Stephen Kearney
Personal information
Full name	Stephen Peter Kearney
Born	11 June 1972 (1972-06-11) (age 37)
	Paraparaumu, New Zealand
Playing information
Height	191cm
Weight	103kg
Position	Second-row
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1992–94	Wests Magpies	46	6	0	0	24
1995–98	Auckland Warriors	79	11	0	0	44
1999–04	Melbourne Storm	139	20	0	0	80
2005	Hull	24	5	0	0	20
	Total	288	42	0	0	168
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1993–04	New Zealand	47	9	0	0	36
Coaching information
Representative
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
2008–	New Zealand	8	4	1	3	50
Source: RLP

Stephen Peter Kearney, ONZM (born 11 June 11, 1972 in Paraparaumu, New Zealand) is a professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently coaches the New Zealand national team. As a player he spent most of his career, which spanned from the early 90s to the mid 2000s and included an NRL premiership and a Challenge Cup win as well as time spent as the captain of the New Zealand team, in the second row position.

[edit] Playing career

Kearney started his career with the Kapiti Bears. Turning professional he moved to Australia to play for the Western Suburbs Magpies in 1992 in what is now the National Rugby League competition. In 1993 he became the New Zealand national team's youngest test captain. He left the Magpies at the end of 1994, returning home to play for the Auckland Warriors in their inaugural season. At the end of that season he traveled to England to represent New Zealand in the 1995 World Cup. He missed the first Test match against a re-unified Australian team in 1998 due to suspension.^[1]

Kearney remained a Warrior until 1999 when he moved to Melbourne to join the Melbourne Storm, helping them to their first Grand Final victory that year.^[2] He then finished his career with English club Hull FC in Europe's Super League competition, playing in their 2005 Challenge Cup-winning side.

[edit] Coaching career

In 2006 Kearney retired and returned to Australia to take up a role as assistant coach at his old club, the Melbourne Storm, under Craig Bellamy. In 2008 Kearney was appointed as the New Zealand Kiwis' head coach on a two-year contract.^[3]

Kearney (with assistant Wayne Bennett) coached the Kiwis to their first Rugby League World Cup win on 22 November, 2008, at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, defeating Ausralia 34–20.^[4] As a result he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday honours list.^[5]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Kiwi Player Profiles: Stephen Kearney
• Stephen Kearney Player Profile at Hull FC
• Article on Kapiti Bears website: Stephen Kearney - a role model for young Rugby League players.