Craig Hancock

Craig Hancock (born 10 June 1969 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s. A New South Wales State of Origin winger, he played his club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and Balmain Tigers

Playing career

Manly-Warringah

Hancock made his first grade debut for Manly in Round 3 of the 1989 season against the Newcastle Knights at the Knights home ground, Marathon Stadium. For the next 10 years he was a regular player for the Sea Eagles at the end of their backline.

He was selected to represent New South Wales as a winger for game I of the 1995 State of Origin series. Manly were the form team of the 1995 ARL season finishing minor premiers with a 20-2 record (equal with the Canberra Raiders but with a better for and against record) and were hot favourites to win their 6th premiership when they lined up in the Grand Final against the Sydney Bulldogs who had finished 6th with a 14-8 record. However, the Bulldogs put in a heroic effort and defeated Manly 17-4 and keeping Manly, who had the best attack in the ARL in 1995, tryless during the game. The game was controversial though as referee Eddie Ward had erred and allowed the Bulldogs to score a try on a 7th tackle. Hancock scored 12 tries on the wing for Manly during 1995. Hancock's 1996 season was interrupted by injury restricting him to just 3 games for the season, though one of those games was the 1996 Grand Final against the St George Dragons. Manly were again hot favourites going into the game having won their 9th minor premiership. This time the Sea Eagles delivered and defeated the Dragons 20-8 with Hancock coming off the bench during the second half as a replacement for fullback Matthew Ridge.

Matthew Ridge, Manly's fullback since 1990, had signed with Super league in 1995 and was off to the Auckland Warriors in 1997. Manly coach Bob Fulton moved Hancock to fullback for the season as a replacement for Ridge until the Round 17 clash with Parramatta at Brookvale Oval where he broke his ankle ending his season and missing the Sea Eagles 3rd Grand Final in succession where they were defeated by an Andrew Johns inspired Newcastle. Hancock was moved back to his preferred wing position in 1998 by the emergence of new fullback Shannon Nevin. In a frustrating season, Manly's form of the previous 3 seasons dropped alarmingly and the club only scrapped into the finals in 10th place before being eliminated be Canberra in the Qualifying Finals. Following the 1998 NRL season, Hancock, after 10 seasons, 172 games and 64 tries for Manly, signed to play for the Balmain Tigers in 1999.

Balmain

Hancock played 20 games for the Tigers during 1999, adding a further 7 tries to his career total. Following the season the Tigers and the Western Suburbs Magpies entered into a merger to become the Wests Tigers and Hancock, after 192 senior games for Manly and Balmain as well as state of Origin selection for NSW in 1995 and the 1996 premiership, retired from rugby league at the age of 30.

Highlights

• First Grade Debut: 1989 - Round 3, Manly vs Newcastle Knights at Marathon Stadium, 2 April^[1]
• Representative Selection: 1995 - State of Origin Game 1, 15 May, at the Sydney Football Stadium.
• Premierships: 1996 - member of the Manly premiership winning team that defeated St. George Dragons, 20–8

Personal

Craig Hancock is a qualified mechanic and runs his own mobile mechanic service in Sydney.

References