''For the Canadian poet and academic, see Wayne Clifford.'' Wayne Clifford is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s. He played for Illawarra in the ARL and NRL competitions.

Playing career

Clifford made his first-grade debut for Illawarra in round 6 of the

1996 ARL season The 1996 ARL premiership (also known as the 1996 Optus Cup due to sponsorship from Optus) was the 89th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the second to be administered by the Australian Rugby League (ARL). Twenty team ...

against South Queensland at WIN Stadium. In the

1997 ARL season The 1997 Australian Rugby League season was the 90th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the third season run by the Australian Rugby League. While several clubs had left the League to compete in the 1997 Super Leagu ...

, Clifford played 23 matches and finished as Illawarra's top try scorer with 14 tries as the club qualified for the second finals series. Clifford played in Illawarra's elimination finals loss to the Gold Coast Chargers. In the

1998 NRL season 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...

, Clifford played 12 matches in what would be Illawarra's final year in the competition. At the end of the season, Illawarra formed a joint-venture with

St. George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

to form

St. George Illawarra The St. George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing both the Illawarra and St George regions of New South Wales. The club has competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 after a joint-ve ...

. No contract was made available to Clifford to join the new team.

References

Illawarra Steelers players Australian rugby league players Rugby league wingers 1975 births Living people Place of birth missing (living people) {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1990s-stub