Robbie McCormack

McCormack began his career with the Newcastle Knights in that club's inaugural 1988 season, when he impressed the critics with his skill at five-eighth.^[2] However, in the following 1989 season, McCormack – switched briefly to lock forward – suffered a "sickening" double leg fracture in the sixth game and spent the remainder of the season on the sidelines.^[3] In the following two seasons McCormack, played mainly at centre, and, although doubts as to his physical fitness were removed during 1990, he lost form badly during the Knights' disappointing 1991 season and was out of first grade for nine weeks.

However, when tried at for the first time at hooker in 1992 against Manly at Carlaw Park, McCormack impressed immediately for his workrate^[4] and his ability to dart out of the dummy half position. McCormack was selected to represent New South Wales in game I of the 1992 State of Origin series and game II of the 1993 series when he replaced Benny Elias as hooker. Eventually becoming captain of the Knights, he was signed by Newcastle's new cross-town rivals the Hunter Mariners for the 1997 Super League (Australia) season. After that McCormack moved to the Super League to play for English club Wigan Warriors. He was named in 1998's Super League Dream Team.^[5] He also played at hooker for Wigan Warriors in their 1998 Super League Grand Final victory over Leeds Rhinos.