Christopher 'Choppy' Close is an Australian former rugby league player. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games His usual position was at centre. A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Close has the distinction of being one of a handful of players to be named man-of-the-match in State of Origin more than once. State of Origin is an annual best-of-three series of Rugby league matches between the Maroons, representing the state of Queensland, and the Blues
Australia 1980-85: 3 Tests - 1t (4pts)
Queensland 1979-86: 14 games - 2t (6pts)
Manly 1982-87: 96 games - 39t (154pts)
Gold Coast 1988-91: 67 games - 4t (16pts)
Hailing from Cunnamulla, Queensland, Chris Close scored 52 tries during the 1978 Brisbane Rugby League season before joining Brisbane Valleys. The Queensland State of Origin team is a Rugby league team representing the state of Queensland that plays in Australia's annual three-match State of Origin The Manly - Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional Rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney Gold Coast were a Rugby league team which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby Cunnamulla ( Aboriginal meaning "dry water hole" is a small town which lies on the Warrego River in south west Queensland, Australia The Brisbane Rugby League (BRL premiership was a Rugby league competition held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 1922 to 1997 History Until their demise in 1995 the Fortitude Valley Diehards, often referred to simply as Valleys, were the oldest surviving Rugby league A forward-sized centre who also excelled on the wing in his early career, Close represented Combined Brisbane in the Amco Cup competition in 1979 and made his debut for Queensland the same year. A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench A typical Rugby league team consists of thirteen players on the field plus four substitutes on the bench Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland The Amco Cup (also known by various other sponsors' names including the Tooth Cup, KB Cup, National Panasonic Cup and Panasonic Cup) was a mid-week
In 1980, while playing for Redcliffe, Close was chosen on the Australian tour of New Zealand but it was his consecutive man-of-the-match performances in the first two State of Origin matches in 1980 and 1981 that turned heads. The Redcliffe Dolphins are a Rugby league team from the city of Redcliffe in Queensland, Australia. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island State of Origin is an annual best-of-three series of Rugby league matches between the Maroons, representing the state of Queensland, and the Blues He was a fierce competitor, as his back-hander to the face of opposing winger Eric Grothe in 1981's State of Origin match testifies. Eric "Guru" Grothe (born 1960 is a former Australian Rugby league player a Winger for the Parramatta Eels and representative player for The second ever Australian rugby league State of Origin fixture of 1981 (again played as the 3rd game of a series but the only game using the Origin selecton criteria featured a stunning comeback
Close signed with Manly in 1982 and played in the Grand Final with them that year and again in 1983, which were both lost to Parramatta. 1982 's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventy-fifth season of professional Rugby league football in Australia. The 1983 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventy-sixth season of professional Rugby league football in Australia Close continued to be a regular visitor to the State of Origin arena during the 1980s, becoming one of a handful of players to be man-of-the-match in State of Origin football more than once.
Close appeared in three Tests on the 1985 tour of New Zealand but failed to tour with the Kangaroos the following year.
After playing in Manly's reserve grade grand final loss in 1987, he linked with the newly formed Gold Coast club where his experience was used to good effect in the forwards. 1987 's New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the eightieth season of professional Rugby league football in Australia Gold Coast were a Rugby league team which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby
After his retirement as a player, Close filled the role of Queensland State of Origin team manager under Paul Vautin (1995-97), Wayne Bennett (1998 & 2001-4) and Mark Murray (1999-00). The Queensland State of Origin team is a Rugby league team representing the state of Queensland that plays in Australia's annual three-match State of Origin Paul "Fatty" Vautin (born 21 July 1959) is an Australian former Rugby league player coach and more recently a media personality Wayne James Bennett AM (born 1 January, 1950) is an Australian Rugby league football identity Mark Murray (born 1 May, 1959) is an Australian former Rugby league footballer and coach
In 2000 Close was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league. The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.
External links
- Chris Close at the State of Origin official website. State of Origin is an annual best-of-three series of Rugby league matches between the Maroons, representing the state of Queensland, and the Blues
- Chris Close at the Former Origin Greats website.
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