Jermaine McGillvary

Jermaine McGillvary
Personal information
Full nameJermaine Darren McGillvary
Born (1988-05-16) 16 May 1988 (age 36)
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight15 st 13 lb (101 kg)[1]
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2008–23 Huddersfield Giants 313 209 0 0 828
2008(loan) → Batley Bulldogs 6 1 0 0 4
2009(loan) → Batley Bulldogs 24 21 1 0 86
2010(loan) → Barrow Raiders 11 8 0 0 32
2024 Wakefield Trinity 17 16 1 0 66
Total 371 255 2 0 1016
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2012 England Knights 1 0 0 0 0
2015–18 England 17 12 0 0 48
2019 Great Britain 4 0 0 0 0
2021 Combined Nations All Stars 1 1 0 0 4
Source: [2][3][1]
RelativesLeroy Cudjoe (cousin)

Jermaine McGillvary (born 16 May 1988) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who last played on the wing for the Wakefield Trinity in the RFL Championship. He has played for the England Knights, England and Great Britain at international level.

He has spent time on loan from Huddersfield at Batley and Barrow in the Championship.

Background

McGillvary was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, and he is of Grenadian descent.[4] He played junior rugby league for Deighton, but quit the sport after the club folded, and switched to football instead, playing for Dalton Dynamoes,[5] and at semi-professional level for Emley.[6] He was working as an apprentice bricklayer when he was persuaded by his cousin, Leroy Cudjoe, to return to rugby league, and he began training with the Huddersfield Giants reserve team.[7]

Playing career

Huddersfield Giants

After impressing in the reserves and a successful loan spell at Batley Bulldogs, McGillvary signed a full-time contract with the Huddersfield Giants in August 2008.[8] McGillvary was sent back out on loan to Batley for the 2009 Championship season.[9] He scored 21 tries for the club during the season, including five in a single match against Whitehaven on 24 May 2009, equalling the club record.[10] His performances earned him a nomination for the Young Player of the Year award, and he was named in the 2009 Championship team of the season.[11]

McGillvary spent the first part of the 2010 season with Barrow Raiders,[12] scoring eight tries in 11 appearances.[13] He made his Super League début for Huddersfield in June 2010, scoring two tries in a 52–6 win against Bradford Bulls.[14]

McGillvary's breakthrough came in 2011, starting all but one game for Huddersfield during the season, and scoring 17 tries.[15] He signed a new five-year contract with the club,[16] and was awarded the Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year Medal.[17]

In the 2013 Super League season, McGillvary played 27 games and scored 19 tries as Huddersfield claimed the League Leaders Shield for the first time in 81 years. Huddersfield would ultimately fall short of a grand final appearance that year.[18] On 4 May 2014, McGillvary made his 100th appearance for Huddersfield. Fittingly he scored a try in his team's crucial one point win over third placed Super League team, the Castleford Tigers.[19]

McGillvary finished as Super League's top try scorer in 2015, with 27, and earned selection in the Super League Dream Team.[citation needed] On 4 October 2020, McGillvary scored two tries in a 32–22 victory over Hull KR. In the process, he moved into the Super League's top ten highest ever try scorers list.[20]

In round 15 of the 2021 Super League season, he scored four tries in Huddersfield's 40–26 victory over Hull F.C.[21] In the 2022 Challenge Cup semi-final, McGillvary earned man of the match honours as Huddersfield defeated Hull Kingston Rovers 25–4 at Elland Road.[22] On 28 May 2022, McGillvary played for Huddersfield in their 2022 Challenge Cup Final loss against Wigan. McGillvary scored a second half try during the match. In round 18 of the Super League XXVII season, McGillvary scored two tries for Huddersfield in a 30–18 victory over Salford at Magic Weekend.[23] McGillvary played 13 games in the 2023 Super League season and scored six tries as Huddersfield finished ninth on the table and missed the playoffs.[24]

Wakefield Trinity

On 28 October 2023 he joined Wakefield Trinity for the 2024 season. He went on to win the RFL 1895 Cup and the RFL Championship Leaders' Shield.[25] McGillvary's final game as a player was the RFL Championship grand final against Toulouse Olympique where Wakefield would win 36-0. McGillvary would kick a goal from the sideline towards the closing stages of the match.[26]

International career

McGillvary's was selected in Steve McNamara's 24-man England team for their test series against New Zealand in 2015.[27] He made his début for England in the decisive final test-match at the DW Stadium.

The following year, McGillvary was selected in the England squad for the 2016 Four Nations. Before the tournament, England played a test match against France in which McGillvary scored a try in England's 40–6 win.

