Mark Geyer

Mark Geyer

Playing information
Height	195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	114 kg (17 st 13 lb)
Position	Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1987–92 Penrith Panthers 92 8 0 0 32 1993 Balmain Tigers 13 2 0 0 8 1995–96 Western Reds 32 2 0 0 8 1997–00 Penrith Panthers 43 2 0 0 8 Total 180 14 0 0 56 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1989–91 New South Wales 3 0 0 0 0 1990–91 Australia 3 1 0 0 4
Source: NRL Stats, RLP

Mark Geyer (born 7 December 1967), is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-rower, he is currently a rugby league media identity. In the 1990s he was one of the code's more controversial players in Australia due to on and off-field headlines and publicised comments as much as for his undubitable playing talent. Geyer's club career was played primarily with Penrith, with whom he won the premiership in 1991, as well as the Balmain Tigers and the Western Reds. He is also the brother of fellow footballer Matt Geyer.

Playing career

In 1987, Geyer established a regular first grade place with the Penrith Panthers and was selected for the City Seconds team after only a handful of top grade appearances. In 1987 he was picked in the President's XIII against the touring British Lions.

Geyer's reputation for controversy began that winter when he served a six-match suspension for the first five matches of 1989 with English club Sheffield Eagles, thus giving Penrith his services for four more games than they would otherwise not have had. Geyer gained a place in the New South Wales State of Origin team that year. 1990 was lost to a succession of injuries, but he came back to be selected for the Kangaroo Tour. Geyer played his first Test on that tour. During the 1991 season received a five-match suspension for an incident involving Wally Lewis in the second State of Origin game and had to battle continuing injuries. Despite his problems during the season Geyer helped his team win the grand final. He set up all three Penrith tries and was only denied the Clive Churchill Medal by having been sin-binned earlier in the second half.

Geyer continued to attract controversy during his playing career. After missing the Australian tour of Papua New Guinea due to injury he failed to play in Penrith's World Club Challenge match against Wigan due to passport problems. In 1992 a sensation occurred when he tested positive to a random drug test and he was suspended for ten matches. Penrith then cancelled his contract and in 1993 he signed with Balmain, but was released from the team when he failed to make training in January the following year. Geyer was rumoured to possibly play for South Sydney but, against the wishes of his manager, he spent a season with Umina on the Central Coast.

After moving to Perth with the newly formed Western Reds, Geyer showed good form despite a four-match suspension. The following two years were decimated by suspensions totalling sixteen games and several injuries. Despite some positive form late in 1996, News Corporation closed the door on the Western Reds a year later. Geyer spent the last four years of his career back at Penrith but concerns over his fitness limited his playing time due to starting from the interchange bench.

In 2000 Mark Geyer was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league.

Post-playing career

Since his retirement, Geyer has continued to write extensively during his career on league in various newspapers and sporting magazines. Geyer is now a regular panelist on Rugby League talk show The Sunday Roast. He also appears on Triple M radio in Sydney, presenting the Monday to Friday breakfast team since August 2009. He also appears on Triple M on Saturday mornings, presenting the 'Dead Set Legends' segment alsong side Ray Warren.

Personal Life

Born upside down and back to front in 1972, Geyer was raised in the Australian Outback on a shrimp farm with his father Ace - a retired acrobatic clown, his mother Maxine (you're not the only one) - a hairdresser, three siblings and two parrots called Sunny and Cher. He is currently involved in a steamy yet controversial relationship with his triple m grill team mate, Gus Worland.

Geyer's younger brother Matt Geyer also played rugby league, for the Melbourne Storm between 1998-2008.

Sources

• Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen; The Encyclopaedia of Rugby League Players (3rd edition); published 1998 by Gary Allen Pty. Ltd.; 9 Cooper Street, Smithfield, New South Wales, 2164.

External links

• Mark Geyer at NRL Stats
• markmggeyer.com
• Template:StateofOrigin player
• Mark Geyer at eraofthebiff.com
• Mark Geyer at the Rugby League Project