View source for Julian O'Neill (New Zealand rugby league)

{{short description|US international rugby league footballer}}
{{For|the [[Australia]]n [[rugby league]] footballer Julian O'Neill|Julian O'Neill}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name           = Julian O'Neill
|fullname       = Julian O'Neill
|image          =
|caption        =
|position       = {{rlp|PR}}
|birth_date           = {{birth date and age|1973|07|24|df=y}}
|birth_place          = [[Auckland]], New Zealand
|height               = {{convert|188|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight               = {{convert|109|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| club1               = [[Waitakere City Raiders|Waitakere City]]
| year1start          = 1994
| year1end            = 95
| appearances1        =
| tries1              =
| goals1              =
| fieldgoals1         =
| points1             =
| club2               = [[Auckland Warriors]]
| year2start          = 1995
| year2end            = 96
| appearances2        = 16
| tries2              = 0
| goals2              = 0
| fieldgoals2         = 0
| points2             = 0
| club3               = [[St Helens R.F.C.|St Helens]]
| year3start          = 1997
| year3end            = 00
| appearances3        = 126
| tries3              = 5
| goals3              = 0
| fieldgoals3         = 0
| points3             = 20
| club4               = {{nowrap|[[Wakefield Trinity|Wakefield Trinity Wildcats]]}}
| year4start          = 2001
| year4end            = 02
| appearances4        = 25
| tries4              = 2
| goals4              = 0
| fieldgoals4         = 0
| points4             = 8
| club5               = [[Widnes Vikings]]
| year5start          = 2002
| year5end            = 05
| appearances5        = 96
| tries5              = 4
| goals5              = 1
| fieldgoals5         = 0
| points5             = 18
| teamA        = [[United States national rugby league team|USA]]
|yearAstart     = 1999
|yearAend       = 00
|appearancesA   = 3
|triesA         = 2
|goalsA         = 0
|fieldgoalsA    = 0
|pointsA        = 8
|updated        = 8 Sep 2020
|retired        = yes
|source         = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Julian_O-Neill__NZ_.html RLP]</ref>
|new            = yes
}}
'''Julian O'Neill''' (born 24 July 1973) is a former [[United States national rugby league team|United States]] international [[rugby league]] footballer who spent most of his career playing in the [[Super League]]. His position of preference was at {{rlp|pr}}.
==Background==
O'Neill was born in [[Auckland]], New Zealand.
==Early years==
After attending [[Liston College]], O'Neil started his career with the [[Marist Saints]] before making the [[Waitakere City Raiders]] side in the [[Lion Red Cup]].<ref>Richard Becht. ''A New Breed Rising: The Warriors Winfield Cup Challenge''. Auckland, HarperCollins, 1994. {{ISBN|1-86950-154-3}}. p.183</ref>
He was an [[New Zealand Warriors|Auckland Warrior]] 1995-1996 where he played a crucial role in laying a platform for the reserve grade to reach the 1996 grand final.
==Playing career==
===St Helens===
In 1997 O'Neill moved to England and joined the [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] in the [[Super League]] competition where he gained the club's highest tackler and most offloads in the 1997 season. He played for [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] at prop forward in their [[1999 Super League Grand Final]] victory over [[Bradford Bulls]].
O'Neill went on to play in 126 games for the Saints, including being involved in the side that won the 1997 [[Challenge Cup]] and 1999's [[Super League IV]] title. Having won the 1999 Championship, [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] contested in the [[2000 World Club Challenge]] against [[National Rugby League]] Premiers the [[Melbourne Storm]], with O'Neill playing at prop forward in the loss. O'Neill played for [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] at prop forward in their [[2000 Super League Grand Final]] victory over [[Wigan Warriors]].
===Widnes===
In 2001 O'Neill joined the [[Wakefield Trinity|Wakefield Trinity Wildcats]] but at the end of the 2001 season was signed by [[Widnes Vikings]] to boost their forward pack.
O'Neill spent four years at the Vikings, playing in 96 games for the club. In 2003 he played alongside namesake [[Julian O'Neill]], who adopted the nickname Jules to avoid confusion.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/apr/07/rugbyleague Widnes get a shot in the arm from new crown Jules] ''The Guardian'', 7 April 2003</ref><ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/League/How-Julian-ONeill-got-his-name-back/2005/02/08/1107625211855.html How Julian O'Neill got his name back] ''Sydney Morning Herald'', February 9, 2005</ref><ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/2360379/ONeill-duo-give-Widnes-cutting-edge.html O'Neill duo give Widnes cutting edge] ''The Telegraph'', 29 May 2005</ref>
===Return to Auckland===
In 2006 he returned to [[Auckland]], playing for the [[Auckland Lions]] in the [[Bartercard Cup]].<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-12189801.html Coach talks up his pride ]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ''The Press', 27 March 2006</ref> He also made the [[New Zealand Residents]] side that competed in the 2006 Trans Tasman Quadrangular Series.<ref>[http://www.qrl.com.au/display.php?pg_id=1913 Rangers Campaign Gets Underway] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213002241/http://www.qrl.com.au/display.php?pg_id=1913 |date=2012-02-13}} ''QRL Official Site''</ref> He scored a try in the Auckland Lions [[2007 Bartercard Cup]] Grand Final win over [[Harbour League]].
In 2009 O'Neill played in the [[2009 Fox Memorial|Fox Memorial]] competition for the [[Mt Albert Lions]] and was awarded Man of the match.
==Representative career==
O'Nell represented NZ playing for the residents team in 1996 and again in 2006
O'Neill also represented the [[United States national rugby league team]].<ref>{{cite web|website=Rugby League project|title=Julian O'Neill - Career Stats & Summary|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/julian-o-neill--nz-/summary.html|accessdate=8 Sep 2020}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[http://www.saints.org.uk/saints.org.uk/home/viewpage.php?page_id=10&num=16081 Saints Heritage Society]
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/2999879/Super-League-Team-by-team-guide.html 2001 Super League Team-by-team guide]
{{St. Helens - 1997 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{St. Helens RLFC - 1999 Super League champions}}
{{St. Helens RLFC - 2000 Super League champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneill, Julian}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Auckland rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Marist Saints players]]
[[Category:Mount Albert Lions players]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby league players in England]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of American descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby league players]]
[[Category:New Zealand sportsmen]]
[[Category:People educated at Liston College]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Auckland]]
[[Category:Rugby league props]]
[[Category:St Helens R.F.C. players]]
[[Category:United States national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Waitakere rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Wakefield Trinity players]]
[[Category:Widnes Vikings players]]