View source for Luke Ricketson

{{Short description|Australia & Ireland international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name           = Luke "Ricko" Ricketson
|fullname       = Luke Douglas Ricketson
|image          = Luke Ricketson.jpg
|image_upright  = 0.7
|birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1973|02|05}}
|birth_place    = [[Forster, New South Wales|Forster]], New South Wales, Australia
|height         = {{convert|190|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight         = {{convert|102|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position       = {{rlp|LK|SR}}
|club1          = [[Sydney Roosters]]
|year1start     = 1991
|year1end       = 05
|appearances1   = 301
|tries1         = 40
|goals1         = 1
|fieldgoals1    = 0
|points1        = 162
|teamA          = [[City New South Wales rugby league team|City NSW]]
|yearAstart     = 1996
|yearAend       = 03
|appearancesA   = 3
|triesA         = 0
|goalsA         = 0
|fieldgoalsA    = 0
|pointsA        = 0
|teamB          = [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]]
|yearBstart     = 1999
|yearBend       = 03
|appearancesB   = 10
|triesB         = 2
|goalsB         = 0
|fieldgoalsB    = 0
|pointsB        = 8
|teamC          = [[Ireland national rugby league team|Ireland]]
|yearCstart     = 2000
|yearCend       =
|appearancesC   = 4
|triesC         = 0
|goalsC         = 0
|fieldgoalsC    = 0
|pointsC        = 0
|teamD          = [[Australian rugby league team|Australia]]
|yearDstart     = 2003
|yearDend       =
|appearancesD   = 6
|triesD         = 2
|goalsD         = 0
|fieldgoalsD    = 0
|pointsD        = 8
|teamE          = {{nowrap|[[Prime Minister's XIII]]}}
|yearEstart     = 2005
|yearEend       =
|appearancesE   = 1
|triesE         = 0
|goalsE         = 1
|fieldgoalsE    = 0
|pointsE        = 2
|new            = yes
|retired        = yes
|source         = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Luke_Ricketson/summary.html|title=Rugby League Project|accessdate=6 May 2023}}</ref>
|updated        = 15 December 2023
| module       = {{infobox person
| embed        = yes
| father       = [[Doug Ricketson]]
| mother       = 
| spouse       = 
| education    = 
| alma_mater   = 
| relatives    = 
}}
}}

'''Luke Ricketson''' (born 5 February 1973)<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/22/1058853076248.html| title = Like father like son| date = 23 July 2003}}</ref> is an Australian former professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An [[Australian national rugby league team|Australian]] and [[Ireland national rugby league team|Ireland]] international, and [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] [[State of Origin series|State of Origin]] representative back-row forward, he played his entire club football career for the [[Sydney Roosters]] of the [[National Rugby League]] (NRL).<ref name=prof>{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/Luke_Ricketson.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-02-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503062128/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/Luke_Ricketson.html |archive-date=3 May 2009 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Early life==
Ricketson was born in [[Forster, New South Wales]], Australia.<ref>{{cite news |author= |agency= |title=Like father like son |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/like-father-like-son-20030723-gdh58g.html |quote= |newspaper=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=2003-07-23 |accessdate=2021-11-18 }}</ref>

Son of former Easts player, [[Doug Ricketson]]. He started playing junior rugby league at the age of seven for [[Bondi United Rugby League Football Club|Bondi United]] in 1980.{{cn|date=December 2024}} He was then graded with [[Sydney Roosters|Eastern Suburbs]] as a local junior, debuting in first grade in round 22 of 1991 season.

==Playing career==
Ricketson made his first grade debut for Eastern Suburbs in round 22 of the [[1991 NSWRL season]] against Penrith which ended in a 42-8 loss. Ricketson was one of the ever present players at Eastern Suburbs during a tough period in the clubs history where they continually missed out on the finals. Ricketson started out his First Grade career as a {{rlp|ce}}, and gradually moved closer to the action in the middle of the field as his career went on, generally playing in the centres until he was moved into the [[Rugby league positions#second row|second row]] in [[1996 ARL season|1996]]. Ricketson played 14 games for the club in 1996 as they qualified for the finals. It was their first finals appearance since 1987. The club would subsequently qualify for the finals in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Ricketson played at [[Rugby league positions#lock|lock]] for the Sydney Roosters in their [[2000 NRL Grand Final]] loss to the [[Brisbane Broncos]].
[[File:David Jones Autumn Winter Launch (6880391119).jpg|thumb|left|Luke Ricketson with Kate Waterhouse on a [[red carpet]]]]
In 2002, Ricketson broke the record held by Roosters club legend [[Kevin Hastings]] (217) for the most club appearances. In 2014, Ricketson's eventual 301 caps, achieved upon his retirement in 2005 was overtaken by [[Anthony Minichiello]] (302). This record was subsequently surpassed by [[Mitchell Aubusson]] (306) in 2020 and [[Jared Waerea-Hargreaves]] in 2024.

