Jamal Shibasaki (born 7 June 2005) is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays as a second-rower for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 7 June 2005 Townsville, Queensland, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 105 kg (16 st 7 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] As of 2 June 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Background
editBorn in Townsville, Queensland, Shibasaki is of Torres Strait Islander and Japanese descent.[2] He is the younger brother of South Sydney Rabbitohs player Gehamat Shibasaki.[3]
He played his junior rugby league for Townsville Brothers and attended Ignatius Park College before being signed by the Brisbane Broncos.[4][5][6]
Playing career
editEarly career
editIn 2021, Shibasaki played for the Townsville Blackhawks in the under-16 Cyril Connell Challenge competition, scoring four tries in four games.[7] In 2022, he moved up to their under-18 Mal Meninga Cup side, starting at second-row in their Grand Final loss to the Souths Logan Magpies.[8] In September 2022, Shibasaki signed with the North Queensland Cowboys.[9][10]
In 2023, he began the year captaining the Blackhawks' Mal Meninga Cup side, being named the competition's Player of the Year at the end of the season.[11][12]
In May 2023, Shibasaki, aged just 17 years and 339 days, made his Queensland Cup debut for the Blackhawks in their 54–4 win over the PNG Hunters.[13] In July 2023, he represented Queensland under-19, coming off the bench in their loss to New South Wales.[14] On 17 September 2023, he started at second-row in Townsville's under-21 Colts Grand Final win over the Brisbane Tigers.[15]
2024
editShibasaki joined the Cowboys' NRL squad ahead of the 2024 season.[16] He began the season playing for the Mackay Cutters in the Queensland Cup.[17]
In Round 13 of the 2024 NRL season, he made his NRL debut off the bench against the Sydney Roosters.[18]
References
edit- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ "The destiny that led to Gehamat Shibasaki's NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos". National Rugby League. 8 August 2018.
- ^ "Get to know our young players ahead of Sunday's trial". NQ Cowboys. 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Brisbane Broncos pinch son of a gun from North Queensland Cowboys". Courier Mail. 24 November 2021.
- ^ "Spoils shared in junior rugby league deciders". Courier Mail. 17 September 2018.
- ^ "Ignatius Park's Jamal Shibasaki draws on brother ahead of positional switch". Courier Mail. 10 June 2021.
- ^ "'What a weapon!' - Jamal Shibasaki". QRL. 15 March 2021.
- ^ "QRL U18 Mal Meninga Cup - 2022 Round 3". LeagueUnlimited. 8 March 2022.
- ^ "New Cowboy Gehamat Shibasaki's heartwarming reason for signing". Townsville Bulletin. 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Shibasaki signs for 2023". NQ Cowboys. 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Mal Meninga Cup Player of the Year Jamal Shibasaki". QRL. 16 September 2023.
- ^ "2023 QRL U18 Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup Preliminary Finals". LeagueUnlimited. 15 April 2023.
- ^ "Townsville Blackhawks 54 def. Papua New Guinea Hunters 4". Rugby League Project. 12 May 2023.
- ^ "Queensland Under 19 team named". QRL. 3 July 2023.
- ^ "Nine Cowboys named for Sunday's U21s Grand Final". NQ Cowboys. 15 September 2023.
- ^ "Cowboys promote seven from Pathways program to NRL squad for 2024". NQ Cowboys. 24 October 2023.
- ^ "Q-Cup stats: Cowboys combine for 1,188 running metres". NQ Cowboys. 18 March 2024.
- ^ "Cowboys team list: Round 13 v Roosters". NQ Cowboys. 28 May 2024.