In 2010, he became a regular panelist on Channel Nine's The NRL Footy Show. He also competed on Australia's Greatest Athlete.
In 2011, he became the co-host of Channel Seven's Australia's Greatest Athlete with Mark Beretta. He was also a panelist on Foxtel's NRL on FOX. In 2011, Sailor took part in The Celebrity Apprentice Australia.
In 2012, Sailor appeared on Channel Ten's Breakfast to talk about NRL games. In 2015, he appeared on The NRL Footy Show for a charity event. In 2018, Sailor was a sideline reporter for the sports show Australian Spartan. In 2019, Sailor appeared as 'the Rhino' on the first season of The Masked Singer Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Wendell Sailor para niños
- List of players who have converted from one football code to another
