Julian O'Neill

Former Australian Schoolboy rep from Yeppoon settled into the fullback role with the Broncos after an injury to Paul Hauff in 1992. O’Neill quickly took his place in Brisbane’s successful grand final and World Club Championship teams, while his time with Widnes in the 1992-93 off-season sharpened his considerable skills. He made his State of Origin debut at five-eighth the following year and landed a goal in Brisbane’s 14-6 grand final victory over St George. O’Neill played in all three interstate matches in 1994, scoring a try in the first match and landing two goals in the third. However, his career nose-dived when the Broncos sacked him on disciplinary grounds. Joining the London Broncos, he was sent back to Australia after a drink-driving incident and joined the W’Reds. For a while his career regained momentum - playing for Australia in Super League’s ANZac Test before capturing the Queensland fullback spot in the opening match of the Tri-Series competition. A record-setter with the Reds (most tries and most points in an individual match, 26pts), he was again sacked by his club for disciplinary reasons. In 1998 O’Neill was given a lifeline by the struggling Souths club but did not see eye-to-eye with coach Steve Martin and spent some time in the Rabbitohs’ President’s Cup team. The club appeared to back O’Neill when they cancelled Martin’s contract midway through the season but their patience was tested following O’Neill’s involvement in the trashing of a Dubbo hotel during a pre-season Country Carnival competition. Although Souths stopped short of sacking him, the NRL at first refused to allow O’Neill to return to grade football until they were satisfied that he was seeking an appropriate course of professional counselling. A player of undeniable talent, he gave two years good service to the battling North Queensland North Queensland and was called into Queensland’s struggling State of Origin team in 2000. O’Neill’s family endured the personal tragedy of the death of his infant daughter just before joining English club Wigan in 2002. He was a Challenge Cup winner with the club that year but was transferred to Widnes by coach Stuart Raper in 2003 when the club struggled in the early part of the season.