28 Facts About Gavin Cooper

Gavin Cooper was born on 19 August 1985 and is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a second-row for the North Queensland Cowboys, Gold Coast Titans and Penrith Panthers in the NRL.

Gavin Cooper started in the second row in the Cowboys' 2015 NRL Grand Final and 2016 World Club Challenge winning sides.

Gavin Cooper played his junior football for the Murgon Mustangs and joined the Redcliffe Dolphins as a teenager.

In 2004, Gavin Cooper graduated to the Dolphins' Queensland Cup side, playing for them 13 times and represented the Queensland under-19 team.

In 2005, Gavin Cooper played for the Cowboys' Queensland Cup side, the North Queensland Young Guns.

Gavin Cooper was a member of the Young Guns premiership-winning side that season, playing alongside future Cowboys teammates Scott Bolton and Matthew Scott.

Gavin Cooper was not offered a new deal by the club and subsequently signed with the Penrith Panthers until the end of 2010.

In 2009, Gavin Cooper played 22 games with the Panthers, switching between the second-row and centre throughout the season.

Gavin Cooper played 24 games in his first season back at the Cowboys, cementing his spot in the starting line-up at second-row.

Gavin Cooper won the Clubman of the Year award at the team's annual presentation ball at the end of the year.

In 2012, Gavin Cooper started at second-row in every game for the Cowboys.

Gavin Cooper set a new record for the most tries in a season scored by a Cowboys' forward, with 10, beating teammate Scott Bolton's record of 7 tries in 2010.

The side won the tournament, defeating the Brisbane Broncos in the final, with Gavin Cooper being named in the Team of the Tournament.

On 12 May, Gavin Cooper re-signed with the Cowboys until the end of 2017.

In January 2015, Gavin Cooper was a member of the QAS Emerging Origin squad for the first time, at age 29.

Gavin Cooper scored 11 tries in the regular season, the most of any backrower in the NRL.

In February 2016, Gavin Cooper captained the Cowboys again in the Auckland Nines.

On 30 May, Gavin Cooper was announced as Queensland's 18th man for Game 1 of the 2016 State of Origin series.

Gavin Cooper played 26 games for the Cowboys in 2016, captaining the side against the St George Illawarra Dragons in Round 12.

In mid-June, Gavin Cooper was recalled to the Queensland Maroons side for Game II of the 2017 State of Origin series.

Gavin Cooper represented Queensland, playing in his first full State of Origin series, starting at second row in all three games.

In Round 25, Gavin Cooper became the first forward to score a try in nine straight games, breaking the record originally set by ARL Team of the Century prop and Immortal Frank Burge in 1918.

Gavin Cooper ended the 2018 season with 13 tries from 23 games, his highest ever try tally.

Gavin Cooper played all 24 games for the Cowboys in 2019, starting at second row in 23 of those games, scoring three tries.

Gavin Cooper began the season as a starting second-row for the Cowboys, scoring a try in their Round 1 loss to the Brisbane Broncos.

Gavin Cooper started just two more games before being relegated to a bench role for the rest of the season.

On 14 September, the Cowboys announced that Gavin Cooper would leave the club at the end of the 2020 NRL season, after 11 seasons with the team.

Gavin Cooper is the younger brother of former Cronulla Sharks, Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights player Dustin Gavin Cooper, who played 37 NRL games between 2003 and 2008.