Ben Spina Explained

Ben Spina
Birth Date:1988 4, df=yes
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[1]
Height:186cm (73inches)
Weight:100kg (200lb)
Year1start:2014
Year1end:17
Appearances1:16
Tries1:3
Goals1:0
Fieldgoals1:0
Points1:12
Yearastart:2013
Yearaend:15
Appearancesa:2
Triesa:0
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:0
Source:[2]
Updated:6 January 2024

Ben Spina (born 26 April 1988) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League. He plays at and .

Background

Born in Sydney while his father, Laurie, was playing for Eastern Suburbs, Spina grew up in Ingham, Queensland and played his junior football for the Herbert River Crushers before being signed by the North Queensland Cowboys. In 2008, Spina played for the Cowboys' NYC team.[3]

In 2009, Spina joined the Northern Pride RLFC in the Queensland Cup. In 2011, Spina signed a 3-year contract with the North Queensland Cowboys starting in 2012. In 2012 and 2013, Spina won the Northern Pride RLFC Player of the Year awards. In 2013, Spina played for the Queensland Residents.[4] In 2014, Spina was again selected for the Queensland Residents,[5] but had to withdraw due to being called up for his NRL debut.[6]

Playing career

2014

In Round 17 of the 2014 NRL season, Spina made his NRL debut for North Queensland against St. George Illawarra.[7]

Spina was a member of the Northern Pride's Grand Final winning Queensland Cup and 2014 NRL State Championship winning sides.

On 9 October 2014, Spina re-signed with the North Queensland club on a one-year contract.[8]

2015

On 10 June 2015, Spina re-signed with North Queensland on a two-year contract.[9]

2016

On 5 May, Spina was named on the interchange bench in QRL journalist Tony Webeck's Queensland Residents team of the past 10 years.[10] He played two games off the bench for the North Queensland club in 2016.[11]

2017

Spina played eight games for North Queensland in 2017, scoring two tries, before suffering a season-ending bicep injury.[12]

2018

After not having his contract renewed by North Queensland, Spina joined the Herbert River Crushers in the Townsville & District Rugby League A Grade competition.

Personal life

Spina is the son of former North Queensland Cowboys player and inaugural captain, Laurie Spina, becoming the first father-son duo to play for the Cowboys,[13] and the brother of Brisbane Roar FC W-League player Ashley Spina.[14]

Spina is an Australian Apprenticeships Ambassador for the Australian Government.[15]

Statistics

NRL

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2017 season[16]

width=2%Seasonwidth=8%Teamwidth=2%Matcheswidth=2%Twidth=2%Gwidth=2%GK %width=2%F/Gwidth=2%Pts
2014North Queensland10000
2015North Queensland51004
2016North Queensland20000
2017North Queensland82008
Career totals1630012

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ben Spina. Cowboys. 2015-10-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20140709235201/http://www.cowboys.com.au/team/profiles/ben_spina.html. 9 July 2014. dead.
  2. Web site: Ben Spina - Career Stats & Summary. Rugby League Project. 1988-04-26. 2016-07-11.
  3. Web site: Ben Spina player results, scores, news and statistics. 5 July 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130916020248/http://rleague.com/players/ben-spina_2090/Stats/. 16 September 2013.
  4. Web site: XXXX Queensland Residents team. QRL.com.au. 11 July 2013. 2015-06-11.
  5. Web site: http://www.rlcm.com.au/latest-news/27636-rugby-league. 5 July 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150614194959/http://www.rlcm.com.au/latest-news/27636-rugby-league. 14 June 2015 .
  6. Web site: Changes made to Qld Residents. QRL.com.au. 4 July 2014. 2015-06-11.
  7. Web site: http://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2014/07/05/team_list_cowboys_v_dragons.html. 5 July 2014 .
  8. Web site: Spina joins Toyota Cowboys for 2015. Cowboys.com.au. 9 October 2014. 2015-06-11.
  9. Web site: Spina extends Cowboys contract. Cowboys.com.au. 10 June 2015. 2015-06-11.
  10. Web site: Webeck. Tony. A Residents team to match any other. QRL. 5 May 2016. 2016-05-05.
  11. Web site: Custom Match List. Rugby League Project. 2016-09-27.
  12. News: Spina loss a big blow for Cowboys. Townsville Bulletin . 20 June 2017.
  13. Web site: History-making debut for Spina. NRL.com. 2014-07-06. 2015-10-18.
  14. Web site: Tears flow as Northern Pride forward Ben Spina feels sister's pain. Cairns Post. 2014-10-07. 2015-10-18.
  15. Web site: Mechanical Fitter and turner: Ben Spina. Australian Apprenticeships. 2016-01-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160204223734/http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/australian-apprenticeships-ambassador/ben-spina. 4 February 2016. dead.
  16. Web site: Ben Spina - Career Stats & Summary. Rugby League Project. 1988-04-26. 2015-10-18.