Neville Costigan

Neville Costigan played junior rugby league for Mackay Wests Tigers, and finished his career back in North Queensland - with the Townsville Blackhawks.

He joined the Brisbane Broncos in 2003, and was Rookie of the Year, making his debut in Round 26, and also playing in the finals.

Costigan spent most of the year playing for affiliate club, Toowoomba Clydesdales. Costigan played 45 NRL games for Brisbane, before he parted ways with the club during the 2006 season. He joined Canberra Raiders in 2007, and made his State of Origin debut in Game I that year.

He went on to play six games for Queensland, being part of three series wins - 2007, 2009 and 2010. Born in Rabaul, Costigan played for Papua New Guinea in the 2008 World Cup, under the coaching of former Queensland skipper, Adrian Lam.

I want to be like a Carl Webb or Gorden Tallis. I want to be playing for Queensland for a long time. It's a dream come true.

Neville Costigan FOG #162

Costigan joined his former Broncos' coach, Wayne Bennett at the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2009, playing prop in the 2010 NRL grand final victory over the Sydney Roosters.

Lock forward was his preferred position, but he also played hooker, second row and centre, during his NRL career. His versatility made him the ideal interchange player for Queensland. Costigan made 42 appearances for St George Illawarra, before following Bennett to the Newcastle Knights, in 2011, as the cub's marquee recruit. He played 57 games for the Knights, between 2011-2013, before signing with the Hull Kingston Rovers in England.

Costigan returned to Australia in 2015, for family reasons, and played two seasons with Townsville Blackhawks in the Intrust Super Cup. He played lock for the Blackhawks in their 32-20 loss to Ipswich in the 2015 Cup grand final at Suncorp Stadium.

A keen fisherman, Costigan works with Down Syndrome charities. His hero as a youngster was Gorden Tallis. Costigan played a total of 169 NRL games and 25 in English Super League.