Don Saunders

Don Saunders is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s.

Don Saunders
Playing information
PositionLock, Five-eighth, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1994 Gold Coast Seagulls 1 0 0 0 0
1997 South Queensland 13 0 0 0 0
Total 14 0 0 0 0
As of 16 December 2020
Source: RLP

Primarily a lock, Saunders played for the Gold Coast Seagulls and South Queensland Crushers in the Australian Rugby League.

Background

Saunders played his junior rugby league for the Toowoomba All Whites.[1] His nephew, Tom Dearden, is a professional rugby league player for the Brisbane Broncos.[2][3]

Playing career

In Round 10 of the 1994 NSWRL season, Saunders made his first grade debut for the Gold Coast Seagulls, coming off the bench in their 12–30 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at the Sydney Football Stadium.[4] It was his only appearance for the club.

In 1996, Saunders played for the Toowoomba Clydesdales in the inaugural season of the Queensland Cup. On 31 August 1996, he captained the Clydesdales in their 8–6 Grand Final win over the Redcliffe Dolphins.[5]

In 1997, Saunders joined the South Queensland Crushers, playing 13 games for the club that season.[6]

In 1998, he returned to the Clydesdales, playing three more seasons at the club. In 2004, he played for the Central Comets.[7] In 2006, he was named at lock in the Queensland Cup Team of the Decade.[8]

Post-playing career

Following his retirement, Saunders taught and coached at Mackay State High School and Palm Beach Currumbin State High School.[9][10] In 2010, he was on the coaching staff for the Gold Coast Titans NRL Under-20s team.[11]

References
  1. "Brothers and Beyond". Toowoomba Brothers.
  2. "Rising teenage star Dearden putting heat on Brisbane halves". NRL. 1 April 2019.
  3. "Diary Update: Week 17, 2019". Steve Ricketts. 28 March 2020.
  4. "NSWRL 1994 – Round 10 – South Sydney v Gold Coast". Rugby League Project.
  5. "Cowboy takes reins of the Cutters". The Daily Mercury. 24 August 2007.
  6. "Old boys doing Brothers proud". Whitsunday Times. 17 May 2018.
  7. "Clermont teach a league legend". The Morning Bulletin. 19 September 2005.
  8. "Team of the Decade Honours for Dolphins". League Unlimited.
  9. "Last hurrah for coach". The Daily Examiner. 10 June 2009.
  10. "State of Origin 2016: Johnathan Thurston keen to revisit Aurukun after inspiring message". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 July 2016.
  11. "Gill, Saunders keen on reunion". The Daily Mercury. 15 May 2010.
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