Paul Sironen

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Paul Sironen
fullname = Paul Sironen
nickname = Sirro


caption =
country =
position = rlp|SR, rlp|PR
currentclub =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1965|5|23|df=yes
placeofbirth = North Sydney
countryofbirth = Australia
height = convert|192|cm|ftin|abbr=on
weight = convert|115|kg|stlb|abbr=on
club1 = Balmain Tigers
year1start = 1986
year1end = 1998
appearances1 = 245
tries1 = 22
goals1 = 0
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 88
club2 = US Villeneuve
year2start = 1999
year2end =
appearances2 = ??
tries2 =
goals2 =
fieldgoals2 =
points2 = ??
teamA = New South Wales
yearAstart = 1989
yearAend = 1994
appearancesA = 14
triesA = 0
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 0
teamB = Australia
yearBstart = 1986
yearBend = 1994
appearancesB = 21
triesB = 3
goalsB = 0
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 12
updated = 5 October 2008
source =
new = yes

Paul Sironen (born 23 May, 1965 in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian former professional rugby league player who was a prominent second rower for the Balmain Tigers during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was part of the team that played in successive Grand Finals in 1988 and 1989, and included other representative players Steve "Blocker" Roach, Wayne Pearce, Benny Elias and Garry Jack. He made a number of appearances for both New South Wales in State of Origin and also for Australia, and has been named as part of the Wests Tigers Team of the Century.

He is of Finnish descent through his father.

Balmain

In the early 1980s, the University of Hawaii offered Sironen a scholarship to move to Waikiki in Hawaii and play American football in the position of defensive tackle. Sironen decided that he "never got to touch the ball" enough and, after the first season ended, he moved back to Australia. Sironen joined the Balmain Tigers and, in his debut year, he was named as the Dally M "Rookie of the Year".

In the 1988 season, Sironen played in the Grand Final in which Balmain where defeated by twenty-four points to twelve by the Canterbury Bulldogs. The following year the club again made the Grand Final. Unfortunately for the club and Sironen, who scored a try in the match, the club again lost the Grand Final by nineteen points to fourteen against the Canberra Raiders. In the 1990 season, Sironen was named as the Dally M "Second-rower of the Year". In 1991 he was injured for the majority of the season.

At the start of the 1995 season he was named as the captain of the club but he resigned as club captain after six rounds of the competition, in order to focus more specifically on his own game. Sironen surpassed Garry Jack's club record for the most first grade games. At the end of the 1998 season, Sironen left the club to finish out his career for French club US Villeneuve. In total he played 246 matches for the Tigers scoring twenty-one tries which is a total of 84 points. He was named as a starting second rower in the Wests Tigers Team of the Century as well as the Balmain Team of the Century.

US Villeneuve

After leaving the Tigers to join Union Sportive Villeneuve in May 1999, Sironen played an integral part in the club's victory over Saint-Gaudens in the French championship.

Representative career

New South Wales

In the 1993-94 season, Sironen had to overcome back problems to be included in the State of Origin squad. In total he made fourteen appearances for New South Wales although he failed to score a single point in his State of Origin career.

Australia

In his first season in professional rugby league, Sironen was called up to the Australian squad to play against Papua New Guinea and a test match against France, as well as being selected for the 1986 Kangaroo Tour. In 1988 he was selected to play in Australia's World Cup campaign, including the final on October 9, 1988 at Eden Park in which Australia defeated New Zealand by 25-12.

In 1989, Sironen played in two Test matches on the tour of New Zealand. Sironen then made two more Test appearances, against France and New Zealand. He again was selected for the 1990 Kangaroo Tour in 1990, where he was a stand out performer in the five Tests and in Australia's attempts to retain the Ashes. Although he was injured for the majority of the 1991 season, he did manage to play for Australia in the Ashes series against Great Britain that year, winning man-of-the-match award in the third Test.

Sironen was selected for the 1992 World Cup final in England in which Australia defeated Great Britain 10-6. In the 1993-94 season, Sironen had to overcome back problems to be included in the Australian squad. He became just the fourth forward in the history of the game to make a third 1994 Kangaroo Tour. He was involved in controversy, after being hit by British forward Barrie McDermott in the first Test, and was sent off in the match against St Helens.

Altogether Sironen made 21 appearances for his country, scoring three tries.

Life outside rugby league

Affectionately known as "Siro" during his playing days, he was also a former police officer and American Football player prior to his career with the Balmain Tigers. Most recently, he has branched out into business as part of the Krispy Kreme management team in Australia.

Sironen is the only original model left on Lowes Menswear television commercials which also feature Darryl Brohman, who replaced the other original models Steve "Blocker" Roach and Ray Hadley.

While playing football, Sironen also served in the New South Wales Police Force and in 2008, rugby league's centennary year in Australia, he was named at second-row in a NSW Police team of the century.

References

*Paul Sironen and Daniel Lane, "Sirro! Tales from Tiger Town", 1997, ABC Books

External links

*StateofOrigin player|250