View source for Cliff Lyons

{{short description|Australian international rugby league footballer}}
{{For|the stuntman and film actor|Cliff Lyons (actor)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name           = Cliff Lyons
|fullname       = Clifford Raymond Lyons
|image          = Cliff Lyons (24 October 2008) 2.jpg
|imagesize      =
|caption        = <small>Lyons in 2008</small>
|position       = {{rlp|FE|LK|}}
|birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1961|10|19|df=yes}}
|birth_place    = [[Narrandera]], [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]
|height         = {{convert|178|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight         = {{convert|89|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|club1          = {{nowrap|[[North Sydney Bears]]}}
|year1start     = 1985
|year1end       = 
|appearances1   = 23
|tries1         = 7
|goals1         = 4
|fieldgoals1    = 1
|points1        = 37
|club2          = [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]
|year2start     = 1985 
|year2end       = 86
|appearances2   = 41
|tries2         = 9
|goals2         = 0
|fieldgoals2    = 2
|points2        = 38
|club3          = [[Sheffield Eagles]]
|year3start     = 1986 
|year3end       = 87
|appearances3   = 6
|tries3         = 3
|goals3         = 3
|fieldgoals3    = 0
|points3        = 18
|club4          = [[Manly Warringah Sea Eagles|Manly Warringah]]
|year4start     = 1986 
|year4end       = 99
|appearances4   = 309
|tries4         = 80
|goals4         = 5
|fieldgoals4    = 6
|points4        = 336
|club5          = [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]
|year5start     = 1988
|year5end       = 89
|appearances5   = 12
|tries5         = 7
|goals5         = 0
|fieldgoals5    = 0
|points5        = 28
|teamA          = [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]]
|yearAstart     = 1987 
|yearAend       = 91
|appearancesA   = 6
|triesA         = 1
|goalsA         = 0
|fieldgoalsA    = 0
|pointsA        = 4
|teamB          = [[City New South Wales rugby league team|City Origin]]
|yearBstart     = 1988
|yearBend       = 92
|appearancesB   = 3
|triesB         = 0
|goalsB         = 0
|fieldgoalsB    = 0
|pointsB        = 0
|teamC          = Rest of the World
|yearCstart     = 1988
|yearCend       = 
|appearancesC   = 1
|triesC         = 0
|goalsC         = 0
|fieldgoalsC    = 0
|pointsC        = 0
|teamD          = [[Australian Kangaroos|Australia]]
|yearDstart     = 1990 
|yearDend       = 91
|appearancesD   = 6
|triesD         = 2
|goalsD         = 0
|fieldgoalsD    = 0
|pointsD        = 8
|updated        = 8 June 2013
|source         = <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111004165814/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Cliff-Lyons_11065.aspx Yesterday's Hero]</ref><ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/cliff-lyons/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref>
}}

'''Cliff Lyons''' (born 19 October 1961) is an indigenous Australian former international [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A [[Clive Churchill Medal]]list and two-time [[Dally M Medal]]list, he made 309 first-grade appearances with the [[Manly Warringah Sea Eagles]], winning grand finals with them in [[1987 NSWRL season#Grand final|1987]] and [[1996 ARL season#Grand Final|1996]]. Lyons also represented [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] and [[Australian Kangaroos|Australia]], being part of the successful [[1990 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France]].

Lyons, known as ''Napper'' or ''Cliffy'' to his mates, started his rugby league career playing {{rlp|LK}} forward, but was often moved into the {{rlp|FE}} role which is where he was considered to be at his best. It was at five-eighth that [[Manly Warringah Sea Eagles]] coach [[Bob Fulton]] started playing Lyons on a permanent basis. Lyons' success with the Sea Eagles, winning premierships in 1987 and 1996, saw him selected in the [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles#Notable players|Manly Sea Eagles 60th Anniversary Dream Team]] in 2006, being named on the bench of the 17-man line-up. He was notable for his elusive cross-field runs, creating doubt in the minds of defenders and setting up gaps for support players, most famously second-rower [[Steve Menzies]], to run back into.

==Biography==
===Background===
Born in [[Narrandera, New South Wales]] on 19 October 1961, Lyons played junior rugby league with [[Gundagai Tigers]]. As a teenager he moved to the [[Cronulla, New South Wales|Cronulla]] district as a boarder from [[Tregear, New South Wales|Tregear]] near [[Mount Druitt]]. Lyons was graded as a second rower with the [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]] in 1981. He played with the [[Gundagai]] Tigers in the [[Group 9 Rugby League|Group 9]] competition for three seasons, from where he represented [[Riverina]] against [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]] in 1982 and against [[Great Britain Lions|Great Britain]] in 1984.

