Rod Silva

Rodney "Rocket" Silva is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of indigenous background who played in the 1980s and 1990s for Eastern Suburbs and Canterbury-Bankstown.[2]

For the American businessman/politician, see Rod Silva (businessman).

Rodney Silva
Personal information
Full nameRodney Silva
Born (1967-12-10) 10 December 1967
Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight84 kg (13 st 3 lb)
Playing information
PositionFullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1988–94 Eastern Suburbs 92 34 0 0 136
1995–01 Canterbury Bulldogs 100 56 0 0 224
Total 192 90 0 0 360
Source: [1]
As of 23 October 2019

Playing career

Silva initially played rugby league for Eastern Suburbs between 1988 and 1994. He made his first grade debut for the club in round 20 1988 against the Gold Coast Giants at Seagulls Stadium.[3]

Silva was named Dally M Fullback of the Year in 1993, but in 1995, Phil Gould joined Eastern Suburbs as coach and moved Silva to reserve grade, ultimately cutting him from the team.

In the middle of the 1995 season Silva joined the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and took their troubled fullback position, ultimately scoring the final try in Canterbury's grand final win against Manly-Warringah that September.[4][5]

In the 1998 NRL season, Silva played 13 games as Canterbury finished ninth on the table and qualified for the finals. Canterbury proceeded to make the 1998 NRL Grand Final after winning four sudden death elimination matches in a row including the club's famous preliminary final victory over rivals Parramatta which is considered to be one of the greatest comebacks of all time. After being down 2—18 with less than 10 minutes remaining, Canterbury scored three tries including one by Silva to take the game into extra-time before winning the match 32—20.[6][7]

The following week, Silva played at fullback for Canterbury in their loss to the Brisbane Broncos in the 1998 NRL Grand Final. Silva was also instrumental in Canterbury's Reserve Grade Grand Final win over the Penrith Panthers in 2000. Silva retired from professional rugby league in 2001. It has been remarked that he is the last of the pedigree of NRL players that also worked as police officers.[8][9]

Notes
  1. "Rod Silva - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  2. "Koori Cops". World News. SBS. 9 May 2003. Archived from the original on 4 September 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2008.
  3. "Men's Honour Roll". Sydney Roosters.
  4. "Top 5 grand final moments for Canterbury Bulldogs". The Daily Telegraph.
  5. "BULLDOGS V ROOSTERS: FROM BLUE & WHITE EYES". Rugbyleague.com. 4 April 2008. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2008.
  6. "Top 10 preliminary final heartbreaks". www.nrl.com.
  7. "Memorable Match: 1998 Preliminary Final". www.bulldogs.com.au.
  8. "Taking Rugby League by Force". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 March 2005. Retrieved 10 September 2008.
  9. "BULLDOGS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB - OFFICIAL WEBSITE". thebulldogs.com.au.


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