Ian Roberts

English-born Souths junior showed promise in his early career as a forward but had to overcome a series of injuries to reach his full potential in the Test arena. Despite not having played for either NSW or Australia, and with only a lower grade premiership to his credit (1986), Roberts signed a huge contract with Manly in 1990 and quickly justified his value with State of Origin selection and a Test debut against NZ. Hopes for Kangaroo selection that year were shattered when he suffered a serious groin tear in Manly’s semi-final match against Brisbane. Roberts returned in 1991 to play in three Tests against NZ (two as a reserve) and tour Papua New Guinea at season's end. 1993 was disappointing in comparison but he returned to the Australian Test team in 1994 (after being cleared of a questionable tackle on Jason Smith in NSW's State of Origin success), to score two tries against France at P’matta Stadium. In 1994 Roberts finally made a Kangaroo Tour, leading the way up front in Australia's Ashes-winning 24-3 Third Test victory at Elland Road. After being courted by the ARL, Roberts signed with Super League despite the fact that his club, and coach Bob Fulton, remained loyal to the game's controlling body. He sat out Manly’s premiership-winning season because of injury and the protracted Super League dispute, at which time he became the first league player to openly declare his homosexuality. Joining the Nth Queensland North Queensland for 1997’s Super League season, his career wound down in 1998 under the increasing weight of injuries. After his retirement, Roberts joined NIDA to pursue an acting career and served on the NRL Judiciary in 2001. Autobiography: Finding Out (1997).