Ricketson played for the Sydney Roosters at lock forward in their [[2002 NRL Grand Final]] victory against the [[New Zealand Warriors]]. Having won the [[2002 NRL Premiership]], the Sydney Roosters traveled to England to play the [[2003 World Club Challenge]] against [[Super League]] champions, [[St Helens R.F.C.]] Ricketson played at lock forward in Sydney's victory. In the [[2003 NRL grand final]], he played at lock forward for the Sydney Roosters in their loss to Penrith. Ricketson missed the [[2004 NRL grand final]] due to suspension.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.2gb.com/it-was-the-lowlight-of-my-career-former-rooster-on-grand-final-suspension-heartbreak/|title=‘It was the lowlight of my career’: Former Rooster on grand final suspension heartbreak|website=www.2gb.com}}</ref>

Ricketson retired from rugby league after the [[2005 NRL season]] having played 301 games for the Sydney Roosters, the last season as captain. He played his 300th (and penultimate) game in round 25, 2005, against the [[Brisbane Broncos]] at [[Lang Park|Suncorp Stadium]]; the Sydney Roosters marked the milestone by winning the match 17&ndash;10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-08-26/broncos-lose-top-spot/2090834|title=Broncos lose top spot|publisher=ABC News ([[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]])|first=Joel|last=Zander|date=26 August 2005|access-date=14 May 2020}}</ref>

===Representative career===
In 1996, Ricketson was first picked for [[City vs Country Origin|City Origin]]. He played again for City in 1997 but had to wait until 1999 to make his [[State of Origin series|State of Origin]] début for [[New South Wales rugby league team|NSW]], coming off the bench in all three games.{{cn|date=January 2023}}

He made his international début when he played four games for [[Ireland national rugby league team|Ireland]] at the [[2000 Rugby League World Cup]].

Ricketson made his début for [[Australian Kangaroos|Australia]] in 2003 playing in two tests at [[Rugby league positions#Loose forward|lock]] against New Zealand. After that he was selected to go on the [[2003 Kangaroo tour]], on which he played all three tests against [[Great Britain Lions|Great Britain]] as Australia retained [[The Ashes (rugby league)|The Ashes]] winning all three games. Ricketson scored two tries in the last test at the [[McAlpine Stadium]] in [[Huddersfield]].{{cn|date=January 2023}}

==Post playing==
He appeared on the fourth series on the Australian version of [[Dancing with the Stars (Australian TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]].{{cn|date=January 2023}}

==Personal life==
Ricketson is married to journalist Kate Waterhouse who is the daughter of horse trainer [[Gai Waterhouse]]. They have 2 children.<ref>{{cite web | title=Kate and Luke celebrate adorable arrival | website=dailytelegraph | date=9 August 2016 | url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/adorable-arrival-kate-waterhouse-and-luke-ricketson-welcome-gorgeous-new-bub/news-story/07ca8086a935f3737df57e403d41a28d | access-date=6 May 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/13/playerid/300/seasonid/1/default.aspx NRL profile]
*(archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20071024202437/http://www.stateoforigin.com.au/SOOgame/PlayerDetails.aspx?Pid=233 State of Origin Official website Rugby League Player Stats]
*[http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/08/02/03/RUGBYL_Ireland.html Ricketson – helped Ireland reach last eight in 2000]
*[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Luke-Ricketson/summary.html Luke Ricketson Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org]
*[http://www.geocities.ws/Colosseum/Park/4931/Profiles/LukeRicketson/Luke.html Luke Ricketson profile]

{{2002 Sydney Roosters Premiership}}
{{Sydney Roosters - 2003 World Club Challenge Winners}}
{{Ireland squad 2000 Rugby League World Cup}}
{{2001 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{2003 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{Rugby league footballers with 300 NRL games}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricketson, Luke}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australia national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Australian people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Ireland national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Irish rugby league players]]
[[Category:New South Wales City Origin rugby league team players]]
[[Category:New South Wales Rugby League State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Prime Minister's XIII captains]]
[[Category:Prime Minister's XIII players]]
[[Category:Rugby league locks]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from New South Wales]]
[[Category:Rugby league second-rows]]
[[Category:Sydney Roosters players]]
[[Category:Sydney Roosters captains]]
[[Category:People from Forster, New South Wales]]