Tariq Sims

Tariq Sims (born 9 February 1990) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League. A Fijian international and New South Wales Country representative, he plays at second-row and lock. He previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys and Newcastle Knights.

Sims played junior football in his home town of Gerringong, New South Wales, before moving to Queensland, where he played in the NYC for the Brisbane Broncos from 2008 to 2010. He was initially a winger, but was told by the Broncos to put on weight and turned into a forward. His brothers Korbin and Ashton both played with him at the Broncos at the same time, Ashton was a member of the first-grade squad, while Korbin played NYC with him. Tariq was the 2010 Toyota Cup season's player of the year, but he left the Broncos without playing a first-grade match. He and Ashton joined the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2011 season. Upon leaving the Broncos, he praised the club's youth system for his development as a player, saying that he was leaving only to get the opportunity to play first-grade football.

2011

In Round 2 of the 2011 NRL season, Sims made his NRL debut for the Cowboys against the Newcastle Knights off the interchange bench in the Cowboys 34-22 loss at 1300SMILES Stadium. In Sims' next match in Round 3 against the Melbourne Storm, he scored his first NRL career try in the Cowboys 34-6 win at 1300SMILES Stadium. In Round 13 against the Canberra Raiders at Canberra Stadium, Sims scored a double in the match. One of the tries was the longest try scored by a Cowboys forward by running 45m to score in the Cowboys comeback 40-24 win after trailing 22-0 after 21 minutes of the match. In Round 25 against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Sims' season ended when he broke his leg in the Cowboys 28-20 win.

Despite his curtailed season, Sims was a finalist in the best rookie and best second-rower categories of the Dally M Awards. During the year, Sims was invited to join the New South Wales State of Origin team during training. Sims finished his stellar debut year in the NRL with him playing in 20 matches and scoring 5 tries. On 8 September 2011, Sims re-signed with the Cowboys on a 4-year contract to the end of the 2015 season. On 2 November 2011, Sims was shortlisted for the Rugby League International Federation's Second Rower of the Year award.

2012

In Round 5 against the Raiders, Sims returned from a broken leg in the Cowboys 22-6 victory at Canberra Stadium. Sims came off the bench in the second half and put in a memorable performance, performing a big hit on Canberra big man Tom Learoyd-Lahrs in his first few minutes on the field. Sims soon returned to the Cowboys starting line-up. On 22 April 2012, Sims made his representative debut for NSW Country Origin against NSW City Origin off the interchange bench and scored a double in the 24-22 loss at Mudgee. Just 7 matches into his comeback from a broken leg, playing against the Penrith Panthers, Sims attempted to save a try but was involved in a freak accident with Penrith back rower Cameron Ciraldo which ended with Sims breaking his leg for a second time in the space of a year and in exactly the same spot as the previous break. The Cowboys went on to win the match 30-28, with Tariq's brother Ashton scoring the match winning try in the dying minutes of the game

Sims had a successful surgery which involved a steel rod being inserted into his leg to help with the healing process and to stop another break. He returned to full contact training the week of the Cowboys controversial semi-final loss to Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. Sims played in 7 matches and scored 1 try in 2012. On 21 December, Sims was taken to hospital after suffering from dehydration at the Cowboys off season army-style boot camp at Lavarack Barracks.

2013

Sims made his second return from injury in a 28-24 trial victory over his former club Brisbane Broncos on 4 February. He started the match in the second row and had three stints in the game. Impressing coaching staff and full of confidence. On 21 April, Sims played for NSW Country Origin against NSW City Origin off the interchange bench in the 18-12 win at Coffs Harbour. Sims finished the season with 4 tries from 23 matches.

Qualifying through his mother, Sims was selected in the Fiji squad for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup alongside his brothers, Ashton and Korbin. He made his international debut for Fiji against Ireland at second-row and scored a try in the 32-14 win at Spotland Stadium. Sims played in 5 matches and scored 1 try in the tournament.

2014

On 4 May, Sims played prop for NSW Country Origin in the 26-26 draw at Dubbo. On 4 July, Sims signed a 2-year contract with the Newcastle Knights starting in 2015, where he would join his younger brother Korbin Sims. On 16 September 2014, Sims missed the rest of the NRL finals series after being making a guilty plea for a grade three shoulder charge offence for a second-half incident with Brisbane Broncos fullback Justin Hodges in North Queensland’s 32-20 victory in Week 1 of the elimination finals at 1300SMILES Stadium. That match was Sims’ last for the Cowboys. The Cowboys were later eliminated in Week 2 by the Sydney Roosters. Sims scored 6 tries in 21 matches in 2014.

2015

In Round 5, Sims made his club debut for the Newcastle Knights against the St. George Illawarra Dragons at second-row in the Knights 13-0 loss at Hunter Stadium. On 3 May, Sims played for NSW Country off the interchange bench and scored a try in the 34-22 win at Wagga Wagga. In Round 9 against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Sims scored his first club try for the Knights in the 30-10 loss at Brookvale Oval. On 12 June, Sims was called into the New South Wales Blues squad as cover, being named as 19th man for Game 2 of the 2015 State of Origin series after Dragons forward Tyson Frizell was ruled out from injury. Brother Korbin was named as 20th man for Queensland two days beforehand. Sims finished his first year with the Knights with him playing in 19 matches and scoring 4 tries, as the club collected the wooden spoon.

2016

On 13 January, Sims was named in the emerging New South Wales Blues squad. In February, he co-captained the Knights in the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines. On 26 February, he was announced as one of three co-captains for the Knights alongside Trent Hodkinson and Jeremy Smith. On 8 May, for the fifth year in a row, he played for New South Wales Country against New South Wales City. On 31 May, he signed a 3-year contract with the St. George Illawarra Dragons starting in 2017. However, after negotiating over the next month, he was released early to the Dragons mid-season. He played in 8 matches for the Knights that season before the mid-season switch. In Round 15, he made his club debut for the Dragons against the Melbourne Storm, where he played off the interchange bench in the Dragons' 20-10 win at WIN Stadium.

Sims is the older brother of Brisbane Broncos player Korbin Sims and younger brother of Warrington Wolves player Ashton Sims. His elder sister Ruan Sims played for the Australian women's team in 2010.