Robbie O'Davis

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Sunday, 3rd September, 1972
Current Age
51 years and 198 days
Place Of Birth
Kurrajong, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Clive Churchill Medal
1997
Ron McAuliffe Medal
1997

Biography

Dynamic Newcastle fullback grabbed his chance at a rep career with both hands during the tumultuous 1995 season. O’Davis came to the Knights from Brisbane Easts after growing up in Toowoomba (where, as a 16-year-old, he played alongside his father Peter in first grade). After starring in Queensland’s State of Origin series win in 1995, (a series in which Super League players were not selected), O’Davis was chosen as a reserve for Australia in the First Test against NZ. When he was dropped after just 3 minutes of field time in the First Test O’Davis faced the prospect of having the briefest of international careers. However, injuries and suspensions to other players, combined with his own undeniable talent saw his selection on the wing for the Third Test of the series. A member of Australia’s victorious World Cup squad at the end of the year, he scored 5 tries in three Tests (South Africa, Fiji and NZ) but did not play in the final against England. O’Davis held his place in the opening State of Origin match in 1996 but failed to make a rep side during the remainder of the year. The divided 1997 ARL season saw O’Davis grow in confidence - representing Queensland and Australia he also captained the Knights in the absence of the injured Andrew Johns and Paul Harragon. In a mesmerising display that earned him the Clive Churchill Medal, O’Davis scored two brilliant tries in Newcastle’s grand final win over Manly. If the 1997 season provided the highlight in the little fullback’s career, then 1998 brought an incredible change of fortune. After securing the fullback Test spot for the ANZac Test it was revealed, in June, that O’Davis had failed a drug test. He initially escaped suspension when his lawyers argued that the newly constituted NRL had no jurisdiction to enforce its ruling and he was cleared to play for Queensland in the deciding State of Origin match. This tactical move appeared to backfire when he was forced to sign a hastily modified NRL contract (involving a mandatory two-year ban for drug abuse) but opted for a lesser 22-week suspension from an ARL judiciary. O’Davis had taken a dietary supplement that included a banned substance and pleaded guilty to naiveté rather than to being a drug cheat. On his return to the game in mid 1999 O’Davis proved that he had lost no favour with selectors when he was chosen in Queensland’s State of Origin team after just one match but a series of injuries robbed him of further representative opportunities. Returning from a broken foot injury in July 2000, he had the misfortune to again break his foot in his comeback match. O’Davis’ second premiership title, Newcastle’s 30-24 grand final win over P’matta in 2001, was personal vindication after an interrupted career but it must have seemed a lifetime removed from the heady days of 1997. Davis’ last rep match was for Queensland in 2002 and Newcastle did not offer him a contract for 2005 – a season in which he was poised to surpass Tony Butterfield’s record number of first grade games (229).
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 224 78 45   1 403 132 85 7 58.93% List
NRL Finals 13 6 -   - 24 9 4 0 69.23% List
State of Origin 12 1 1   - 6 6 4 2 50.00% List
Test Series 2 1 -   - 4 2 0 0 100.00% List
World Cup 3 5 -   - 20 3 0 0 100.00% List
Anzac Tests 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
World Club Challenge 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1995, 1998 6 6 -   - 24 5 1 0 83.33% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1995-1997 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1995 3 5 -   - 20 3 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
QLD 1995-99, 2002 12 1 1   - 6 6 4 2 50.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newcastle NSWRL 1992 19 5 0 / 1 0.00% - 20 11 6 2 57.89% List
Newcastle NSWRL 1993 20 10 8 / 15 53.33% - 56 9 11 0 45.00% List
Newcastle NSWRL 1994 20 2 6 / 8 75.00% - 20 9 11 0 45.00% List
Newcastle ARL 1995 22 8 9 / 11 81.82% - 50 15 7 0 68.18% List
Newcastle ARL 1996 20 7 9 / 12 75.00% - 46 10 8 2 50.00% List
Newcastle ARL 1997 25 13 8 / 14 57.14% 1 69 17 7 1 68.00% List
Newcastle NRL 1998 12 5 -   - 20 11 1 0 91.67% List
Newcastle NRL 1999 11 5 -   - 20 7 4 0 63.64% List
Newcastle NRL 2000 8 3 5 / 7 71.43% - 22 3 4 1 37.50% List
Newcastle NRL 2001 20 8 0 / 2 0.00% - 32 12 7 1 60.00% List
Newcastle NRL 2002 16 5 -   - 20 12 4 0 75.00% List
Newcastle NRL 2003 15 4 -   - 16 9 6 0 60.00% List
Newcastle NRL 2004 16 3 -   - 12 7 9 0 43.75% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newcastle 1992-04 224 78 45 / 70 64.29% 1 403 132 85 7 58.93% List

Your Say

  • dan
    21/12/2011

    legend thank god he played in97 gf

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Alan Katzmann, Max Turner, Greg Fiveash, Steven Russo, Paul Carter

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1996, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2001, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2003, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2004, NRL 2004 Official Rugby League Annual, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2002, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2000, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1994, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1995