Shane Millard

Shane Millard (born 30 July 1975) is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. During his career he played for Super League sides London Broncos, Widnes Vikings, Leeds Rhinos & Wigan Warriors as well as gaining recognition in the NRL with Sydney Roosters, Souths and St George Illawarra. His career was largely played at hooker.

Career

Millard, who grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW in Port Macquarie and attended Westport High School, was one of the most experienced players currently playing in the Super League. He has Super League experience with London Broncos, Widnes Vikings, Leeds Rhinos and has also played for NRL teams, including the St George Illawarra Dragons.

In 2004 Millard completed a match for Widnes with a fragment of tooth embedded in his head after a head clash in the first half with the Castleford Tigers' Dean Ripley.

He played for Widnes Vikings for three years before the club was relegated in 2004 after which he joined Leeds Rhinos to provide back up for Matt Diskin. At the end of 2006 Shane was released from his contract with Leeds and in December 2006 it was announced he had signed a contract with Wigan Warriors on a 2-year deal.

The signing of Millard by Wigan was met with mixed reaction by the Wigan fans, some believed that Millards experience would benefit the Wigan side while other believed that signing a 30-year-old Australian was not benefiting English talent and was not a suitable replacement for Wayne Godwin

Millard has played much of his football as a second row. Though not the tallest or biggest for a back-rower he more than made up for this fact with superb agility and ferocious defence. The hard-working forward was also versatile enough to play as a front rower for the London Broncos

After a shoulder problem in the 2007 season Shane decided to retire from rugby league after helping Wigan to the semi finals of the Super League play offs.

Shane is currently playing for the Thirroul Butchers in the 2009 Illawarra rugby league competition. As of 2010 Shane resides in Wollongong, NSW Australia with his wife and three daughters.

He played representative football for the USA Tomahawks.