David Fairleigh

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Tuesday, 1st September, 1970
Current Age
53 years and 210 days
Place Of Birth
Gosford, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Rothmans Medal
1994
Dally M Second Rower Of The Year
1996

Known Family Links

Brother
Jason Fairleigh

Biography

Originally from Ourimbah on the NSW Central Coast David Fairleigh overcame leg injuries with Norths in 1990 to gain NSW selection the following year. The strapping second rower was again selected on the bench for NSW in 1993 before getting a ‘run-on’ start in the third match of the series. Despite his excellent form in 1994 Fairleigh was not selected in any State of Origin match but gained a place in the Australian Test team against France when Bradley Clyde withdrew. Fairleigh went on to win the Rothmans Medal that year (in a result that was allegedly leaked to the media and became the centre of a betting scandal) and was one of the first forwards picked on the 1994 Kangaroo Tour. After a solid start to the tour he was selected as a reserve for the Second Test but withdrew on the morning of the match with a virus. Fairleigh went on to play the remaining two Tests on the tour, again from the interchange bench, and scored a try in Australia's 74-0 thrashing of France. In the tumult of Super League signings in early 1995 Fairleigh pledged his allegiance to the ARL and was again used from the interchange bench at State of Origin level. His only Test appearance after the 1994 Kangaroo Tour was against nondescript Fiji and Papua New Guinea teams in 1996. Following Norths’ merger with Manly at the end of 1999 Fairleigh moved to Newcastle and earned the club’s Player of the Year award. 2001 saw him play for St Helens, in England, before returning to Newcastle as an assistant coach.
- 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 219 37 -   - 148 131 81 7 59.82% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 3 1 -   - 4 2 1 0 66.67% List
State of Origin 10 - -   - - 4 6 0 40.00% List
City vs Country 5 - -   - - 2 3 0 40.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 15 5 -   - 20 15 0 0 100.00% List
NRL Finals 10 - -   - - 4 6 0 40.00% List
Test Series 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
The Ashes 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
World Club Challenge 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Challenge Cup 4 - -   - - 4 0 0 100.00% List
Super League 27 8 -   - 32 18 7 2 66.67% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1994, 1996 6 2 -   - 8 6 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 10 - -   - - 4 6 0 40.00% List
NSW City 1992-96 5 - -   - - 2 3 0 40.00% List
Overall1991-1997 15 0 0   0 - 6 9 0 40.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney NSWRL 1989 3 - -   - - 1 2 0 33.33% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1990 18 6 -   - 24 7 11 0 38.89% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1991 12 - -   - - 9 3 0 75.00% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1992 21 1 -   - 4 10 10 1 47.62% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1993 15 2 -   - 8 10 4 1 66.67% List
North Sydney NSWRL 1994 24 6 -   - 24 18 5 1 75.00% List
North Sydney ARL 1995 19 6 -   - 24 10 8 1 52.63% List
North Sydney ARL 1996 23 9 -   - 36 16 5 2 69.57% List
North Sydney ARL 1997 23 4 -   - 16 14 9 0 60.87% List
North Sydney NRL 1998 22 1 -   - 4 15 7 0 68.18% List
North Sydney NRL 1999 13 1 -   - 4 6 7 0 46.15% List
Newcastle NRL 2000 26 1 -   - 4 15 10 1 57.69% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney 1989-99 193 36 -   - 144 116 71 6 60.10% List
Newcastle 2000 26 1 -   - 4 15 10 1 57.69% List
Overall1989-2000 219 37 0   0 148 131 81 7 59.82% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St Helens 2001 32 8 -   - 32 23 7 2 71.88% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
St Helens 2001 32 8 -   - 32 23 7 2 71.88% List

Your Say

  • Col the Bear
    05/02/2011

    David Fairleigh is also a member of the North Sydney Team of the Century (second row).

  • Anonymous
    20/07/2020

    One of the bears best

  • 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, Max Turner, Greg Fiveash, Steven Russo, Bill Bates

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1996, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2000, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2001, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, 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, Richard Bailey's Rugby League World