Jake Granville (born 7 February 1989) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who primarily plays as a utility forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL). Earlier in his career, Granville primarily played at hooker, where he won the 2015 NRL Grand Final and 2016 World Club Challenge with North Queensland after previously playing for the Brisbane Broncos. Granville is one of only two players in the NRL era to have started at both fullback and front row, the first being Matt Adamson. Kurt Gidley also played hooker and fullback in the NRL era.
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| Born | 7 February 1989 Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 172 cm (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 84 kg (13 st 3 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Hooker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] As of 27 April 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Background edit
Granville was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
He played his junior football for Rockhampton Brothers and attended St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, Rockhampton and St. Brendan's College, Yeppoon, before being signed by the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.
Playing career edit
Early career edit
Granville played for Wynnum's Colts side in 2007, and in 2008, made his Queensland Cup debut for the club.[2]
In 2009, Granville joined the Brisbane Broncos, playing for their NYC team before moving back to Wynnum Manly in 2010.[3] At Wynnum, Granville helped the Seagulls to consecutive Grand Final victories in 2011 and 2012, being named man of the match in 2011, and representing Queensland Residents in 2012. Granville re-joined the Brisbane Broncos in 2013, on a one-year deal.[4]
2013 edit
In Round 10 of the 2013 NRL season, at the age of 24, Granville made his NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos, coming off the bench in the side's 32-6 win over the Gold Coast Titans.[5] Later that season, he represented the Queensland Residents side for the second time. On 29 August, Granville re-signed with the Brisbane club on a 12-month extension.[citation needed]
2014 edit
In Round 15 of the 2014 NRL season, Granville scored his first NRL try in the Broncos 19-10 loss to the New Zealand Warriors.[6]
A week later in Round 16, Granville was again promoted to the Brisbane starting line-up (after earning his first start against the Warriors in Round 15) against Cronulla, Granville was one of Brisbane's best in the club's two point loss. With regular Hooker Andrew McCullough back from injury in Round 17, Granville's impressive form saw him nail down a spot on the Broncos bench, Granville scored his 2nd NRL try against the Penrith Panthers in Round 17.
On 22 July 2014, Granville signed a two-year contract with the North Queensland Cowboys, linking up with his former Wynnum Manly coach Paul Green.[7]
2015 edit
In Round 1 of the 2015 NRL season, Granville earned a spot on the North Queensland bench, beating Ray Thompson and Lachlan Coote as Paul Green's preferred utility option. By Round 4 of the 2015 NRL season, Granville had solidified himself as North Queensland's starting hooker. Granville scored his first try for North Queensland in Round 6 against South Sydney after a 50-metre break, which included running past Greg Inglis, the Cowboys won the match 30-12. In Round 7, Granville scored a hat-trick, including the game-winning try, in the Cowboys' 28-24 victory over the New Zealand Warriors. Many hailed Granville as the NRL's signing of the season with many pundits stating Granville was the form Hooker of the NRL competition in season 2015. In Round 20 against the Parramatta Eels, Granville took home man of the match honours ahead of Johnathan Thurston in the 46-4 point thrashing. Granville ran for 191 metres (from 12 runs) in this match, to go along with his six tackle breaks, three line breaks, two line break assists, two try assists & a try of his own. On 2 August, Granville was named Cowboys' Members Player of the Year.[citation needed]
On 4 October 2015, Granville was a member of North Queensland's Grand Final winning side, starting a hooker in the side's 17-16 victory over the Brisbane Broncos. Granville set up Justin O'Neill and James Tamou for the Cowboys' first two tries of the match and was a candidate to win the Clive Churchill Medal, which eventually went to co-captain Johnathan Thurston.[citation needed]
At the North Queensland awards night on 9 October, half a week after the club's Grand Final victory, Granville was named North Queensland's Player's Player of the Year. Granville finished runner-up in the Cowboys Player of the Year voting, just falling one point short to co-captain Johnathan Thurston.
