Michael Neil

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Wednesday, 29th April, 1964
Current Age
59 years and 363 days

Known Family Links

Brother
Craig Neil
Alan Neil

Biography

Wests junior, a wiry competitor at five-eighth or half, made up for his lack of pace with a never-say-die attitude. Neil played in consecutive grand final losses with the Tigers but almost snatched victory in 1989 when he was ankle-tapped by Mal Meninga when he looked set to score. Neil’s career looked to be in decline when he switched to the Steelers but his whole-hearted efforts saw him snare a first grade position just prior to the club’s entry into the semi-finals. Neil's big-match experience held the club in good stead during the 1992 semi-final series but he then left the club to play a season with Salford in England. He ended his career with the Tigers during the club's wooden spoon season in 1994.
- 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 %  
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) 168 26 -   - 104 81 82 5 48.21% List
National Panasonic Cup 8 2 -   - 8 6 2 0 75.00% List
NSWRFL/NSWRL Finals 11 - -   - - 6 5 0 54.55% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
English Championship 9 1 -   - 4 2 7 0 22.22% List


Club Career

NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Western Suburbs NSWRFL 1983 5 1 -   - 4 1 3 1 20.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRL 1984 13 1 -   - 4 0 13 0 0.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRL 1985 20 3 -   - 12 4 14 2 20.00% List
Western Suburbs NSWRL 1986 10 2 -   - 8 3 6 1 30.00% List
Balmain NSWRL 1987 15 2 -   - 8 9 6 0 60.00% List
Balmain NSWRL 1988 24 3 -   - 12 17 7 0 70.83% List
Balmain NSWRL 1989 23 4 -   - 16 16 6 1 69.57% List
Balmain NSWRL 1990 18 7 -   - 28 14 4 0 77.78% List
Balmain NSWRL 1991 5 1 -   - 4 2 3 0 40.00% List
Illawarra NSWRL 1992 12 - -   - - 6 6 0 50.00% List
Illawarra NSWRL 1993 11 2 -   - 8 7 4 0 63.64% List
Balmain NSWRL 1994 12 - -   - - 2 10 0 16.67% List

NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Western Suburbs 1983-86 48 7 -   - 28 8 36 4 16.67% List
Balmain 1987-91, 1994 97 17 -   - 68 60 36 1 61.86% List
Illawarra 1992-93 23 2 -   - 8 13 10 0 56.52% List
Overall1983-1994 168 26 0   0 104 81 82 5 48.21% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Salford 1993/94 9 1 -   - 4 2 7 0 22.22% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Salford 1993 9 1 -   - 4 2 7 0 22.22% List

Your Say

  • graham parker
    13/01/2012

    a very good player in his day, with a professional attitude, who always gave 100%, and also one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet.

  • Anonymous
    16/04/2014

    Michael Neil was a very elusive and durable footballer on the field.He is now very elusive walking down the street,due to his jet black hair.Yeah Yeah

  • Dean Felber
    21/11/2015

    the best boot lace defensive player I have ever seen.unlucky not to win a premiership 88 89 for Balmain.any young Wests tiger trying to improve there game take a leaf out of Micky Niels book the man is a legend who often gets left behind bye the bigger names but without players that like that Balmain tigers may not have ever made two grand finals back to back.

  • Anonymous
    14/09/2018

    Loved watching this guy player, no more than 75kg soaking wet, but played well above that. stood offside and tackled anything that moved.

  • Anonymous
    05/04/2019

    Played well above his weight. Brilliant in his Balmain days

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

Sources: 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, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1994-95