Rory Kostjasyn (born 6 June 1987) is a former
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
international
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...
footballer. He played in the
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League (also known as the NRL Telstra Premiership for sponsorship reasons) is a professional rugby league competition in Oceania which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria (state), Victoria, the Austral ...
(NRL) for the
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm is a rugby league football club based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia that participates in the National Rugby League (NRL). The club plays its home games at AAMI Park, and wears a purple and navy blu ...
and
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest city in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
, with whom he was a member of their
2015 NRL premiership and
2016 World Club Challenge winning sides. An
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
international and
New South Wales Country representative, he played at , but could also fill in at , and . Kostjasyn currently works in the
Dolphins (NRL)
The Dolphins are a professional rugby league football team, based in the Redcliffe Peninsula area of the City of Moreton Bay (which is part of the greater Brisbane area of South East Queensland, South East Queensland), that competes in the Aus ...
coaching department, he was previously with the
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league team based in Newcastle, New South Wales that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. Playing in red and blue, the Knights joined the top-tier competition in New ...
coaching department and previously coached their
Canterbury Cup NSW
The NSW Cup, currently known as the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a rugby league competition for clubs in New South Wales. The competition has a history dating back to the NSWRFL's origins in 1908, starting off as a reserve ...
team.
Background
Kostjasyn was born in
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
and grew up in
Berkeley Vale on New South Wale's
Central Coast. Of Russian and Irish descent, Kostjasyn's grandparents on his father's side are both from Russia.
He played his junior football for the
Berkeley Vale Panthers, and was signed by the
Sydney Roosters
Eastern Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club, known as the Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), Eastern Suburbs. The club competes in the National Rugby Lea ...
as a teenager, playing for their
Jersey Flegg Cup
The Jersey Flegg Cup is a junior rugby league competition played in New South Wales, Australia, contested among teams made up of players aged 21 or under. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL), and is named ...
side. While contracted to the Roosters, Kostjasyn played for their
New South Wales Cup
The NSW Cup, currently known as the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a rugby league competition for clubs in New South Wales. The competition has a history dating back to the NSWRFL's origins in 1908, starting off as a reserve ...
affiliate
Newtown.
He played in the 2006
NSW Cup
The NSW Cup, currently known as the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a rugby league competition for clubs in New South Wales. The competition has a history dating back to the NSWRFL's origins in 1908, starting off as a reserve ...
grand final for
Newtown who were the
Sydney Roosters
Eastern Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club, known as the Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), Eastern Suburbs. The club competes in the National Rugby Lea ...
feeder club at the time against
Parramatta
Parramatta (; ) is a suburb (Australia), suburb and major commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney. Parramatta is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD, on the banks of the Parramatta River. It is co ...
. Newtown would lose the grand final 20-19 at
Stadium Australia
Stadium Australia, currently known as Accor Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the suburb of Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The stadium, which is sometimes referred to as Sydney Ol ...
.
After not playing first grade at the Roosters, he signed with the
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm is a rugby league football club based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia that participates in the National Rugby League (NRL). The club plays its home games at AAMI Park, and wears a purple and navy blu ...
for the 2010 season.
Playing career
2010
Kostjasyn made his first-team début for the
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm is a rugby league football club based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia that participates in the National Rugby League (NRL). The club plays its home games at AAMI Park, and wears a purple and navy blu ...
against
Harlequins RL at the
Twickenham Stoop
Twickenham Stoop Stadium (informally referred to as The Stoop) is a stadium located in south-west London, England, situated just across the road from Twickenham Stadium. The stadium is home to the Harlequins in Premiership Rugby and has a c ...
in the World City Challenge, the Storm's warm-up match before the
2010 World Club Challenge
The 2010 World Club Challenge (known as the Gillette World Club Challenge due to sponsorship by Gillette Fusion) was a rugby league tournament contested by Super League XIV champions, Leeds Rhinos, and 2009 NRL Premiers the Melbourne Storm. Thi ...
.
