Rod Wishart

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Rod Wishart
fullname = Rod Wishart
nickname =


caption =
country =
position = rlp|WG
currentclub =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1968|10|15|df=yes
placeofbirth = Gerringong, New South Wales
countryofbirth = Australia
height = convert|178|cm|ftin|abbr=on
weight = convert|88|kg|stlb|abbr=on
club1 = leagueicon|Illawarra Steelers|size=16 Illawarra Steelers
year1start = 1989
year1end = 1998
appearances1 = 154
tries1 = 68
goals1 = 386
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 1044
club2 = leagueicon|St George Illawarra|size=16 St. George Illawarra
year2start = 1999
year2end =
appearances2 = 23
tries2 = 10
goals2 = 4
fieldgoals2 = 0
points2 = 48
teamA =
yearAstart = 1990
yearAend = 1998
appearancesA = 22
triesA = 5
goalsA = 23
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 66
teamB =
yearBstart = 1991
yearBend = 1996
appearancesB = 17
triesB = 13
goalsB = 43
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 138
updated = 02:09, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
source = [http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=11339 NRL Stats]

Rod Wishart is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for Illawarra Steelers, St. George Illwarra Dragons, New South Wales and Australia.

He grew up in Gerringong, New South Wales, where he was coached by Mick Cronin. Wishart played his first match for the Illawarra Steelers in 1989, and was already a state representative in 1990. In 1991, Wishart became the first Steelers player to be selected to play for Australia. Wishart was a competent winger, and also proved to be an asset as a goal kicker.Rod was a strong ball runner and kicker, due to his powerful quadricep muscles. They were so impressive, he often had trouble finding suitable team attire. Testament to this was that he was once sighted on a flight returning from playing the Brisbane Broncos in 1990, in a team shirt, tie, and team football shorts.

Wishart had an exceptional State of Origin career, making 22 appearances for the New South Wales team between 1990 and 1998, scoring 5 tries and 23 goals. He was a mainstay of Blues sides throughout the 1990s and won several games for the Blues with his radar-like kicking. In 2005 he was named one of the 25 greatest ever NSW players.

When the Steelers formed the St George Illawarra Dragons in 1999 with St George, Wishart was a part of the new 25-man squad, however he mostly played from the Interchange bench, with former St George wingers Jamie Ainscough and Nathan Blacklock being selected ahead of him. At the end of the 1999 season, Wishart retired from first-grade Rugby League.

Throughout his career, Wishart's success as a player made him a marketable commodity. Most noticeably he had a long association with the Wollongong car dealership Tory Toyota, culminating in a model being named after him - The Wishy Workhorse, a run-out model Hilux with free extras and a Rod Wishart signature decal on the truck body.

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=9781877082931 |pages=page 596-597
* "Big League's 25 Years of Origin Collectors' Edition" , News Magazines, Surry Hills, Sydney