Greg Conescu

Greg Conescu (born 24 May 1960[1]) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. An Australia national and Queensland State of Origin representative hooker, he played all of his club football in Queensland with Norths Devils (with whom he won the BRL premiership in 1980) Gladstone Brothers, Redcliffe and the Brisbane Broncos.

Greg Conescu
Personal information
Born (1960-05-24) 24 May 1960
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
PositionHooker
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
19??–83 Norths (Brisbane)
1984–8? Brothers (Gladstone)
198?–87 Redcliffe 51 8 0 0 32
1988–89 Brisbane Broncos 28 4 0 0 16
Total 79 12 0 0 48
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1980–88 Queensland 21 2 0 0 8
1982–88 Australia 9 2 0 0 8

Playing career

Born to Romanian parents, Conescu achieved Brisbane Rugby League premiership success with the Norths Devils in 1980 and also played for Gladstone Brothers and Redcliffe Dolphins. While playing for Norths, Conescu made his debut for both the Australian Kangaroos and Queensland.[2] In 1987 he played for Redcliffe in the BRL grand final.

In 1988, Conescu entered the New South Wales Rugby League premiership with the Brisbane Broncos, playing in the club's first ever match in 1988.[3] He continued to represent Queensland in the State of Origin series that year, and was again selected in the Australian Kangaroos side. On 20 July 1988 Conescu played for Australia in their record 62-point win over Papua New Guinea, scoring a try.[4] Despite being the incumbent Australian and Queensland hooker, he was surprisingly dropped to reserve grade by coach Wayne Bennett in favour of a young Kerrod Walters.[5]

Accolades

In 2000, Conescu was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league.

As part of State of Origin's 25th anniversary in 2005, the Australian Rugby League announced the 25 greatest players for both Queensland and New South Wales, with Conescu named for the Queenslanders.[6]

Conescu was named as a reserve in an all-time greatest Norths Devils team announced in 2008.[7]

References
  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20090126083231/http://qrl.com.au/qrl_history/qld_rep_c.php Queensland Representatives at qrl.com.au
  2. Gary Lester (editor) (1983). The Sun Book of Rugby League - 1983. Sydney, New South Wales: John Fairfax Marketing. p. 102. ISBN 0-909558-83-3.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  3. "Factbox on inaugural Brisbane, Melbourne and Gold Coast teams" (fee required). AAP Sports News (Australia). 25 August 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  4. "O'Connor helps set Test records". The Age. 21 July 1988. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  5. Gallaway, Jack (2002). The Brisbane Broncos: the team to beat. University of Queensland Press. pp. 57, 58, 64 & 70. ISBN 0-7022-3342-0. ISBN 9780702233425.
  6. "Origin's greatest named" (fee required). AAP Sports News (Australia). 30 March 2005. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  7. Pramberg, Bernie (17 August 2008). "Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis in Norths Devis 'greatest' team". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 17 August 2008.

Sources
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