He played again a week later against the
Leeds Rhinos
The Leeds Rhinos are a professional rugby league club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The club play their home games at Headingley Rugby Stadium, AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium and compete in the Super League, the top tier of British rugby lea ...
from the bench in the World Club Challenge.
Training with the first grade squad over that summer earned Kostjasyn a spot in the club's World Cup Challenge squad and a subsequent medal as part of the winning team. He was later signed by the club on a two-year contract.
He then went on to make his
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League (also known as the NRL Telstra Premiership for sponsorship reasons) is a professional rugby league competition in Oceania which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria (state), Victoria, the Austral ...
début in the
2010 NRL season
The 2010 NRL season was the 103rd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the thirteenth run by the National Rugby League (NRL). The season commenced on 12 March and ended with the grand final, played on 3 ...
. He went on to play 7 games that season making his début in Round 1 of that season. He scored his first try for the club in Round 14 of the 2010 season.
2011
In 2011, Kostjasyn was a more regular member of the Melbourne team, playing 12 matches, starting in three of them. Known for his versatility, played games at five-eighth, hooker and lock in 2011.
2012
Kostjasyn played in 14 games in the
2012 NRL season
The 2012 NRL season was the 105th season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the first run by the newly formed Australian Rugby League Commission. The main competition, called the 2012 NRL Telstra Premiership due to spon ...
, deputising for injured teammate
Cooper Cronk
Cooper Patrick Cronk (born 5 December 1983) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An n international and Queensland rugby league team, Queensland State of Origin series, State of Origin ...
in the halves at times. In Week One of the 2012 finals series against the
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club, also known as the South Sydney Rabbitohs, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Maroubra, New South Wales, Maroubra that competes in the Nat ...
, Kostjasyn made his first finals appearance. He was named 18th man for the Melbourne Storm in the
2012 Grand Final.
On 26 July 2012, Kostjasyn signed a two-year deal with the
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest city in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
2013
In 2013, Kostjasyn mainly played the for the Cowboys, rotating with
Ray Thompson. He made 20 appearances for North Queensland in 2013, including the semi-final against the
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the Sutherland Shire of Southern Sydney, New South Wales. Cronulla compete in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australasia's premier rugby league compet ...
, which he started at hooker.
At the end of the season, he was named in
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
's 24-man squad for the
2013 Rugby League World Cup
The 2013 Rugby League World Cup was the fourteenth World Cup for men’s national rugby league teams. It took place between the 26 October and 30 November and was hosted by England and Wales (although some games were played in France and Ire ...
, playing 3 games in the tournament.
2014
In February, Kostjasyn played in the Cowboys' championship-winning
Auckland Nines
The NRL Nines is a rugby league nines competition, normally held during the NRL preseason each year. It was initially held in Auckland, New Zealand, between 2014 and 2017 before going on hiatus.
Returning in 2020, hosting duties moved to Per ...
side. On 2 July, he re-signed with the North Queensland on another two-year-deal, keeping him with the Cowboys until 2016. He missed just one first grade game in 2014, due to broken ribs, starting 23 games at hooker.
2015
On 4 October, Kostjasyn was a member of the Cowboys'
Grand Final
Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Synonymous with a championship game in North Ameri ...
winning side, coming off the bench in the side's 17–16 victory over the
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Red Hill, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos compete in the National Rugby League (NRL) and play their home games at ...
. The Grand Final was his 100th NRL game.
2016
On 21 February, Kostjasyn was a member of the Cowboys'
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league competition between the winners of the Australian National Rugby League and the British Super League, for the de facto club world championship of the sport.
Super League sides have won the c ...
winning side, coming off the bench in the side's 38–4 victory over the
Leeds Rhinos
The Leeds Rhinos are a professional rugby league club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The club play their home games at Headingley Rugby Stadium, AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium and compete in the Super League, the top tier of British rugby lea ...
at
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a stadium complex in Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, and England. Linked by a two-sided stand housing common facilities, it comprises two separate grounds: Headingley Cricket Ground (home of Yorkshire County Cricket Clu ...
