Matt Hilder (born 30 April 1982) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Gold Coast and Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. He primarily played at and . Throughout his playing career he was known by two nicknames: Trouble, and Waltzing (as in " Waltzing Matilda").

Background

Hilder was born in Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia. He played his junior football for the Cronulla-Caringbah before being signed by Cronulla-Sutherland.

Playing career

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

In round 1 of the

2003 NRL season The 2003 NRL premiership was the 96th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the sixth run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen teams competed, with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles returning in place of their failed joint ...

, Hilder made his

NRL The National Rugby League (NRL) is an Australasian rugby league club competition which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. The NRL formed in 1998 as a joint partnership ...

debut for Cronulla-Sutherland against the Melbourne Storm scoring a try in a 32-36 loss. In his four years at Cronulla, Hilder played in one finals campaign which came in the

2005 NRL season The 2005 NRL season was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen teams contesting the 2005 Telst ...

. Cronulla were eliminated in the first week by rivals St George.

Gold Coast Titans

After four seasons of first-grade with Cronulla, Hilder joined the Gold Coast Titans for their inaugural season, signing a 1-year contract starting in 2007. He was a regular in first-grade, but left the club at the end of the season.

Newcastle Knights

In 2008, Hilder joined the Newcastle Knights. In 2010, Hilder won the Knights' Player of the Year award for being one of the most hardworking and consistent players in the team. On 6 September 2013, Hilder re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract. A few days after re-signing, Hilder made a return to first-grade — after being seldom used by Knights coach Wayne Bennett since early 2012 — in time to play all three of the Knights' finals games and scoring a try in his 100th Knights game and 200th

game against the Melbourne Storm. These were the final few first-grade games of his career. At the end of 2013, Hilder won the Knights' New South Wales Cup Players' Player award. In September 2014, Hilder announced his retirement from rugby league, finishing up with 201

appearances.

Representative football

In July 2013, Hilder played for the New South Wales Residents against the Queensland Residents.

Controversy

On 10 September 2006, Hilder threw a plastic chair at a man during an argument, causing head injuries. Hilder was fined $1,000.

Personal life

Hilder has a wife, Natalie and three children: two daughters, Indy and Eden, and a son, Sunny.

References

External links

2014 Newcastle Knights profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hilder, Matt 1982 births Australian rugby league players Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players Gold Coast Titans players Newcastle Knights players Macquarie Scorpions players Rugby league locks Rugby league hookers Rugby league five-eighths Living people Rugby league players from Sydney