Bailey Simonsson

Bailey George Simonsson[2] (born 18 February 1998) is a New Zealand Māori international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL.

Bailey Simonsson
Personal information
Full nameBailey George Simonsson
Born (1998-02-18) 18 February 1998
Mona Vale, New South Wales, Australia
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
Playing information
PositionWing, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2019–21 Canberra Raiders 43 15 0 0 64
2022– Parramatta Eels 0 0 0 0 0
Total 43 15 0 0 64
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2019 New Zealand 9s
2021 Māori All Stars 1 0 0 0 0
As of 4 June 2021
Source: [1]

He has played international rugby union sevens for the New Zealand rugby 7s team.

Background

Simonsson was born in Mona Vale, New South Wales, Australia. He is of Māori heritage through his father and European heritage through his mother. His father Paul was a representative rugby union player before a brief career in rugby league with the North Sydney Bears.

Playing career

Early career

Simonsson played for the Canberra Raiders in the Harold Matthews Cup (under 16s), later joining the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs to play S. G. Ball Cup (under 18s) and NYC (under 20s) until 2017.[3][4]

Switch to rugby union

In 2018, Simonsson represented the New Zealand rugby 7s team at the tournaments in Hong Kong, London, and Paris.

Return to rugby league

Simonsson signed with the Canberra Raiders in December 2018.[3][4] He made his first grade debut in Round 1 of the 2019 NRL season against the Gold Coast Titans scoring a try in a 21-0 victory.[5][6] In Round 20 against the New Zealand Warriors, Simonsson scored 2 tries as Canberra won the match 46-12 at Mount Smart Stadium.[7]

In the 2019 qualifying final, Simonsson scored a try as Canberra staged a shock 12-10 victory over minor premiers Melbourne at AAMI Park to secure a home preliminary final.[8] Simonsson played from the bench in the 2019 NRL Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters in which Canberra were defeated 14-8 at ANZ Stadium. It was Canberra's first grand final appearance in 25 years.[9][10][11]

Simonsson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Melbourne at GIO Stadium in round 9 of the 2020 NRL season after which he underwent surgery and spent the rest of the season in rehabilitation.

In round 22 of the 2021 NRL season, he scored a hat-trick in Canberra's 26-16 loss against Melbourne.[12] On 10 December 2021, Simonsson signed a three-year deal to join Parramatta starting in the 2022 NRL season.[13]

References
  1. Rugby League Project
  2. White, Peter (26 October 2017). "Rugby: Bailey Simonsson has strong BOP ties". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  3. Polkinghorne, David (20 December 2018). "Canberra Raiders sign former All Blacks sevens player Bailey Simonsson". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  4. "Former All Black's son signs for Canberra Raiders after NZ sevens stint". stuff. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  5. "Round 1 NRL team lists". NRL.com. 12 March 2019.
  6. "Canberra Raiders sink Gold Coast Titans in wet". Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. "Raiders run riot as Warriors crumble at home". NRL.
  8. "Raiders upset Storm to advance to NRL preliminary final". The Guardian.
  9. "NRL grand final player ratings: Roosters and Raiders hits and misses". SMH.
  10. "Sydney Roosters beat Canberra Raiders to win NRL Grand Final". BBC.
  11. "How Ricky Stuart reacted to grand final 'six-again' refereeing shocker". WWOS.
  12. "Melbourne Storm keep winning streak alive despite Raiders scare". www.news.com.au.
  13. "Hodgson, Simonsson ink deals with Eels". www.nrl.com.
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