Player Matt Spence

[mt.wellington]

Matt Spence

​

Matthew Spence (born 7 April 1976) is a former professional rugby league footballer and coach. His position of preference was in the second row, although he also played as prop occasionally.

Born in New Zealand, Matthew grew up playing for the Turangi Dambusters in the Bay of Plenty competition.

Spence also played for the Junior Kiwis.

Spence then moved to Australia, joining the Parramatta Eels and making his first grade debut in 1995. He impressed many in his rookie season and was awarded the Eric Grothe Rookie of the Year award at Parramatta. However he needed a knee reconstruction in 1997 and this injury plagued his next two seasons at the Eels.

He signed for the Western Suburbs Magpies in 1999 and looked to rebuild his career. However, before the season had started he failed a NRL drug test, testing positive for ecstasy. He was the first player to be suspended under the NRL's new drug rules and received a seven-week suspension.

With the Magpies merging with Balmain for the 2000 season he was forced to move clubs again and returned home to New Zealand to play for the Auckland Warriors. He was not re-signed by the new owners in 2001 and retired. When not required by the Warriors in 2000, Spence was assigned to play for the Newtown Jets. He played for the Northcote Tigers in the 2002 Bartercard Cup.

In 2003 Spence was the player-coach of the new Tihoi club in the Waicoa Bay club competition.

In 2009 and 2010 Spence was the player-coach for the Turangi Dambusters in the Bay of Plenty premier competition, his old junior club.

Matthew Spence - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Matthew Spence - Playing Career - RLP

A summary of the career stats for Matthew Spence, a rugby league player who played for the Parramatta Eels, the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Auckland Warriors.

www.rugbyleagueproject.org

 

[mt.wellington]

#74 Matt Spence​

Retired to his hometown Turangi in the Bay of Plenty and works as a youth worker in the area. This is mentioned in an article from 2009 but I have had it confirmed from a friend that lives in Turangi who says he works in the Waihi Beach area...

Star Spence in roving Dambusters role​

Rotorua Daily Post
13 Jul, 2009 05:00 PM

There's no doubt Matthew Spence's footballing career has brought him full circle, back to its starting point on the southern shores of Lake Taupo.

A talented teen, Spence made the New Zealand under-17 selection while playing for the Turangi Dambusters, the Bay of Plenty District Rugby League's southern-most affiliated club.

Now, almost half a lifetime later, Spence is back in the Dambusters' colours after a speckled career which saw him play 68 games in Australia's NRL with Parramatta Eels (1995-98), Western Suburbs (1999) and finally the Warriors in 2000.

Injury plagued the second-rower's top-flight fortunes and he will always be remembered as the first player to be dealt with under the NRL's new drug policy. He earned a nine-week stand-down in 1999 for failing a pre-season test which showed remains of recreational drugs.

Those highs and lows are certainly well behind the quietly spoken 33-year-old, who has been acting as a player/coach for the Dambusters in the Bay of Plenty premier competition this year.

Working with youth is his vocation now. He's a solo father of two boys aged under 7 and many of his football side are teenagers.

"Football and a bit of hunting, that's the main reason I moved back home, just to relax a bit," Spence said shortly after his side's 36-14 loss to Pikiao in Rotorua on Saturday.

"I kept away from football when the kids were young but now they're playing junior football."

Spence has been back in Turangi since he retired from professional football just over seven years ago but he still displays the nose of someone who has played at the higher levels.

(abridged)

Star Spence in roving Dambusters role - NZ Herald

Get the latest local and provincial Rotorua sports news and results including rugby, racing, cricket and more from the Rotorua Daily Post

www.nzherald.co.nz