Tony Rea

Tony Rea
Personal information
Born (1966-07-25) 25 July 1966
Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Position Hooker
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1984–88 Brothers (Brisbane)
1988–94 North Sydney Bears 120 14 14 1 85
1995–96 London Broncos 47 4 0 0 16
Total 167 18 14 1 101
Coaching information
Rugby league
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1999–06 London Broncos 153 71 8 74 46
2012–14 London Broncos 38 12 2 24 32
Total 191 83 10 98 43
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
2011–12 Brumbies
Source: RLP

Tony Rea (born 25 July 1966 in Bundaberg, Queensland) is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and the current head coach for Super League club, London Broncos. A former rugby league hooker, he played club football in the Brisbane Rugby League for Brothers, in the New South Wales Rugby League as captain of the North Sydney Bears, and in Europe's Super League for the London Broncos, later becoming their coach. Rea also briefly coached Super Rugby team, the Brumbies before returning to London to coach the Broncos.

Early years

Rea was born on 25 July 1966 in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. He began his playing career in 1984 in the local Brisbane competition at the Brothers club.

Playing career

In 1988, he was snapped up to play in the premier NSWRL competition by North Sydney Bears, mainly playing in the hooking position and being appointed captain. He spent six years at the Bears.

He was recruited along with many fellow Antipodeans in 1994 by the new Australian owners of the London rugby league club, who changed the name of the club from London Crusaders to London Broncos. He played for the club during the change of top-flight rugby league in England from the winter season to summer Rugby League, with the advent of the new Super League competition in 1996.

Administration

After 47 London appearances scoring 11 tries, Rea retired from playing at the end of the inaugural Super League season in 1996 to take up the Chief Executive role at the club. He stayed in the role until 2000.

Key moments during his time as Chief Executive include:-

Coaching career

Rea was persuaded at the end of the 2000 season to become head coach on a full-time basis, so this meant he had to resign his Chief Executive role. During his time as head coach, he led the Broncos to two post-regular season Super League play-off appearances (in 2003 and 2005).

On 8 July 2006, after a disappointing run of form for the team, the Harlequins Rugby League club announced a re-organisation of the coaching set-up. Rea was replaced as head coach by Leeds Rhinos' assistant coach Brian McDermott, but was appointed onto the club's board of directors.

On 4 June 2008 he revealed he has accepted the assistant coach role with the Brumbies, the rugby union Super Rugby side based in Canberra.[1] He was appointed the Brumbies 2011 head coach after Andy Friend was fired two games into the season.[2][3] In July 2012, Rea agreed to replace Rob Powell as interim London Broncos head coach until the end of the 2012 season.[4] This was made permanent in August 2012.[5]

In 2014 Rea stepped down as head coach of the London Broncos and was replaced by his assistant coach Joey Grima.

References

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