===Playing career===
====1980s====
Lyons entered the [[NSWRFL Premiership]] for the first time with the [[North Sydney Bears]] midway through 1984, following his Riverina coach [[Greg Hawick]]. He made his first grade début for the Bears in Round 2 of the [[1985 NSWRL season]], playing {{rlp|fe}}, and contributing a field goal in a 15–10 win over the [[Illawarra Steelers]] at the [[Wollongong Showground]]. He then played in England in the Australian off-season with stays with [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]] ([[1985–86 Rugby Football League season|1985–86]]) and [[Sheffield Eagles]] ([[1986–87 Rugby Football League season|1986–87]]).

Lyons moved to the neighbouring team, the [[Bob Fulton]]-coached [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]] for the [[1986 NSWRL season]], though he mostly played at lock forward that year due to a broken arm suffered by regular lock and team captain [[Paul Vautin]]. This saw Fulton play former Wallaby [[Mitchell Cox (rugby, born 1958)|Mitchell Cox]] at five-eighth for most of the season with mixed results. Manly finished 4th at the end of the minor round with 14 wins, 9 losses, a draw (plus 2 byes) and were bundled out in a 29–22 loss to [[Balmain Tigers|Balmain]] in the Minor Preliminary Semi-final.

With Vautin fully recovered by the start of the [[1987 NSWRL season|1987 season]], Lyons became the Sea Eagles' first choice five-eighth alongside speedy [[Australian Kangaroos]] test half back [[Des Hasler]]. Lyons made his [[State of Origin series|State of Origin]] début for [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] in Game 2 of [[1987 State of Origin series]] on a wet and muddy [[Sydney Cricket Ground]], beating out [[Canterbury Bulldogs|Canterbury-Bankstown]] pivot and 1986 Kangaroo tourist [[Terry Lamb]] as the Blues' five-eighth at the end of the representative career of [[Brett Kenny]], and playing opposite the King of Origin football, Australian and [[Queensland Maroons|Queensland]] captain [[Wally Lewis]]. Lyons also played in 1987's exhibition state of Origin match in [[Los Angeles]]. Manly went on to record a new club record of 12 straight wins during the season which culminated in the 1987 Grand Final against the [[Canberra Raiders]]. Lyons scored the only try of the first half against the Raiders after a strong 25m run from a scrum win, but it was his damaging runs that cut holes in the Raiders defence that saw him win the [[Clive Churchill Medal]] as man of the match. Following the grand final victory he travelled with Manly to England for the [[1987 World Club Challenge]] against the 1986–87 English champions, [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]]. In front of an official 36,895 fans at [[Wigan]]'s [[Central Park (Wigan)|Central Park]] (though many in attendance believe the crowd to be closer to 50,000), Wigan stunned the [[Winfield Cup]] premiers 8–2 in a try-less game.

Despite being born and bred in the country, Lyons made the first of three appearances for [[City New South Wales rugby league team|City Origin]] in 1988 in the annual [[City vs Country Origin]] game. He appeared in two games of the [[1988 State of Origin series]], vying for the five-eighth position with Terry Lamb. At the end of the [[1988 NSWRL season]], Lyons made his international début when he was selected on the bench for a Rest of the World team that narrowly lost 30–28 to [[Great Britain Lions|Great Britain]] at [[Headingley Stadium#Headingley Carnegie Stadium|Headingley]] in [[Leeds]], England. Joining Lyons in the side were his Manly teammates [[Dale Shearer]] ({{rlp|FB}}), [[Michael O'Connor (rugby)|Michael O'Connor]] ({{rlp|CE}}) and [[Noel Cleal|Noel "Crusher" Cleal]] (Second-row), as well as fellow Australians [[Steve Ella]] (5/8), [[Allan Langer]] ({{rlp|HB}}) and [[Sam Backo]] ({{rlp|PR}}). During the [[1988–89 Rugby Football League season]] Lyons played at {{rlp|so}}, and was awarded the [[White Rose Trophy]] as [[player of the match|man of the match]] in [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]' 33–12 victory over [[Castleford Tigers|Castleford]] in the [[1988 Yorkshire Cup]] Final at [[Elland Road]], [[Leeds]] on Sunday 16 October 1988.

