Meninga, Mal (1960-…), an Australian rugby football player and coach, ranks among the greatest players in the history of Rugby League. Meninga, a center, holds many records, including the record for most points scored in Test matches for Australia as well as most goals kicked in Test matches and most Tests played. Test matches are competitions between national teams.
Malcolm Norman Meninga was born on July 8, 1960, in Bundaberg, Queensland. When he was 18, he began playing for the Souths Logan Magpies in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership (competition). He joined the Queensland Maroons in 1979. In 1980, he helped Queensland win the first Rugby League State of Origin match against the New South Wales Blues. The State of Origin is an annual series of Rugby League matches between Queensland and New South Wales. It is one of Australia’s most popular sporting events.
Meninga played in the United Kingdom in 1984 and 1985 during the off-season for rugby football in Australia. In the United Kingdom, he helped St. Helen’s win the Rugby Football League (AFL) premiership title. In 1986, Meninga joined the Canberra Raiders. He led his team to New South Wales Rugby League premiership titles in 1989, 1990, and 1994. Meninga was team captain for Australia in 23 Test matches from 1990 to 1994. He was captain of the Queensland State of Origin team from 1992 to 1994.
Meninga retired as a player in 1994. From 1997 to 2001, he coached the Canberra Raiders in Australia’s Super League. Meninga became a successful businessman after leaving the Raiders. In late 2005, he was appointed coach of the Queensland State of Origin team. He coached the team to championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Meninga wrote an autobiography, Meninga: My Life in Football (1995). In 2003, he was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame.
