Michael De Vere (born 11 December 1976) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He represented Australia in four tests and New South Wales in five State of Origin matches. A goal-kicking outside back who could play centre, wing or fullback and also a skilful goal-kicker who ended his career having kicked at 76.62%, De Vere played club football for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, with whom he won the 1997, 1998 and 2000 premierships. He later played with English club the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League, reaching the 2006 Challenge Cup final. In 2009, he instigated a comeback with the Brisbane Broncos, which only lasted one game before he retired.
Playing career
A product of Campbelltown Warriors junior rugby league club, De Vere spent a year playing with the Appin Dogs in the Group 6 Junior League, before being graded with the St. George Dragons in 1995, although he never played first grade for the Dragons.
After the 2003 NRL season, De Vere made his test début in the centres for Australia in an end of season test against New Zealand in Auckland, following which he went on the 2003 Kangaroo tour, playing in the final two tests of The Ashes series against Great Britain. In 2004 he was dropped from the New South Wales team after the Blues' narrow 9–8 win in the first match of the series. During the 2004 season, Michael De Vere played his last test for Australia when he was selected on the wing for the Kangaroos 37–10 Anzac Test win over New Zealand in Newcastle. He contributed 12 points with a try and four goals, the only goals he kicked in test football.
De Vere then left the Broncos at the end of the season after again being the club's top-point scorer, to take up a contract with English club Huddersfield Giants, becoming the club's first Australian international player since Pat Devery in the 1950s. At the time he was the Broncos highest ever point scorer with 1,062 points.
De Vere joined the Huddersfield Giants in 2005. He played for Huddersfield in the 2006 Challenge Cup Final at centre and kicked two goals but the Giants lost 12–42 against St. Helens. On 20 November 2006, he announced that he would retire from professional football and return to Brisbane. [citation needed]
The following season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to date which included De Vere.[5]
He was set to join the Carina Leagues club as a development/coaching officer in 2007. On 23 January 2009 it was announced that Michael De Vere would return to the Brisbane Broncos for the 2009 season, more than two years after retiring.
The National Rugby League had to approved De Vere's comeback due to concerns over salary cap concessions, given he also worked as a development officer.[6] It was to be De Vere's final playing year in first grade rugby league, and his 10th season with the Broncos. De Vere's NRL comeback was short-lived as he only played one game in 2009; he announced his retirement on 7 April 2009.[7]
^Dekroo, Karl (9 May 2007). "Still the king". The Courier-Mail. Australia: Queensland Newspapers. Archived from the original on 12 May 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