====1990s====
Lyons' ability to set up tries for his support players with his unpredictable weaving runs saw him consistently win player awards, culminating in his 'breakthrough' season in [[1990 NSWRL season|1990]], age 29. After winning the coveted Gold '[[Dally M Award|Dally M' award]] for Player of the Year in the regular club season he received his call-up to the Australian team on the [[1990 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France]]. Australia lost the first Test 19–14 at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] (the Kangaroos first loss on English soil since [[1978 Kangaroo tour|1978]]), and Lyons was thrust into the second Test side at [[Old Trafford]]. He repaid the faith shown in him by his former club coach Fulton by finishing one of the best team tries ever seen in a Test as Australia kept [[The Ashes (rugby league)|The Ashes]] alive with 14–10 win over Great Britain. Lyons then produced a solid display in the third Test as Australia retained The Ashes with a resounding 14–0 win at [[Elland Road]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4IYW4kwrQU Great Britain vs Australia 1990 (Test Series Highlights)]</ref> He then went on to play in both winning Tests against [[France national rugby league team|France]], being named man-of-the-match for the 34-10 second test win at the [[Stade Gilbert Brutus]] in [[Perpignan]].

Lyons again played for NSW in the [[1991 State of Origin series]], but lost his [[Test match (rugby league)|test]] place to a returning [[Wally Lewis]] for the first test of the [[1991 Trans-Tasman Test series]] against [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]], and then was passed over in favour of North Sydney pivot [[Peter Jackson (rugby league)|Peter Jackson]] for the final two tests. At the end of the [[1991 NSWRL season]] Manly finished in 2nd place behind eventual premiers [[Penrith Panthers|Penrith]] in the minor round, but bombed out in straight sets in the finals with losses to North Sydney and Canberra. Lyons was then selected for the Australian national team for the [[1991 Kangaroo tour of Papua New Guinea]], regaining his test spot due to an injury to Jackson. On tour he played in both test matches for Australia against the [[Papua New Guinea Kumuls]], scoring a try in the first test in [[Goroka]] in which he partnered Manly teammate [[Geoff Toovey]] in the halves, but was relegated to the bench for the final test against the Kumuls in [[Port Moresby]].

Cliff Lyons was particularly in his element in [[rugby league sevens]] competitions, winning the 'Player of the Competition' during Manly's 1994 Sevens' win and captaining an Aboriginal 'Dream Team' in the 1996 competition. Despite winning his second Gold 'Dally M' award in [[1994 NSWRL season|1994]], as well as becoming Manly's first ''[[Rugby League Week]] "Player of the Year"'' since his coach Bob Fulton had won in [[1975 NSWRFL season|1975]] (and the club's last as of [[2016 NRL season|2016]]), he missed selection for that year's Kangaroo tour at the age of 33 in favour of younger players.

Lyons resisted a lucrative offer from the [[WA Reds|Western Reds]] to stay with the Sea Eagles in [[1995 ARL season|1995]], and went on to play in three consecutive grand finals from 1995 to 1997, winning his second premiership in [[1996 ARL season#Grand Final|1996]] with a 20–8 win over [[St. George Dragons|St. George]]. At the end of the [[1998 NRL season|1998 season]], in which he was mainly used off the bench, Lyons reluctantly retired after not being offered a contract.

In January 1999 Lyons was playing for Warringah in a [[rugby sevens]] competition, but following the Sea Eagles' disastrous start to the [[1999 NRL season]], he made a comeback with the club, passing the 300 first-grade game mark late in the season. He became the oldest player in the NRL at 37 years and 313 days,<ref>{{Cite news 
| last = Toohey
| first = Barry
| title = Still some bite in old Mad Dog
| work = [[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]
| place = Australia
| date = 2 February 2011
| url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/still-some-bite-in-old-mad-dog/story-e6frfgbo-1225998290314
| access-date = 2 February 2011}}</ref> and also retired with Manly's club record for most first-grade appearances.<ref>[http://www.seaeagles.com.au/club-records Club records] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818114958/http://www.seaeagles.com.au/club-records |date=18 August 2012 }} at seaeagles.com.au</ref> At the end of the year, Lyons was named Aboriginal Sportsman of the Year (tied with [[Nicky Winmar]]) and captained Australian Aborigines in an unofficial 'test' against [[Papua New Guinea national rugby league team|Papua New Guinea]] in [[Cairns]].
[[File:Cliff Lyons.jpg|thumb|right|Lyons in 2008]]

====2000s====
In the year 2000, Lyons was awarded the [[Australian Sports Medal]] for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league. Cut from the newly formed [[Northern Eagles]] at year's end, he signed with Umina and captain-coached the Central Coast club in 2001, the year he celebrated his 40th birthday.

