Name Brendon Reeves | ||
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Brendon Reeves (born 16 July 1976 in Australia) is a former professional rugby league player who played for the Illawarra Steelers, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL). He played at fullback. Ballin made his ARL debut in round 7 of the 1996 season for the Illawarra Steelers against the South Queensland Crushers.
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Playing career
Brendon Reeves, who came from the isolated Riverina town of Quandialla in country NSW, was a standout in the sporting arena from an early age. At 15 he was a member of Yanco's all-conquering University Shield open age rugby league side, travelled to Darwin for the Australian rugby league championships and represented NSW Combined High Schools in rugby union.
In 1992 Reeves accepted a scholarship offer from the Illawarra Steelers which involved him moving to Wollongong when his time at Yanco had come to a conclusion. Brendon forced his way into first grade with the Steelers in 1996, but after three years in and out of first grade was forced to look elsewhere when the St George Illawarra joint venture was formed.
Reeves joined Manly in 1999 and is only one of four players from the 1999 team to also play for the 2002 Manly run Eagles. He showed his loyalty to the club by being one of the first to sign with Manly after the demise of the Northern Eagles joint venture and was instrumental in convincing other players to sign.
An injury riddled season and increasing problems with a chronic knee and back injury forced Reeves into premature retirement at the end of 2003. On his retirement Peter Peters said. "Brendon's loyalty to Manly has been great and won't be forgotten. He has been a wonderful player and an inspiration to the young players coming through. As well as being an inspirational player he was an excellent clubman."
Reeves commented that he was saddened to leave Manly. "I love the club and it has been good to me since I came to the area from Wollongong in 1999.I have no regrets other than I have to give up my career prematurely. "The manner in which the club helped me through the last few months without putting me under any pressure was both professional and caring. "I wish them all the best as the rebuilding process takes shape.I'll always consider myself a Manly player."
Retirement
Since his premature retirement, Reeves has also been involved in rugby league at the coaching level. Between 2008 and 2010 he was coach of the NSW Universities rugby league side which played against the Queensland equivalent which was coached by ex-Broncos forward Darren Smith.
He has also become a teacher at Camden High School in Camden, NSW , he is a PD/health/PE teacher but has also taught : History, Maths and English. Once a year during the annual school exchange between Camden and cowra high schools, Brendon has regularly coached the boys football team and the boys and girls soccer teams.
Although he has retired, Brendon's sporting career has not ended, he is the reigning pong ping world champion and holds the world point record. He coaches the local kids in the art of pong ping and one day hopes to take the sport to the Olympic stage.
His wife is also a teacher at Camden High School, she teaches PD/Health/PE as well as regularly coaching netball teams.