Russell Fairfax

Russell Fairfax
Personal information
Full name Russell Lance Fairfax
Born (1952-03-29) 29 March 1952
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Position Fullback

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1974–80 Eastern Suburbs 115 37 34 2 181
1981 South Sydney 4 1 0 0 3
Total 119 38 34 2 184
Coaching information

Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1989–90 Eastern Suburbs 36 11 2 23 31

Russell Lance Fairfax (born 29 March 1952, Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 1980s. He coached the Eastern Suburbs in 1989 and 1990.

Early life

Fairfax attended Matraville High School and played for La Perouse and Alexandria Rovers rugby league clubs in his junior years, before joining the Randwick club to play rugby union.

Football career

In the early 1970s Fairfax played in eight rugby union tests for Australia.[1]

In 1974, the fullback joined Eastern Suburbs rugby league club and was an instant sensation in the new code. His unorthodox play and long blonde flowing locks made him a crowd favourite. Fairfax played in 115 matches for Easts and won premierships with that club in 1974 and 1975. Fairfax represented both Sydney and NSW during his career but a broken leg suffered during the height of his career in the 1975 season probably prevented him from playing for Australia also in that rugby code. During the 1976 NSWRFL season, Fairfax played at fullback in the unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge match against British champions St. Helens in Sydney.

Fairfax played the final season of his career - 1981, with the South Sydney club and went on to coach the Snowy River Bears in Group 16.[2][3]

Fairfax had an unsuccessful stint in coaching at the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in 1989 and 1990.

Other roles

During the 1970s, prior to becoming a full-time professional player, Fairfax taught physical education [4] at Randwick North High School and Cleveland Street High School.

After retiring from football, Fairfax had a career in sports journalism with Fox Sports.

At the 2017 local government elections, Fairfax stood as an Independent councillor for Randwick City Council.[5]

Personal life

Fairfax is married with two children.[6][7] In 2014 he had a serious brain injury that required intensive surgery from which he recovered, but had some memory and personality effects.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Russell Fairfax". scrum.com. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  2. ↑ Rowlands, David (13 August 1987). "Fairfax climbs the ladder to the top". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  3. ↑ Beaumont, Janise (1982-05-02). "Footy Star Eyes New Goal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
  4. ↑ Croker, Graham. "Peak Performers" (PDF). sydney alumni magazine. University of Sydney. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  5. ↑ "NSWEC Candidates Website". candidates.elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  6. ↑ Markson, Sharri (2006-12-03). "School formals Paris-style". news.com.au. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  7. ↑ Fitzsimons, Peter (2006-05-27). "Wrath of Russell". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  8. ↑ Grossetti, Carla (1 August 2015). "Two of us: Russell and Nadia Fairfax". Retrieved 27 August 2017 – via The Sydney Morning Herald.
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