Scott Prince
Scott Prince | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 27, 1980 Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Rugby league footballer, coach |
| Years active | Late 1990s–2013 (player), 2019–present (coach) |
| Known for | Captaining Wests Tigers to 2005 NRL premiership; Clive Churchill Medal winner |
Scott Prince (born 27 February 1980) is a retired Australian professional rugby league player who operated primarily as a throughout the late 1990s, 2000s, and into the 2010s.
As a representative for both the Australian national team and the Queensland State of Origin side, Prince notably captained the Wests Tigers to their inaugural NRL premiership victory, earning the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal for his outstanding performance. His career also included stints with the Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane Broncos, and North Queensland Cowboys.
Background
Born in Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia, Prince developed his early rugby league skills playing for the Town Lions at junior level. He furthered his development at Ignatius Park College in Townsville, where he was part of their rugby league program.
North Queensland
Prince’s professional journey began with the North Queensland Cowboys, progressing through their junior ranks before making his first-grade debut during the 1998 NRL season.
Brisbane
Following the Broncos’ triumph in the 2000 NRL Premiership, Prince featured at halfback in the 2001 World Club Challenge against St Helens R.F.C., narrowly losing 18-20. He was honored as the Brisbane Broncos Clubman of the Year at the conclusion of 2002. Unfortunately, persistent leg injuries curtailed his playing opportunities, ultimately resulting in his release from Brisbane.
Wests Tigers
Taking on captaincy duties at the Wests Tigers, Prince earned selection for Queensland and Australia. He participated in all three games of the 2004 State of Origin series as Queensland’s halfback and led Wests Tigers to their maiden grand final triumph in 2005, securing the Clive Churchill Medal as Man of the Match. In 2006, he captained the Tigers during the World Club Challenge, which ended in defeat to Bradford Bulls.
Gold Coast
In 2007, Prince returned to Queensland by signing with the newly formed Gold Coast Titans, becoming only the second player to have represented all three Queensland-based NRL clubs: Brisbane, North Queensland, and Gold Coast. He shared captaincy responsibilities with Luke Bailey.
Despite battling injuries, Prince guided the Titans to finish 12th in their debut season. The following year, he stepped in for injured Darren Lockyer during the State of Origin series, contributing to Queensland’s record-breaking win before sustaining a broken forearm in game three. Over his Origin career, he played five matches and helped secure three victories.
Prince was selected in Australia's initial squad and final 24-man roster for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, appearing once against England. He was also named in Queensland's preliminary squad ahead of the 2009 State of Origin series.
Concluding the 2009 season ranked fifth among top point scorers with 172 points (7 tries and 72 goals), Prince extended his contract through 2014 but was released at the end of 2012. During his tenure with Gold Coast Titans, he set franchise records for most points overall (603), most points in a single game (20), and highest seasonal points tally (182).
Brisbane
Prince returned to play for the Brisbane Broncos in the 2013 NRL season. On 26 August 2013, he announced that he would retire at season’s end.
His final appearance came on 5 September when he reached his 300th NRL game milestone, also marking his 50th match for Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium. The last game ended with a 16–11 victory over Canterbury-Bankstown, where Prince made a critical try-saving tackle and successfully converted two goals. His teammates celebrated alongside him after full-time, honoring his career with a winning send-off.
Post-NRL
In 2019, Prince took on a co-coaching role with Paul Dyer for the Queensland Under 20s, narrowly falling to the New South Wales Under 20s at ANZ Stadium. After retiring, he made a comeback in 2020 by joining the semi-professional Brisbane side Fortitude Valley Diehards competing in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership, signing on for 10 matches plus potential finals appearances.
By November 2022, Prince was appointed head coach of the NRLW team for the 2023 campaign by the Brisbane Broncos, representing a significant step into coaching within women's rugby league.
Statistics
| Season | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Template:Leagueicon North Queensland Cowboys | 16 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| 1999 | 18 | 2 | 4 | - | 16 | |
| 2000 | 19 | 6 | 13 | - | 50 | |
| 2001 | Template:Leagueicon Brisbane Broncos | 19 | 4 | 2 | - | 20 |
| 2002 | 2 | - | 5 | - | 10 | |
| 2003 | 7 | - | - | - | - | |
| 2004 | Template:Leagueicon Wests Tigers | 21 | 1 | - | 1 | 5 |
| 2005 | 28 | 12 | - | 2 | 50 | |
| 2006 | 24 | 5 | 20 | - | 60 | |
| 2007 | Template:Leagueicon Gold Coast Titans | 22 | 7 | - | - | 28 |
| 2008 | 16 | 5 | 51 | 2 | 124 | |
| 2009 | 24 | 7 | 77 | - | 182 | |
| 2010 | 21 | 4 | 66 | 3 | 151 | |
| 2011 | 19 | 5 | 38 | - | 96 | |
| 2012 | 22 | 4 | 61 | - | 138 | |
| 2013 | Template:Leagueicon Brisbane Broncos | 22 | 4 | 52 | - | 120 |
| Totals | 300 | 67 | 389 | 8 | 1054 |
Career highlights
- Junior Club: Mount Isa Townies
- High school: Ignatius Park College
- Junior Kangaroos Selection:1998
- First Grade Debut: Round 4, North Queensland Cowboys versus Canberra Raiders at Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville, on April 4, 1998
- Premierships: Winner in the Grand Final of the NRL in 2005 when Wests Tigers defeated North Queensland Cowboys by a score of 30–16 at Stadium Australia, Sydney, on October 2
- Wests Tigers Club Captain: in the year of their premiership success, 2005
- Gold Coast Titans Captain: from their inaugural year in 2007 through to the end of the tenure in 2012
- Prime Minister's XIII Debut: September 23, 2007 – Prime Minister's XIII vs Papua New Guinea at Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby
- Prime Minister's XIII Selection: consecutive years, from 2007 to 2008
- Queensland Debut: State of Origin Game I at Stadium Australia, Sydney on May 26, 2004
- Queensland Selection: years included were notably in both the opening year and again in 2008
- Australia Test Debut: November 5, during the Rugby League Tri-Nations match against England at DW Stadium, Wigan in the year of 2005
- Australia Test Squad Selection: selected again in both years of his international career span, being in squads for the years of both '05 and '08
- Indigenous All Stars Debut: February13,2010 – Indigenous All Stars versus NRL All Stars at Skilled Park, Robina, Queensland
- Indigenous All Stars Selection: consistently chosen from the years spanning between2010 and2012
Honours
- 1998 Rookie of the Year with the North Queensland Cowboys
- 2002 Clubman of the Year awarded by the Brisbane Broncos
- 2005 Captain of the Year at the Dally M Awards
- Recipient of the Clive Churchill Medal in 2005
- 2005 nominee for the Provan-Summons Medal
- Ranked equal fifth as a nominee for the 2007 Dally M Player of the Year
- Selected for the 2008 RLIF Team of the Year as Halfback
- Awarded Dally M Halfback of the Year in 2010
- Named RLIF Halfback of the Year in 2010
External links
- Scott Prince profile on the official Gold Coast Titans website
- Official personal website