Following the 2017 season, McGillvary was named in Wayne Bennett's England squad for the World Cup in Australia.[28][29]

McGillvary played on the wing in England's 6–0 defeat by Australia in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup final. He finished the tournament with seven tries in five games and ran more meters than any other player in the tournament.[30][31][32]

In 2018 he was selected for England against France at the Leigh Sports Village.[33]

He was selected in England 9s squad for the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s.[34]

He was selected in squad for the 2019 Great Britain Lions tour of the Southern Hemisphere.[35] He made his Great Britain test debut in the defeat by Tonga.[36]

On 25 June 2021 he played for the Combined Nations All Stars, and scored a try, in their 26–24 victory over England, staged at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, as part of England's 2021 Rugby League World Cup preparation. McGillvary subsequently announced his international retirement in June 2022.[37]

References

  1. ^ a b "Huddersfield Giants". web page. Huddersfield Giants. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Player Summary: Jermaine McGillvary". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ ""I save all my cheers for Jermaine": Meet Jermaine McGillvary's biggest fans". Huddersfield Examiner. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Dynamoes joy with late goal". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 6 April 2004. Retrieved 11 September 2023 – via The Free Library.
  6. ^ "Guest Column - Jermaine McGillvary: I wouldn't be ready for the top flight without my spells on loan". Yorkshire Post. 11 June 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  7. ^ "New boy McGillvary amazed at progress". YorkshireLive. 15 August 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Super Giants deal for winger McGillvary". YorkshireLive. 15 August 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Jermaine is heading back to Bulldogs". YorkshireLive. 29 September 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Club Records". Batley Bulldogs. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  11. ^ Butcher, Tim; Spencer, Daniel, eds. (2009). Gillette Rugby League Yearbook 2009-2010. League Publications. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-901347-21-0.
  12. ^ "Homegrown Huddersfield Giants winger McGillvary relishing Bradford Bulls test". YorkshireLive. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  13. ^ "England Four Nations call for ex-Barrow winger McGillvary". The Mail. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Huddersfield Giants' Jermaine on dream Super League debut v Bradford Bulls". YorkshireLive. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  15. ^ "McGillvary proud of his award". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 14 September 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2023 – via The Free Library.
  16. ^ "McGillvary signs new Giants deal". BBC Sport. 16 August 2011.
  17. ^ "The Albert Goldthorpe Awards". totalrl.com. League Publications. Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  18. ^ "Huddersfield Giants 40-0 Wakefield". BBC Sport.
  19. ^ "RUGBY-LEAGUE.COM". Rugby-League.com. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  20. ^ "McGillvary joins Super League's top ten". www.totalrl.com. 4 October 2020.
  21. ^ "Four tries from Jermaine McGillvary help Huddersfield Giants to 40-26 win over Hull FC". www.skysports.com.
  22. ^ "Jermaine McGillvary on why he has always stayed loyal to Huddersfield". www.loverugbyleague.com. 8 May 2022.
  23. ^ "Challenge Cup final: Huddersfield Giants 14-16 Wigan Warriors". www.bbc.co.uk. 26 May 2022.
  24. ^ "Ian Watson explains why Huddersfield Giants underperformed in Super League 2023". www.totalrl.com.
  25. ^ "Wakefield Trinity pull off Jermaine McGillvary coup: 'Hopefully I can help the club reach Super League'". Love Rugby League. 28 October 2023.
  26. ^ "Jowitt breaks points record as Wakefield cruise to Grand Final win". www.bbc.co.uk.
  27. ^ "MCNAMARA NAMES 24-MAN SQUAD FOR 2015 INTERNATIONAL SERIES". englandrl.co.uk. 11 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  28. ^ Barrow, Pete (9 October 2017). "Huddersfield Giants Jermaine McGillvary makes England squad". huddersfieldexaminer. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  29. ^ "England rugby league World Cup squad revealed - and James Roby is back in the fold". Mirror. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  30. ^ "Australia, England dominate RLWC Team of the Tournament". News.com.au. 3 December 2017.
  31. ^ "World Cup Final: England's Jermaine McGillvary hopes to hit right note in grand finale - Yorkshire Post". Archived from the original on 4 December 2017.
  32. ^ "Rugby League World Cup 2017: Australia scrape out 6-0 victory in final against Wayne Bennett-inspired England". 2 December 2017.
  33. ^ Jolly, Richard (17 October 2018). "Tom Johnstone marks debut with England hat-trick against France". The Telegraph. Guardian. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  34. ^ "Sam Tomkins eager to lift inaugural World 9s title with England Down Under". Mirror. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  35. ^ Heppenstall, Ross (14 October 2019). "Zak Hardaker shock inclusion in 24-man Great Britain squad for tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea". Telegraph. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  36. ^ Irvine, Chris (26 October 2019). "Great Britain left bruised at Tonga party". Times. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  37. ^ "Jermaine McGillvary announces international retirement".