Sam Backo
Personal information
Full name	Samuel Backo
Nickname	Slammin' Sam
Born	1 January 1961 (1961-01-01) (age 48)
Playing information
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Position	Prop
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
	Fortitude Valley
1983–88	Canberra Raiders	115	15	0	0	60
1988–89	Leeds
1989–90	Brisbane Broncos	20	3	0	0	12
	Total	135	18	0	0	72
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1988–90	Queensland	7	3	0	0	12
1988–89	Australia	6	3	0	0	12
Source: Rugby League Project and Yesterday's Hero

Sam Backo (born 1 January 1961) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s who represented Queensland and Australia. In the New South Wales Rugby League premiership he played for the Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos, primarily as a prop forward. Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series and since his retirement was named in an Indigenous Australian team of the century.

[edit] Early career

Originally from Ingham, Queensland, Backo is the son of former chairwoman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Evelyn Scott^[1]. He was a forward for Cairns in the Queensland Rugby League's Northern Division before moving south to Woden Valley in the New South Wales Country Rugby League's Group 8 competition in 1981. The following year he returned to his home state to play for Yeppoon in the Central Division competition.

[edit] BRL and Canberra

After playing with Valleys in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership, in 1983 Backo was given his first opportunity in the NSWRFL, playing five matches at second-row for new club, the Canberra Raiders in their second season. He made his debut on 19 March against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Redfern Oval. From 1984, he was a regular member of the starting line-up at Canberra and appeared in his, and the club's, first grand final appearance against Manly in 1987.

While in his final season at Canberra, Backo was first selected to play State of Origin football for the Queensland Maroons in the 1988 series. He played in all three games at prop forward, scoring one try in game II and two tries in game III. Queensland won the series in a three game whitewash. In games II and III Backo won consecutive man-of-the-match awards, one of only a handful of players to do so. Selected for the test series against Great Britain played in Australia in 1988, Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series. At the end of the 1988 season Backo was the Dally M front rower of the year. During his career with Canberra, Backo scored a total of 15 tries in 115 first-grade matches.

[edit] RFL and Brisbane

Moving to England, Backo played for Leeds in the 1988-89 Rugby Football League season. Backo's final two seasons of top-level football, 1989 and 1990, were spent in Queensland, with the Brisbane Broncos. Backo also participated in the 1989 tour of New Zealand. Backo played in a further four games for the Maroons - games II and III of the 1989 series and games II and III of the 1990 series despite his knee problems, which limited his participation with his club to only five appearances during 1990 and eventually forced his retirement at the end of the season. Although selected for the 1990 Australia team to play France, he was forced to withdraw because of his ongoing knee injury. In total, Backo played in six Tests and scored three tries.

In 1991, Backo made a short-lived return to football to play for Logan Scorpions in the Brisbane competition.

[edit] Post playing

Backo was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for his contribution to Australia's standing in rugby league.^[2]

The Indigenous Team of the Century was announced in 2001 with Backo included in the starting line-up which also included Arthur Beetson, Gorden Tallis and John Ferguson.^[3]

In 2004, Backo was named in the Canberra Raider's All Indigenous team.^[4]

His son, Daniel Backo is currently signed to the North Queensland Cowboys.

[edit] References

• Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. pp. page 16. ISBN 9781877082931. 
• Malcolm Andrews (1992). ABC of Rugby League. Sydney, New South Wales: ABC Enterprises. pp. page 32. ISBN 0733301762. 
• Gary Lester (1986). Rugby League Action '85. Sydney, New South Wales: John Fairfax Marketing. pp. page 17. ISBN 0909558833. 

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

• Sam Backo at yesterdayshero.com.au
• Sam Backo at nrlstats.com
• Sam Backo stats at rugbyleagueproject.com
• Sam Backo at the State of Origin official website.
• Sam Backo biography at Foley Shield fan site