Antonio Winterstein

Antonio Winterstein
Winterstein playing for Brisbane in 2009
Personal information
Nickname Tones[1]
Born (1988-05-30) 30 May 1988
Auckland, New Zealand
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 95 kilograms (14 st 13 lb)
Playing information
Position Wing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2009–10 Brisbane Broncos 47 19 0 0 76
2011– North Queensland 117 58 0 0 232
Total 164 77 0 0 308
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2013–14 Samoa 8 6 1 0 26
2015 NRL All Stars 1 0 0 0 0
Source:

Antonio Winterstein (born 30 May 1988) is a professional rugby league footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys of the NRL. A Samoan international representative winger, he can also play centre and previously played for the Brisbane Broncos. He was a member of the Cowboys' 2015 NRL premiership and 2016 World Club Challenge winning sides.

Background

Born in Auckland, New Zealand moved to Brisbane in his early years, playing junior rugby league for Logan Brothers and attended Marsden State High School, where his classmates included future NRL stars Israel Folau and Chris Sandow.[2] Winterstein joined the Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg side in 2007 and played for their inaugural NYC in 2008.[3]

Playing career

2009

Following the 2008 Toyota Cup season, Winterstein returned to Brisbane to be closer to family and was invited to train with the Broncos during the off-season. He was selected to play in Round 1 of the 2009 NRL season against his future club the North Queensland Cowboys and scored a try on début. He scored 16 tries and played almost every game of his first NRL season. He was later named in the New Zealand train-on squad for the 2009 Four Nations series.

2010

Winterstein's streak of 31 consecutive first grade games since his debut was cut in early April 2010 when coach Ivan Henjak dropped him and Ben Te'o for turning up to training late in the lead up to the match against the Dragons, which the Broncos lost. As punishment, Winterstein was relegated to second division for a week, and returned the following week against Cronulla.

At the end of the 2010 NRL season, Winterstein's last with Brisbane, he was part of the New Zealand squad for the 2010 Four Nations[4] but not selected to play in any of the tournament's matches.

2011

Wintersteined moved to the North Queensland Cowboys on a 3-year deal with starting from the 2011 NRL season.[5] Winterstein broke his jaw in the Cowboys first trial of the year in February against his former club Brisbane, which resulted in him missing the first month of the NRL. Winterstein returned for the Cowboys in Round 5 against the Gold Coast Titans, playing Centre and starring in the win. After Nine NRL gaes in 2011, Winterstein tore his pectoral muscle and damaged his shoulder badly in the Round 14 clash against the eventual Premiers Manly, Winterstein was later ruled out for the season, having played Nine games and scoring Four tries.

2012

In 2012 Winterstein edged out fellow Kiwi international Kalifa Faifai Loa for the Cowboys final wing spot, as the club signed talented Grand Final centre Kane Linnett from the Roosters. Winterstein stayed injury-free in season 2012 and played in all 26 games for the Cowboys; scoring 8 tries. While Wintersteins preferred position is right centre, he was forced to play the majority of the season on the left wing.

Winterstein was awarded for his second season with the Cowboys club with a spot in New Zealand's one off test squad to play against Australia on 13 October 2012. Winterstein made the New Zealand Four Nations squad in 2010 but missed out on selection in 2011 due to injury.

On 7 December 2012 it was announced that Winterstein had re-signed with the Cowboys on an three-year-deal, which will keep the Samoan international at the Townsville-based club until at least the 2016 NRL season.

2013

Antonio made his debut for Samoa in the Pacific Rugby League International against Tonga on 20 April 2013. He was selected for Samoa again later in the year to feature in Samoa's 2013 Rugby League World Cup campaign. Winterstein inspired Samoa to the World Cup quarter-finals scoring 5 tries in 4 games. 3 of those tries came against 'The Kumuls' in the group stage.

2014

On 7 October 2014, Winterstein was selected for the Samoa's 24 man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series.[6][7]

2015

On 4 October 2015, Winterstein was a member of the Cowboys' Grand Final winning side, starting on the wing in the side's 17-16 victory over the Brisbane Broncos. Winterstein finished the season as the Cowboys' top tryscorer, with a career-high 16 tries.

2016

On 21 February 2016, Winterstein was a member of the Cowboys' World Club Challenge winning side, starting on the wing in the side's 38-4 victory over the Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Stadium. He was originally selected on the wing for the World All Stars in the NRL All Stars game but would later withdraw with teammate Matthew Wright replacing him, albeit on the bench.

On 22 April 2016, Winterstein re-signed with the Cowboys until the end of 2018.[8]

Achievements and accolades

Team

2015 NRL Grand Final: North Queensland Cowboys – Winners
2016 World Club Challenge: North Queensland Cowboys – Winners

Statistics

NRL

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2015 season [9]
† Denotes seasons in which Winterstein won an NRL Premiership
Season Team Matches T G GK % F/G Pts
2009 Brisbane 27 14 0 — 0 56
2010 Brisbane 20 5 0 — 0 20
2011 North Queensland 9 2 0 — 0 8
2012 North Queensland 26 8 0 — 0 32
2013 North Queensland 24 13 0 — 0 52
2014 North Queensland 23 15 0 — 0 60
2015† North Queensland 26 16 0 — 0 64
Career totals 155 73 0 — 0 292

International

Season Team Matches T G GK % F/G Pts
2013 Samoa 5 5 1/1 100% 0 22
2014 Samoa 2 1 0 — 0 4
2016 Samoa 1 0 0 — 0 0
Career totals 8 6 1/1 100% 0 26

Personal life

Winterstein and his wife Brooke Winterstein (née Peninton) have three daughters, Milanah, Harlan and Novah.[10][11]

Winterstein comes from a very large rugby league family. His uncles are Paddy and Tony Tuimavave and he is cousins with Evarn Tuimavave and current Hull FC player Carlos.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nrl.com/struggling-cowboys-to-lift-intensity/tabid/10874/newsid/84817/default.aspx
  2. ↑ School days to class acts By Matt Marshall (The Daily Telegraph 23 April 2009)
  3. ↑ Brisbane Broncos rookie Antonio Winterstein upsets Sydney Roosters By Brent Read (The Australian 11 April 2009)
  4. ↑ AP (5 October 2010). "New faces join Kiwis Four Nations squad". Wide World of Sports. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  5. ↑ http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2010/06/14/146105_cowboys.html
  6. ↑ http://www.nrl.com/toa-samoa-name-four-nations-squad/tabid/10874/newsid/82434/default.aspx
  7. ↑ http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/toa-samoa-name-four-nations-squad-15250/
  8. ↑ http://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2016/04/22/winterstein_extends_.html
  9. ↑ FIRST LAST's player profile at Rugby League Project
  10. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/antonio-winterstein-would-hand-back-nrl-premiership-ring-for-more-time-with-late-brother/story-e6frf3rc-1227558901255
  11. ↑ http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/north-queensland-cowboys-premiership-hero-antonio-winterstein-names-new-daughter-in-honour-of-his-brother/news-story/797f6546003042cfa58fe2f9611b20e5

External links

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