View source for Sam Backo

{{short description|Australia international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name           = Sam Backo
|fullname       = Samson Backo
|image          = 
|caption        = 
|birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1961|01|01}}
|birth_place    = [[Ingham, Queensland]], Australia
|height         = {{convert|188|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight         = {{convert|115|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position       = {{rlp|PR}}
|club1          = [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]]
|year1start     = 1980
|year1end       = 82
|appearances1   = 
|tries1         = 
|goals1         = 
|fieldgoals1    = 
|points1        = 
|club2          = {{nowrap|[[Canberra Raiders]]}}
|year2start     = 1983
|year2end       = 88
|appearances2   = 115
|tries2         = 15
|goals2         = 0
|fieldgoals2    = 0
|points2        = 60
|club3          = [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]
|year3start     = 1988
|year3end       = 89
|appearances3   = 18
|tries3         = 1
|goals3         = 0
|fieldgoals3    = 0
|points3        = 4
|club4          = {{nowrap|[[Brisbane Broncos]]}}
|year4start     = 1989
|year4end       = 90
|appearances4   = 20
|tries4         = 3
|goals4         = 0
|fieldgoals4    = 0
|points4        = 12
|teamA          = [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]]
|yearAstart     = 1988
|yearAend       = 90
|appearancesA   = 7
|triesA         = 3
|goalsA         = 0
|fieldgoalsA    = 0
|pointsA        = 12
|teamB          = [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]]
|yearBstart     = 1988
|yearBend       = 89
|appearancesB   = 6
|triesB         = 3 
|goalsB         = 0
|fieldgoalsB    = 0
|pointsB        = 12
|retired = yes
|source         = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Sam-Backo/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref><ref>[http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Sam-Backo_717.aspx Yesterday's Hero]</ref>
}}

'''Sam Backo''' (born 1 January 1961) is an Australian former professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played as a {{rlp|pr}} in the 1980s and 1990s.

Named as one of the greatest [[Aboriginal Australian|Aboriginal]] players of the 20th century, he represented [[Australian Kangaroos|Australia]] and [[Queensland Maroons|Queensland]], and played club football in the [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership]] for the [[Canberra Raiders]] and [[Brisbane Broncos]], primarily as a [[Rugby league positions#Prop forward|prop forward]]. Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an [[The Ashes (rugby league)|Ashes series]], and following his retirement was named in an [[Indigenous Australian]] team of the century.

==Early career==
Former chairwoman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, [[Evelyn Scott (activist)|Evelyn Scott]] gave birth to Sam Backo on {{Birth date|1961|01|01|df=yes}}.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Broome
| first = Richard
| title = Aboriginal Australians: black responses to white dominance, 1788-2001 
| publisher = Allen & Unwin
| year = 2002
| pages = 282–283
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6fof5hCew6wC
| isbn = 9781865087559}}
</ref> Originally from North Queensland township, [[Ingham, Queensland|Ingham]] he was a forward for [[Cairns]] in the [[Queensland Rugby League]]'s [[Queensland Rugby League Northern Division|Northern Division]] before moving south to [[Woden Valley]] in the [[New South Wales Country Rugby League]]'s [[Group 8 Rugby League|Group 8]] competition in 1981. The following year he returned to his home state to play for [[Yeppoon]] in the [[Queensland Rugby League Central Division|Central Division]] competition.

==BRL and Canberra==
After playing in the [[Brisbane Rugby League premiership]] for [[Fortitude Valley Diehards|Fortitude Valley]], in 1983 Backo was given his first opportunity in Sydney's [[NSWRFL premiership]] with the [[Canberra Raiders]] in their second season. He made his début in March and went on to play a handful of games that season. From 1984, Backo was a regular member of the starting line-up at Canberra and in 1987 appeared in his, and the club's, [[New South Wales Rugby League season 1987#Grand Final|first grand final]], which was lost to the [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]].

While in his final season at Canberra, Backo was first selected to play [[State of Origin series|State of Origin]] football for the Queensland Maroons in the [[1988 State of Origin series|1988 series]]. He played in all three games at prop forward, scoring one try in game II and two tries in game III. Queensland won the series in a three-game whitewash. In games II and III Backo won consecutive man-of-the-match awards, one of only a handful of players to do so. During the [[1988 Great Britain Lions tour]] Backo was selected to make his [[Test match (rugby league)|test match]] debut at prop forward in the first of the Ashes series against [[Great Britain Lions|Great Britain]] in Sydney, scoring a try. He went on to become the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an [[The Ashes (rugby league)|Ashes series]], and at the time he was only the second Australian player to do so after legendary winger [[Ken Irvine]]. At the end of the [[1988 NSWRL season]] Backo was the [[Dally M]] front rower of the year. A late season injury playing for Canberra saw him miss selection in Australia's [[1985–1988 Rugby League World Cup#World Cup Final|World Cup Final]] winning team.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

==RFL and Brisbane==
Moving to England, Backo played in the [[1988–89 Rugby Football League season]] for [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]. on Sunday 16 October 1988 he played as an [[Rugby league positions#Interchange|interchange]], replacing prop [[Hugh Waddell (rugby league)|Hugh Waddell]], in [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]' 33–12 victory over [[Castleford Tigers|Castleford]] in the [[1988 Yorkshire Cup]] Final at [[Headingley Rugby Stadium|Headingley]], [[Leeds]].