. He played 26 games in his final season at the Cowboys and represented
Country Origin
The Country New South Wales rugby league team is a representative rugby league football team. Between 1987 and 2017 there were two tiers: the Origin team that consisted of professional players who originated from clubs of the Country Rugby Leagu ...
for the first time in May. In October, he signed a 2-year contract with the
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league team based in Newcastle, New South Wales that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. Playing in red and blue, the Knights joined the top-tier competition in New ...
starting in 2017.
2017
During pre-season training with the Knights on 7 January, Kostjasyn suffered an accidental blow to his throat from
Danny Levi
Daniel Levi (born 5 December 1995) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for New Zealand, New Zealand Māori and Samoa at international level.
He p ...
. He was required to be sent immediately to the
John Hunter Hospital
The John Hunter Hospital and John Hunter Children's Hospital (sometimes known as the JHH and JHCH respectively), is a teaching hospital and children's hospital in Newcastle, and northern New South Wales, Australia. The 820 bed hospital is the ma ...
after suffering a fracture in the
Cricoid cartilage
The cricoid cartilage , or simply cricoid (from the Greek ''krikoeides'' meaning "ring-shaped") or cricoid ring, is the only complete ring of cartilage around the trachea. It forms the back part of the voice box and functions as an attachment sit ...
in his neck. He stayed overnight in hospital and was released on 8 January. On 25 July, he announced his retirement from rugby league due to breathing difficulties from the injury.
Post playing
Kostjasyn after retiring from the NRL he revealed that his injury compromised his breathing and changed his voice. In 2018, Kostjasyn became the coach of the
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league team based in Newcastle, New South Wales that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. Playing in red and blue, the Knights joined the top-tier competition in New ...
reserve grade side. In 2020, Kostjasyn was appointed as the teams Development coach. On 3 October 2024
Dolphins (NRL)
The Dolphins are a professional rugby league football team, based in the Redcliffe Peninsula area of the City of Moreton Bay (which is part of the greater Brisbane area of South East Queensland, South East Queensland), that competes in the Aus ...
announced via social media that Kostjasyn would join the team as an assistant coach.
Achievements and accolades
Team
*
2010 World Club Challenge
The 2010 World Club Challenge (known as the Gillette World Club Challenge due to sponsorship by Gillette Fusion) was a rugby league tournament contested by Super League XIV champions, Leeds Rhinos, and 2009 NRL Premiers the Melbourne Storm. Thi ...
:
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm is a rugby league football club based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia that participates in the National Rugby League (NRL). The club plays its home games at AAMI Park, and wears a purple and navy blu ...
– Winners*
*
2014 NRL Auckland Nines
The 2014 NRL Auckland Nines (known as the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines due to sponsorship) was the first NRL Auckland Nines tournament, contested between all sixteen teams of the National Rugby League. The draw was released on 30 October 2013 ...
:
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest city in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
– Winners
*
2015 NRL Grand Final
The 2015 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2015 NRL season and was played on Sunday 4 October at Sydney's ANZ Stadium between the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys. North Queensland won the ma ...
:
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest city in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
– Winners
*
2016 World Club Challenge:
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, the largest city in North Queensland. They compete in Australia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL).
Sinc ...
– Winners
Statistics
NRL
: ''Statistics are correct to the end of the 2015 season''
International
References
External links
Newcastle Knights profileNRL profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kostjaysn, Rory
1987 births
Living people
Australian rugby league players
Australian rugby league coaches
Australian people of Irish descent
Australian people of Russian descent
Country New South Wales Origin rugby league team players
Ireland national rugby league team players
Irish rugby league players
Mackay Cutters players
Melbourne Storm players
New South Wales Residents rugby league team players
Newtown Jets NSW Cup players
North Queensland Cowboys players
Rugby league utility players
Rugby league hookers
Rugby league locks
Rugby league five-eighths
Rugby league players from Auburn, New South Wales
21st-century Australian sportsmen