Lyons made a cameo appearance in the 2006 film, ''[[Footy Legends]]''.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Maddox
| first = Gary
| title = Lights, camera, scrum feed: league hits the big screen
| work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
| date = 2007-07-26
| url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/film/lights-camera-scrum-feed-league-hits-the-big-screen/2006/07/25/1153816182897.html
| access-date = 2009-10-07}}</ref>

Lyons' 309 first grade games for Manly is the club record. Into his 40s Cliff's career continued with the [[Hornsby Lions]], and more recently the [[Narraweena Hawks]].

In 2018, Lyons was inducted in the [[National Rugby League Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/hall-of-fame/players/cliff-lyons/|title=Cliff Lyons – National Rugby League Hall of Fame|website=Hall of Fame|language=en|access-date=2019-06-01}}</ref>

===Coaching career===
Having coached Narraweena to consecutive premierships in the Manly A-Grade competition, Lyons joined moved into the [[NSW Cup]] as coach of the [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]] side just before the 2012 season.<ref>{{cite news|last=Walshaw|first=Nick|title=Geoff Toovey brings Cliffy Lyons in as NSW Cup coach to impart magic to Manly Sea Eagles|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/geoff-toovey-brings-cliffy-lyons-in-as-nsw-cup-coach-to-impart-magic-to-manly-sea-eagles/story-fn2mcuj6-1226228150361|access-date=22 December 2011|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]|location=Sydney|date=22 December 2011}}</ref>

After leading Manly to a 6th-place finish in the 2012 NSW Cup season, Lyons was replaced as Manly's NSW Cup coach for the 2013 season by former Sea Eagle [[Luke Williamson]].

== Accolades ==

* [[Dally M Medal]] Player of the Year: 1990, 1994
* Dally M Five-eighth of the Year: 1990, 1994
* [[Rugby League Week]] Player of the Year: 1994
* [[Clive Churchill Medal]] winner: 1987
* Indigenous Team of the Century: 2008<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/hall-of-fame/players/cliff-lyons/|title=Cliff Lyons – National Rugby League Hall of Fame|website=Hall of Fame|language=en|access-date=2019-06-01}}</ref>
* 2018 [[National Rugby League Hall of Fame]] inductee: #102

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*(archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20071024200724/http://www.stateoforigin.com.au/soogame/PlayerDetails.aspx?Pid=192 Cliff Lyons at stateoforigin.com.au]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070616011832/http://rl1908.com/rugby-league/Cliff-Lyons.htm Cliff Lyons – The Early Seasons at rl1908.com]
*(archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20111004165814/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Cliff-Lyons_11065.aspx Cliff Lyons at yesterdayshero.com.au]
*[http://www.menofleague.com/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38&Itemid=76 Cliff Lyons at menofleague.com]
*(archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928061424/http://www.vibe.com.au/vibe/corporate/celebrity_vibe/showceleb.asp?id=421 Article at vibe.com.au]
*[https://silvertails.net/threads/cliff-lyons-1985-to-1999.41770/ Silvertails profile]
*[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Cliff_Lyons.html Cliff Lyons stats at rugbyleagueproject.org]
* Whiticker, Alan (2000) ''From the Bush to Brookvale – the Cliff Lyons story'', Gary Allen.

{{Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles squad 1987 NSWRL premiership}}
{{Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles squad 1996 ARL premiership}}
{{1990 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{1991 Kangaroo Tour of Papua New Guinea squad}}
{{Clive Churchill Medallists}}
{{Dally M Medallists}}
{{White Rose Trophy winners}}
{{Rugby league footballers with 300 NRL games}}
{{Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 60th Anniversary Dream Team}}
{{The Indigenous Australian Rugby League Team of the Century}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyons, Cliff}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australia national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league coaches]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Clive Churchill Medal winners]]
[[Category:Indigenous Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Leeds Rhinos players]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England]]
[[Category:Manly Warringah Sea Eagles captains]]
[[Category:Manly Warringah Sea Eagles players]]
[[Category:New South Wales City Origin rugby league team players]]
[[Category:New South Wales Rugby League State of Origin players]]
[[Category:North Sydney Bears players]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:Rugby league five-eighths]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from New South Wales]]
[[Category:Sheffield Eagles (1984) players]]
[[Category:People from the Riverina]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]