Riley Brown (born 15 October 1984) is an Australian former professional
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
footballer who last played for the
Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans are a professional rugby league football club, based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The club competes in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australia and New Zealand's national rugby league club competition. The ...
in the
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League (NRL) is an Australasian rugby league club competition which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. The NRL formed in 1998 as a joint partnership ...
(NRL). He primarily played as a
Hooker
Hooker may refer to:
People
* Hooker (surname)
Places Antarctica
* Mount Hooker (Antarctica)
* Cape Hooker (Antarctica)
* Cape Hooker (South Shetland Islands)
New Zealand
* Hooker River
* Mount Hooker (New Zealand) in the Southern Alps
* Hoo ...
.
Background
Brown was born in
Bundaberg,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
. He was raised in the town of
Singleton, New South Wales
Singleton is a town on the banks of the Hunter River in New South Wales, Australia. Singleton is 197 km (89 mi) north-north-west of Sydney, and 70 km (43 mi) north-west of Newcastle. At June 2018, Singleton had an urban popul ...
where, at 17 years of age, he represented
Singleton Greyhounds at first team level.
Playing career
Brown made his NRL debut on 4 April 2004, for the
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. Playing in red and blue, th ...
against the
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St. George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing both the Illawarra and St George, Sydney, St George regions of New South Wales. The club has competed in the National Rugby League since NR ...
at
WIN Stadium
Wollongong Showground, known as WIN Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Wollongong, Australia. The stadium was officially opened in 1911. From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Il ...
. Brown made 7 appearances for Newcastle the following season as the club finished last on the table claiming the wooden spoon.
After playing 40 games for the Knights, Brown was told to look elsewhere after coach
Brian Smith's clean-out midway through the 2007 season. Brown was signed by the
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional Rugby league, Rugby League Football Club based in the Eastern Suburbs (Sydney) and parts of inner Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The Roosters have won ...
for the 2008 season.
In his first game for the Roosters, Brown infamously injured
South Sydney player
Craig Wing in the 8th minute of the match with a shoulder charge into Wing's back while Wing was being held up by two other players.
Brown was not charged over the incident.
Brown broke his arm in the Roosters' 2008 qualifying final loss to the
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite com ...
. He did not return to the NRL until round 21, 2009. Brown made a total of 6 appearances in 2009 as the
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional Rugby league, Rugby League Football Club based in the Eastern Suburbs (Sydney) and parts of inner Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The Roosters have won ...
had a horrid season on the field finishing with the wooden spoon.
Brown joined the
Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans are a professional rugby league football club, based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The club competes in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australia and New Zealand's national rugby league club competition. The ...
in 2010. Brown's last game in first grade was a 16–12 loss against Manly in Round 10 2011. At the end of 2011, Brown was released from the club as the Gold Coast finished with the wooden spoon. It was the players third wooden spoon in his career.
Personal life
On 2 June 2000, Brown's mother Judith was murdered in her Anna Bay home. Brown's father, Ross, was convicted of the crime but Brown believes that his father is innocent.
References
External links
NRL profileSydney Roosters Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Riley
1984 births
Living people
Australian rugby league players
Cessnock Goannas players
Gold Coast Titans players
Newcastle Knights players
Rugby league five-eighths
Rugby league hookers
Rugby league locks
Rugby league players from Bundaberg
Rugby league second-rows
Sydney Roosters players