Backo's final two seasons of top-level football, 1989 and 1990, were spent in Queensland, with the [[Brisbane Broncos]]. He was selected to go on the [[1989 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand]]. Backo also played in a further four games for the Maroons – games II and III of the [[1989 State of Origin series]], and games II and III of the [[1990 State of Origin series|1990 series]] – despite his knee problems,<ref>Clarkson, Alan; 'Backo May Miss Test: Fears over Knee Injury'; ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald|The Sun-Herald]]'', 17 June 1990, p. 75</ref> which limited his participation with his club to only five appearances during 1990 and eventually forced his retirement at the end of the season. Although selected for the 1990 Australia team to play [[France national rugby league team|France]] in the NSW country town of [[Parkes, New South Wales|Parkes]], he was forced to withdraw because of his ongoing knee injury. In total, Backo played in six Tests and scored three tries. In 1991, Backo made a short-lived return to football to play for [[Logan Scorpions]] in the [[Brisbane Rugby League premiership|Brisbane competition]].

==Post playing==
Backo was awarded the [[Australian Sports Medal]] in 2000 for his contribution to Australia's standing in rugby league.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Australian Government|title=It's an Honour|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/971789|access-date=2008-05-10}}</ref> The ''Indigenous Team of the Century'' was announced in 2001 with Backo included in the starting line-up which also included [[Arthur Beetson]], [[Gorden Tallis]] and [[John Ferguson (rugby league)|John Ferguson]].<ref>{{cite news|format=fee required|publisher=AAP Sports News (Australia)|author=Darren Walton|title=Beetson named captain of Indigenous Team of the Century|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-45246536.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516221241/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-45246536.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-05-16|access-date=2008-05-10|date=2001-06-16}}</ref> In 2004, Backo was named in the Canberra Raiders' ''All Indigenous'' team.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=ABC News|title=Laurie Daley to captain Canberra Raiders all Indigenous team|url=http://www.abc.net.au/message/news/stories/s1180104.htm|access-date=2008-05-10|date=2004-08-18}}</ref>

On 2 April 2023, it was reported that Backo had suffered a heart attack the previous day and was in a critical condition in a Cairns hospital.<ref name=former>{{cite news|last=Ritchie|first=Dean|date=2 April 2023|title=NRL 2023: Former Raiders, Queensland star Sam Backo in hospital after heart attack|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-2023-former-raiders-queensland-star-sam-backo-in-hospital-after-heart-attack/news-story/6b10fd7209a7a205ef4e1a23254abf67|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]|location=Sydney|access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref> Rugby league identities [[Wally Lewis]], [[Trevor Gillmeister]], [[Steve Renouf]] and [[Darryl Brohman]] were among those who offered support to Backo and his family upon learning the news.<ref name=former/><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=2 April 2023|title=League world in shock as legend Sam Backo hospitalised |url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/news-2023-the-mole-maroons-legend-sam-backo-in-hospital/ff6d67aa-96d0-4dd3-b078-0e2946ff4c4e|work=[[Nine's Wide World of Sports]]|access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref>

==Family==
Backo had a daughter with dancer [[Lillian Crombie]], actress [[Elaine Crombie]].<ref name=proof>{{cite web | last=Crombie | first=Elaine | website=The Guardian|location=London| title=I am living proof of the stolen generation. Trust me, the trauma is real| date=9 December 2016 | url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/09/i-am-living-proof-of-the-stolen-generation-trust-me-the-trauma-is-real | access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>

His son, Daniel Backo, was signed to the [[North Queensland Cowboys]] but didn't make an NRL appearance.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

==References==
* {{cite book| author=Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson|title=The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players|year=2007
|publisher=Gary Allen Pty Ltd|location=[[Wetherill Park, New South Wales]]|isbn=978-1-877082-93-1|pages=16}}
* {{cite book| author=Malcolm Andrews|title=ABC of Rugby League|year=1992
|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] Enterprises|location=[[Sydney, New South Wales]]
|isbn=0-7333-0176-2|pages=32}}
* {{cite book| author=Gary Lester|title=Rugby League Action '85|year=1986
|publisher=John Fairfax Marketing|location=[[Sydney, New South Wales]]|isbn=0-909558-83-3|pages=17}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Sam-Backo_717.aspx Sam Backo at yesterdayshero.com.au]
*[http://www.nrlstats.com/archive/players.cfm?PlayerID=13 Sam Backo at nrlstats.com]
*[http://www.fullbottle.com/foleyshield/backo.htm Sam Backo biography at Foley Shield fan site]

{{Australia squad - 1988 World Cup Final winners}}
{{1989 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand squad}}
{{The Indigenous Australian Rugby League Team of the Century}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Backo, Sam}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australia national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Brisbane Broncos players]]
[[Category:Canberra Raiders players]]
[[Category:Fortitude Valley Diehards players]]
[[Category:Indigenous Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Leeds Rhinos players]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Ingham, Queensland]]
[[Category:Queensland Rugby League State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:Rugby league props]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]