David Furner (born 6 February, 1971) is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Canberra Raiders of the NRL. Furner spent his whole Australian playing career with the Raiders as well and left the club as the greatest point-scoring forward in Australian rugby league history before enjoying a successful career in England.

David Furner is the son of former Canberra Raiders and Australian Kangaroos coach, Don Furner.

[edit] Playing career

Furner attended St. Edmund's College, Canberra. Before embarking on a successful career in rugby league, Furner was a Queanbeyan Whites rugby union junior and a member of the Australian under-17 and under-21 rugby union team.

Furner switched to rugby league in 1991 when he joined the Canberra Raiders. He made his first-grade debut in round 2 of the 1992 season against Manly-Warringah.

Furner was part of the 1994 Canberra Raiders premiership team, winning the Clive Churchill Medal for Man of the Match. Furner's strong performance led to his selection for the 1994 Kangaroo squad. Furner's father, Don, chairman of selectors, abstained from voting.

When Furner left Canberra at the end of the 2000 season, he had surpassed Bernie Purcell's record as the highest point-scoring forward in the game with 1218 points. Also in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby legaue.

After leaving Canberra, Furner moved to the English Super League where he played for the Wigan Warriors, with whom he won the Challenge Cup and the Leeds Rhinos, with whom he won the Super League Grand Final.

[edit] Coaching career

On his return to Australia from England, Furner took on a role as assistant-coach at the Canberra Raiders in 2006. In 2008, following Neil Henry's appointment as coach for the North Queensland Cowboys, Furner was named as Canberra's coach for 2009.

Following a poor start to the Raiders 2009 NRL season, with Canberra only winning 4 games from 13, Furner has found himself criticised for the style the Raiders play and how different it is to their 2008 season style. ^[1]

[edit] References

[edit] Sources

• Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. pp. page 176. ISBN 9781877082931. 

[edit] External links

• David Furner stats at rugbyleagueproject.com
• David Furner at yesterdayshero.com.au
• Profile at leedsrugby

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