Paul Sironen

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Nickname(s)
Sirro
Born
Sunday, 23rd May, 1965
Current Age
58 years and 311 days
Place Of Birth
North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Rookie Of The Year
1986
Dally M Second Rower Of The Year
1990
Dally M Representative Player Of The Year
1993

Known Family Links

Son
Curtis Sironen
Bayley Sironen
Nephew
Damian Sironen

Biography

At his peak one of the most damaging attacking forwards in the game, the tall second row forward made a great impact in his first year in top grade after returning from Hawaii where he had been studying on a gridiron scholarship. Sironen was named 'Dally M' Rookie of the Year in 1986 and after gaining selection on the Kangaroo Tour made his Test debut against Papua New Guinea. He played in one Test on tour, against France, but battled to recapture that form during the next two seasons. Following Balmain's loss in the 1988 grand final, Sironen played in the World Cup final and appeared in two Tests on the tour of NZ in 1989. A try-scorer in Balmain's loss to Canberra in the 1989 grand final, Sironen played in one-off Tests against France and NZ before making his second Kangaroo tour in 1990. He appeared in all five Tests on tour and was a standout performer in Australia's desperate battle to retain the Ashes. The 1991 season was a write-off due to injury but he returned to the top grade the following year to play in the Ashes series against Great Britain. Sironen's man-of-the-match performance in the Third Test against Great Britain, and Australia's World Cup victory in England at the end of 1992, raised his reputation to cult status in one section of the media (especially ABC's Roy Slaven and H.G.Nelson). ‘Sirro’ overcame back injuries to take his place in the NSW and Australian rep teams in 1993-94 and although he became only the fourth forward in history to make a third Kangaroo tour, there were signs that his international career was coming to a close. After being head-hunted by English forwards in the club matches, he was on the receiving end of a vicious elbow from Great Britain's Barrie McDermott in Australia’s First Test loss and was used on the interchange bench in the Second Test. In 1995 Sironen was named captain of the Sydney Tigers but, for the second time in his career, relinquished the role after six rounds to concentrate on his game. After surpassing Garry Jack’s club record for most first grade games, Sironen left his beloved Tigers at the end of the 1998 season to see out his career in France with Villeneuve-sur-Lot. In May 1999 Sironen starred in the club’s 33-20 win over St Gaudens in the French championship before returning home and guesting for Blayney in the Group 10 competition. Sironen was a vocal supporter of Balmain’s joint venture with Wests at the end of 1999 but proved that he was foremost a Rugby League supporter when he publicly castigated those W’Tigers players who brought the game into disrepute in 2001.
- 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 247 22 0   - 88 119 122 6 48.18% List
National Panasonic Cup 10 1 -   - 4 7 3 0 70.00% List
NRL Finals 12 3 -   - 12 7 5 0 58.33% List
World Cup 8 - -   - - 8 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 42 5 -   - 20 39 3 0 92.86% List
City vs Country 8 - -   - - 5 3 0 62.50% List
State of Origin 14 - -   - - 8 6 0 57.14% List
Test Series 13 2 -   - 4 9 3 1 69.23% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 3 1 -   - 4 1 2 0 33.33% List
The Ashes 8 1 -   - 8 5 3 0 62.50% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1986, 1988-90, 1992-94 24 3 -   - 12 20 3 1 83.33% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992 8 - -   - - 8 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW City 1987, 1989-94, 1996 8 - -   - - 5 3 0 62.50% List
NSW 1989-94 14 - -   - - 8 6 0 57.14% List
Overall1987-1996 22 0 0   0 - 13 9 0 59.09% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Balmain NSWRL 1985 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
Balmain NSWRL 1986 24 1 -   - 4 13 11 0 54.17% List
Balmain NSWRL 1987 22 6 -   - 24 13 8 1 59.09% List
Balmain NSWRL 1988 24 4 -   - 16 17 7 0 70.83% List
Balmain NSWRL 1989 22 6 -   - 24 14 7 1 63.64% List
Balmain NSWRL 1990 21 3 -   - 12 13 8 0 61.90% List
Balmain NSWRL 1991 8 - -   - - 0 7 1 0.00% List
Balmain NSWRL 1992 18 - -   - - 8 9 1 44.44% List
Balmain NSWRL 1993 18 - -   - - 5 12 1 27.78% List
Balmain NSWRL 1994 14 - -   - - 3 11 0 21.43% List
Sydney Tigers ARL 1995 19 - -   - - 6 13 0 31.58% List
Sydney Tigers ARL 1996 13 1 -   - 4 7 6 0 53.85% List
Balmain ARL 1997 21 1 -   - 4 10 11 0 47.62% List
Balmain NRL 1998 21 - 0 / 1 0.00% - - 8 12 1 38.10% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Balmain 1985-98 247 22 -   - 88 119 122 6 48.18% List

Your Say

  • Richard Morris.
    23/02/2019

    Absolute Legand & a True Gentleman, met him when I was 19 & again today at 45 & was generous with his time on both occasions. Two out of my three daughters got to meet him today & they now know who I’ve been raving about all these years. My favorite player of all time - Cheers Sirro.

  • Anonymous
    17/10/2021

    One of the best forwards in the game to never win a premiership. A tough forward alway stood up against qld players and alway one of the best forwards at test level.

  • Want to have your say about this player? Add a comment.

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

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1996, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, Match Video, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1994, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1995