Jeremy Smith (rugby league, born 1981)

Jeremy James Smith (born 18 July 1981) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who previously played for the Parramatta Eels and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL, and the Salford City Reds and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Super League. Primarily playing as a five-eighth or halfback, Smith has represented the New Zealand Māori and New Zealand national teams.

For fellow New Zealand Kiwis representative Jeremy Jon Oscar Smith, see Jeremy Smith (rugby league, born 1980).

Jeremy Smith
Personal information
Full nameJeremy James Smith[1]
Born (1981-07-18) 18 July 1981
Huntly, New Zealand
Playing information
Height182 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight90 kg (14 st 2 lb)
PositionFive-eighth, Halfback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2006 Parramatta Eels 13 1 0 0 4
2007–08 South Sydney 26 4 0 0 16
2009–10 Salford City Reds 45 2 0 0 8
2011 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 10 1 0 0 4
Total 94 8 0 0 32
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2000–10 New Zealand Māori 5 1 0 0 4
2007 New Zealand 3 0 0 0 0
Source: [2][3]

Playing career

A St. George Dragons junior, Smith made the Junior Kiwis in 1998.[4] He played for the Aotearoa Māori side at the 2000 World Cup. In 2001 he played for the Hibiscus Coast Raiders in the Bartercard Cup.[5]

Smith played for the Parramatta Eels between 2005 and 2006. Smith was suspended for 4 matches in 2006 after pushing a referee in Parramatta's bizarre 8-1 loss to St George. The judiciary had found that Smith pushed referee Sean Hampstead in the back with both hands after a scrum was ruled against Parramatta.[6][7] He has also represented the New Zealand Maori side.[8]

Smith then signed with South Sydney for the 2007 season. He penned his deal short after the announcement that his coach at the time, Jason Taylor would also join the Rabbitohs in 2007.

Smith joined the Salford City Reds at the beginning of the 2009 season.

Smith again played for the New Zealand Māori in 2010 against England.[9]

Smith has signed a 1-year deal with Super League outfit, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats ahead of the 2011 season. Smith was injured during the off season and could not play in any friendlies due to visa problems, which meant he had little match fitness when he made his début in Round 3 against Salford.

He returned to Australia in 2012, signing with the St. George Illawarra Dragons and playing NSW Cup for the Illawarra Cutters.[10]

References
  1. "Kiwis unveil new-look Test side". BBC. 7 October 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
  2. loverugbyleague
  3. "Jeremy Smith". Rugby League Project.
  4. New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1998. p.181
  5. Batercard Cup Round 21 Preview Archived 2012-09-07 at Archive.today rleague.com, 10 August 2001
  6. https://www.smh.com.au/news/league/smith-in-hot-water-after-pushing-referee-to-the-limit-on-wet-and-wild-night/2006/06/02/1148956548869.html
  7. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-06-06/parramatta-eels-smith-outed-for-referee-push/1771306
  8. Lowe, Robert (9 October 2007). "League: Smith has big shoes to fill". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  9. "League: Maori draw with England". The New Zealand Herald. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  10. NSW Cup Rd 12 Illawarra 17 Newtown 32 Archived 2013-02-01 at Archive.today rleague.com, 23 May 2012
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