Sam Backo

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Sam Backo
fullname = Samuel Backo
nickname = Slammin' Sam

---

caption =
position = rlp|PR
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1961|01|01|df=yes
placeofbirth =
countryofbirth =
height = convert|188|cm|ftin|abbr=on
weight =
club1 = leagueicon|Fortitude Valley|16 Fortitude Valley
year1start =
year1end =
appearances1 =
tries1 =
goals1 =
fieldgoals1 =
points1 =
club2 = leagueicon|Canberra Raiders|16 Canberra Raiders
year2start = 1983
year2end = 1988
appearances2 = 115
tries2 = 15
goals2 = 0
fieldgoals2 = 0
points2 = 60
club3 = leagueicon|Leeds Rhinos|16 Leeds RLFC
year3start = 1988
year3end = 1989
appearances3 =
tries3 =
goals3 =
fieldgoals3 =
points3 =
club4 = leagueicon|Brisbane Broncos|16 Brisbane Broncos
year4start = 1989
year4end = 1990
appearances4 = 20
tries4 = 3
goals4 = 0
fieldgoals4 = 0
points4 = 12
teamA = leagueicon|Queensland Maroons|16 Queensland
yearAstart = 1988
yearAend = 1990
appearancesA = 7
triesA = 3
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 12
teamB = leagueicon|Australia|16 Australia
yearBstart = 1988
yearBend = 1989
appearancesB = 6
triesB = 3
goalsB = 0
fieldgoalsB = 0
pointsB = 12
source = [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Sam_Backo.html Rugby League Project] and [http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Sam-Backo_717.aspx Yesterday's Hero]

Sam Backo (born 1 January 1961) is an Australian former professional rugby league player who represented Queensland and Australia. In the New South Wales Rugby League premiership he played for the Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos, primarily as a prop forward. Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series.

Club career

Originally from Ingham, Queensland, Backo was a forward for Cairns in the Queensland Rugby League's Northern Division before moving south to Woden Valley in the New South Wales Country Rugby League's Group 8 competition in 1981. The following year he returned to his home state to play for Yeppoon in the Central Division competition.

After playing with Valleys in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership, in 1983 Backo was given his first opportunity in the NSWRFL, playing five matches at second-row for the Canberra Raiders. He made his debut on 19 March against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Redfern Oval. From 1984, he was a regular member of the starting line-up at Canberra and appeared in his, and the club's, first grand final appearance against Manly in 1987. In 1988 Backo was the Dally M front rower of the year. During his career with Canberra, Backo scored a total of 15 tries in 115 first-grade matches.

Between the 1988 and 1989 Australian seasons, Backo played for Leeds RLFC in England.

Backo's final two seasons, 1989 and 1990, were spent in Queensland, with the Brisbane Broncos. His participation with the club was limited to only five appearances during 1990 due to a chronic knee problem which eventually forced his retirement at the end of the season. At the end of the two seasons he had scored three tries in twenty games.

In 1991, Backo made a short-lived return to football to play for Logan Scorpions in the Brisbane competition.

Representative career

While in his final season at Canberra, Backo was selected to play State of Origin football for the Queensland Maroons in the 1988 series. He played in all three games at prop forward, scoring one try in game II and two tries in game III. Queensland won the series in a three game whitewash. In games II and III Backo won consecutive man-of-the-match awards, one of only a handful of players to do so.

Backo played in a further four games for the Maroons - games II and III of the 1989 series and games II and III of the 1990 series despite his knee problems.

Selected for the test series against Great Britain played in Australia in 1988, Backo was the first Australian forward to score tries in all three Tests of an Ashes series. Backo also participated in the 1989 tour of New Zealand. Although selected for the 1990 team to play France, he was forced to withdraw because of his ongoing knee injury. In total, Backo played in six Tests and scored three tries.

Accolades

Backo was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for his contribution to Australia's standing in rugby league. [cite web|publisher="Australian Government"|title=It's an Honour|url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=971789&search_type=simple&showInd=true|accessdate=2008-05-10]

The "Indigenous Team of the Century" was announced in 2001 with Backo included in the starting line-up which also included Arthur Beetson, Gorden Tallis and John Ferguson. [cite news|format=fee required|publisher="AAP Sports News (Australia)"|author=Darren Walton|title=Beetson named captain of Indigenous Team of the Century|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-45246536.html|accessdate=2008-05-10|date=2001-06-16]

In 2004, Backo was named in the Canberra Raider's "All Indigenous" team. [cite web|publisher="ABC News"|title=Laurie Daley to captain Canberra Raiders all Indigenous team |url=http://www.abc.net.au/message/news/stories/s1180104.htm|accessdate=2008-05-10|date=2004-08-18]

Personal Life

His son, Daniel Backo is currently signed to the North Queensland Cowboys.

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 16
* cite book | author=Malcolm Andrews |title=ABC of Rugby League |year=1992
publisher="ABC Enterprises" |location=Sydney, New South Wales
isbn=0733301762 |pages=page 32
* cite book | author=Gary Lester |title=Rugby League Action '85 |year=1986
publisher="John Fairfax Marketing" |location=Sydney, New South Wales |isbn=0909558833 |pages=page 17

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Sam-Backo_717.aspx Sam Backo at yesterdayshero.com.au]
* [http://www.nrlstats.com/archive/players.cfm?PlayerID=13 Sam Backo at nrlstats.com]
* [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Sam_Backo.html Sam Backo stats at rugbyleagueproject.com]
*StateofOrigin player|276
* [http://www.fullbottle.com/foleyshield/backo.htm Sam Backo biography at Foley Shield fan site]