24 Facts About Jake Webster

Jake Ngapera Webster was born on 29 October 1983 and is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who last played as a centre for the Keighley Cougars in League 1.

Jake Webster previously played as a centre and winger for the Melbourne Storm and Gold Coast Titans in the NRL, and as a centre and second-row forward for the Castleford Tigers and Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.

Jake Webster is the son of a New Zealand Maori father, Steven and Greek mother, Madeline, spent the early years of his life in Moonee Ponds before moving to Brisbane, Queensland with his father.

When in Brisbane, Webster was educated at Wavell State High School.

Jake Webster began his rugby league career as an eight-year-old with the Valleys rugby league club and remained with the club through to under-18s.

In 2001, Jake Webster was selected in the Queensland under-19s side and was offered a Storm contract soon after.

Jake Webster was the first Melbourne-born player to play with the Melbourne Storm, making his debut for the club in round 2 of the 2003 NRL season.

Jake Webster had limited opportunities in the 2004 season, mostly playing for Melbourne's feeder club Norths Devils.

In 2005, Jake Webster was a regular member of the Storm squad, making 24 appearances and scoring 10 tries, including the first try in the qualifying final against the Brisbane Broncos.

Jake Webster would make 49 appearances for the Storm, scoring 28 tries.

Jake Webster was selected to play for the New Zealand national team on the wing in the 2007 ANZAC Test loss against Australia.

Jake Webster had made 18 appearances for the Titans in their first season, scoring four tries.

Jake Webster would make a good start to the 2010 season filling in for Paul Cooke at stand off and scoring a try in the opening fixture against Salford City Reds.

On 26 June, Jake Webster signed for Castleford Tigers on a three-year deal, starting in 2013.

In March 2014, after missing rugby league action for nearly 12 months out with injury, Jake Webster was given game time to play for the York City Knights in the League 1 competition.

Later in 2014, Jake Webster helped Castleford reach their first Challenge Cup Final since 1992.

Jake Webster was a key player in the squad that achieved this, and scored a try against Widnes in the Semi-Final.

Jake Webster played in the 2014 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium.

Jake Webster scored four tries against Wakefield Trinity in August 2017 to seal Castleford's place at the top of Super League, helping the club achieve their first ever top-flight league title.

Jake Webster played for the Tigers in the Grand Final in the same season.

Jake Webster signed a new contract with Keighley in September 2022 which came after his appointment as a commercial executive of the club.

Jake Webster would announce his effective retirement from playing at the end of the 2023 season due to troublesome knee injuries.

Jake Webster retired from rugby league to focus on his off-field role as director of rugby at the club.

Jake Webster was appointed interim head coach at Keighley in 2024 after Matt Foster left the club.