14 Facts About Rod Wishart

Rod Wishart was born on 15 October 1968 and is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played the 1980s and 1990s.

Rod Wishart first came to attention in 1988 when he played for Country Firsts.

Rod Wishart played his first match for the Illawarra Steelers in 1989, finished his rookie season as the club's top point-scorer with 84 from 2 tries and 37 goals from his 19 games.

Rod Wishart made his State of Origin debut on the wing for New South Wales in 1990 and was considered a certain selection for the 1990 Kangaroo tour though he was ultimately ruled out through injury.

Rod Wishart became the second Steelers player after Alan McIndoe to be selected to play for Australia and the first Steelers junior to do so.

Rod Wishart made 22 appearances for New South Wales between 1990 and 1998 in the State of Origin, scoring 66 points from 5 tries and 23 goals.

Rod Wishart was NSW first choice goal kicker between 1992 and 1995.

Rod Wishart failed to regain his test place in 1993, despite good performances for the Steelers and NSW, who won their second Origin series in a row with selectors preferring the Brisbane Broncos pair of Willie Carne and Michael Hancock.

Rod Wishart was again the Steelers leading point and try scorer for the 1993 season, scoring 118 points from 11 tries and 37 goals.

Rod Wishart's goal kicking improved dramatically in the 1994 NSWRL season, and his continued good form at club and state level saw him selected on the wing for NSW in their State of Origin series win over Queensland, while at the end of the season he was selected to go on the 1994 Kangaroo tour.

Rod Wishart went on to be the top point scorer on the tour, scoring a Kangaroo Tour points record of 174 points from 8 tries and 71 goals in 11 games played, beating the record of Michael O'Connor who scored 170 points in 1986.

Rod Wishart played in three of the four tests on tour, coming into the side for the second test against Great Britain at Old Trafford.

In 1995 and 1996, Rod Wishart was awarded the BHP Medal as the Steelers' player of the year.

In 2005, Rod Wishart was named one of the 25 greatest ever New South Wales rugby league team players.