On 27 October, The Courier-Mail listed Granville as the NRL's best hooker.[8] On 27 November, Granville extended his contract with the Cowboys to the end of 2018.[9]
2016 edit
On 12 January, Granville was selected in the QAS Emerging Origin squad.[10] On 21 February, he was a member of the Cowboys' 2016 World Club Challenge winning side, starting at hooker in the side's 38-4 victory over the Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Stadium.[11] On 5 May, he was named at hooker in QRL journalist Tony Webeck's Queensland Residents team of the past 10 years.[12]
2017 edit
In January, Granville was once again selected in the QAS Emerging Origin squad.[13] On 1 October, Granville started at hooker in North Queensland's 2017 NRL Grand Final loss to the Melbourne Storm. He finished the 2017 season having playing 24 games, starting all at hooker, and scoring four tries.[citation needed]
2018 edit
Granville played all 24 games for the Cowboys in 2018, starting at hooker in every game and scoring one try. In Round 13, he played his 100th NRL game in the Cowboys' 26–12 win over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[14] In Round 24, he played his 100th NRL game for the Cowboys in their 44–6 win over the Parramatta Eels.[15] Granville extended his contract with the Cowboys until the end of 2021 Season[16]
2019 edit
For the second consecutive year, Granville played in all 24 of North Queensland's games, starting at hooker in all but one game.[citation needed]
2020 edit
In February, Granville was a member of the Cowboys' 2020 NRL Nines winning squad.[17]
He started the 2020 season as the Cowboys' starting hooker but was dropped in favour of Reece Robson, following the club's Round 4 loss to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.[18] He returned to the side in Round 13, playing just four more games, all off the bench.[19] Granville finished the season having played just eight games, his lowest total since joining the Cowboys in 2015.
2021 edit
In Round 17, Granville played his 150th first grade game for North Queensland. He became the 16th player in the club's history to do so. In Round 19, Granville started at Fullback for the first time in his career finishing the game with 80m run metres and a try assist.[citation needed]
2022 edit
Granville played 14 games for North Queensland in the 2022 NRL season which all came from the interchange bench as the club finished third on the table and qualified for the finals. Granville did not play in either of North Queensland's finals matches which saw them reach the preliminary final before being defeated by Parramatta.[20]
2023 edit
During the season, Granville re-signed with the Cowboys on a one season extension.[21] Granville played 24 matches for North Queensland in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished 11th on the table.[22]
2024 edit
Granville was inducted as a life member of the Cowboys, and played his 200th game for them in round 5.[23]
Achievements and accolades edit
Individual edit
- North Queensland Cowboys Players' Player of the Year: 2015
- North Queensland Cowboys Members' Player of the Year: 2015
Team edit
- 2015 NRL Grand Final: North Queensland Cowboys – Winners
- 2016 World Club Challenge: North Queensland Cowboys – Winners
- 2020 NRL Nines: North Queensland Cowboys – Winners
Statistics edit
NRL edit
- Statistics are correct to the end of the 2023 season[24]
| † | Denotes seasons in which Granville won an NRL Premiership |
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 |  Brisbane
|
2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2015† |  North Queensland
|
28 | 10 | 0 | — | 0 | 40 |
| 2016 | 25 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2017 | 24 | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 16 | |
| 2018 | 24 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 24 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 | |
| 2020 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 24 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| 2022 | 14 | 0 | |||||
| 2023 | 24 | ||||||
| 2024 | 5 | ||||||
| Career totals | 210 | 24 | 0 | — | 0 | 96 | |
Personal life edit
Granville is engaged to Zoe Hunt, the sister of St George Illawarra Dragons halfback Ben Hunt.[25]
References edit
- ^ "Jake Granville – Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
- ^ "Granville makes debut against Magpies!! | Wynnum R.L.F.C". Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ "Jake Granville player results, scores, news and statistics". Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ^ "Broncos Boost Fullback Stocks by Signing Jake Granville". Heraldsun.com.au. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ "Late Mail: Broncos 200th Debutant – Brisbane Broncos". Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ^ "Rugby League Tables / New Zealand 19 v Brisbane 10 / Round 15, 2014". Afltables.com. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ "Granville signs on with the". Cowboys. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ "NRL Power Rankings : We Rate Every Club's Hooker". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ "Granville extends time at Cowboys | NRL". Zero Tackle. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ "Maroons name Emerging Origin squad". National Rugby League. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ "North Queensland Cowboys thump Leeds in World Club Challenge, James Tamou punched by Mitch Garbutt". Australia: ABC News. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
- ^ Webeck, Tony (5 May 2016). "A Residents team to match any other". QRL. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ^ "QAS Emerging Origin Squad". 8 December 2016.
- ^ "Season review: Jake Granville". 5 October 2018.
- ^ "Milestone game, Thurston's farewell and more on the line for Cowboys". 22 August 2018.
- ^ "Granville extends stay with Cowboys". 28 May 2018.
- ^ "Nines final team list: Final v Dragons". 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Cowboys hand speedster Tabuai-Fidow a debut". National Rugby League. 9 June 2020.
- ^ "NRL team list: Round 13 v Titans". NQ Cowboys. 4 August 2020.
- ^ "'See it in their eyes': The late-season pact and 'massive sacrifice' behind Eels surge". Australia: Fox Sports.
- ^ https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/long-serving-jake-granville-signs-034025302.html
- ^ "NRL 2023: North Queensland Cowboys season review". sportingnews.com.
- ^ Past and present teammates describe what Jake Granville means to them. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024 – via www.cowboys.com.au.
- ^ "Jake Granville – Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ "Feldt's girlfriend right behind him". 26 September 2017.