Scott Drinkwater

Scott Drinkwater (born 15 May 1997) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Scott Drinkwater
Personal information
Born (1997-05-15) 15 May 1997
Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
Height181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight91 kg (14 st 5 lb)
Playing information
PositionFullback, Five-eighth
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2018 Melbourne Storm 1 1 0 0 4
2019– North Qld Cowboys 93 32 24 1 177
Total 94 33 24 1 181
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2018 Queensland Residents 1 1 0 0 4
Source: [1]
As of 2 September 2023

He previously played for the Melbourne Storm in the NRL. He has also played as a five-eighth in his career.

Early life

Drinkwater was born in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia and was raised on the Central Coast, New South Wales. He is of German and Indigenous Australian descent.

He played his junior rugby league for the Terrigal Sharks. While attending Terrigal High School, he represented the 2015 Australian Schoolboys.[2]

Playing career

Early career

In 2015, Drinkwater played for the Central Coast Centurions in the SG Ball Cup.[3] Later that year, he represented the Australian Schoolboys and signed a three-year deal with the Melbourne Storm.[4]

In 2016, Drinkwater joined Melbourne's NYC team, where he played 29 games over two seasons, scoring 23 tries.[5][6] In 2017, he moved up to the Storm's Queensland Cup feeder side, the Sunshine Coast Falcons, where he started at five-eighth in their Grand Final loss to the PNG Hunters.[7]

2018

In 2018, Drinkwater played the majority of the season for the Melbourne club's Queensland Cup feeder side, the Easts Tigers.[8] On 24 June, he started at fullback for the Queensland Residents in their 20–36 loss to New South Wales Residents.[9]

In Round 25 of the 2018 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for Melbourne against Penrith, scoring a try in the 16–22 loss.[10]

On 29 August, he was named at fullback in the Intrust Super Cup Team of the Year.[11]

2019

On 2 March, Drinkwater tore his pectoral muscle in Melbourne's pre-season trial match against the North Queensland Cowboys, returning 13 weeks later in the Easts Tigers 40–22 win over the Northern Pride.[12][13]

On 24 June, he was released by the Melbourne Storm and signed immediately with the North Queensland Cowboys, on a 2+1⁄2-year contract. Before his departure to North Queensland, Drinkwater was described as the next Billy Slater and was nominated as the player to take the vacant fullback jersey at Melbourne.[14][15] In Round 15 of the 2019 NRL season, he made his debut for North Queensland, scoring a try in their 14–22 loss to the St. George Illawarra Dragons.[16]

2020

In February, Drinkwater was a member of North Queensland's 2020 NRL Nines winning squad. He was named the Player of the Tournament and was named in the Team of the Tournament.[17][18] With the arrival of Valentine Holmes to the Cowboys, Drinkwater moved to his preferred position at five-eighth.[19]

He started the season as North Queendland's starting five-eighth, scoring tries in Round 2 and Round 6.[20] In the Cowboys' Round 9 loss to the Sydney Roosters, he ruptured his MCL and missed four weeks. He returned in Round 14, filling in at fullback for the injured Holmes.[21] After two more games at fullback, he finished the season at five-eighth.

2021

On 5 May, Drinkwater re-signed with the North Queensland Cowboys until the end of the 2023 season.[22]

2022

In round 20 of the 2022 NRL season, Drinkwater scored two tries for North Queensland in a 34-8 victory over St. George Illawarra. The following week, he scored a further two tries in North Queensland's victory over Canterbury.[23] Drinkwater played 22 games for North Queensland throughout the year as North Queensland finished third on the table and qualified for the finals. Drinkwater played in both finals matches including their upset loss to Parramatta in the preliminary final which denied North Queensland a fairy tale Grand Final appearance.[24]

2023

In round 2 of the 2023 NRL season, Drinkwater was sent to the sin bin during North Queensland's 28-16 loss against arch-rivals Brisbane after hitting Corey Oates with a shoulder charge which broke the players jaw. Drinkwater was later suspended for three matches.[25][26] In round 16, Drinkwater scored two tries including the winner during golden point extra-time as North Queensland defeated Penrith 27-23.[27] In round 18, Drinkwater scored two tries in North Queensland's 74-0 victory over the Wests Tigers.[28] Drinkwater played 21 games for North Queensland in the 2023 NRL season and scored 11 tries as the club finished 11th on the table.[29]

Achievements and accolades

Individual

Team

Statistics

NRL
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2022 season[31]
*denotes season still competing
Season Team Matches T G GK % F/G Pts
2018 Melbourne 110—04
2019 North Queensland 1030—012
2020 1620—08
2021 2451178.57042
2022 22 11 4 52
2023* 15 8 33
Career totals 88 30 15 78.57 0 151

Personal life

Drinkwater's brother, Josh, is also a professional rugby league footballer, who plays for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League.[32]

References
  1. "Scott Drinkwater". Rugby League Project. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  2. Adrian Proszenko (23 September 2015). "Melbourne Storm sign schoolboy star Scott Drinkwater". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  3. "Junior Rep Squads announced". Sydney Roosters. 12 February 2015. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  4. Proszenko, Adrian (23 September 2015). "Melbourne Storm sign schoolboy star Scott Drinkwater". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  5. "D". 27 December 2012. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  6. "Holden Cup player guide". National Rugby League. 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  7. "Grand final team lists". Queensland Rugby League. 19 September 2017. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  8. "Drinkwater thirsts for No.1 jersey after earning new deal". National Rugby League. 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  9. "Clifford named Queensland Resident". 18 June 2018. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  10. Andrew Marmont. "Panthers set for home final following win over Storm". NRL.com. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  11. "Winners as they happened: QRL Awards blog". Queensland Rugby League. 29 August 2018. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  12. "Uncertain future but Melbourne Storm's Scott Drinkwater staying focused on footy". National Rugby League. 23 May 2019. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  13. "Drinkwater inspired by little cheers to get him through injury and return". Queensland Rugby League. 1 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  14. "NQ snap up Drinkwater who was earmarked to replace Slater". www.foxsports.com.au. 12 June 2019.
  15. "NRL 2019: North Queensland Cowboys, Scott Drinkwater, Melbourne Storm". foxsports.com.au. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  16. "Cowboys fall to Dragons in Wollongong - Cowboys". 28 June 2019. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  17. "Drinkwater, Studdon named players of Nines tournament". 15 February 2020.
  18. "Cowboys out-gun Dragons in the west to take Nines crown". 15 February 2020.
  19. "Drinkwater embraces five-eighth showdown with Clifford". NQ Cowboys. 14 January 2020.
  20. "NRL round 2: Cowboys beat Bulldogs 24-16". The Daily Telegraph. 20 March 2020.
  21. "Drinkwater still wants to wear No.6 despite defensive issues". NRL. 19 August 2020.
  22. "Cowboys re-sign Drinkwater". NQ Cowboys. 5 May 2021.
  23. "Cowboys break Kogarah hoodoo in big win over Dragons". www.nrl.com.
  24. "'See it in their eyes': The late-season pact and 'massive sacrifice' behind Eels surge". www.foxsports.com.au.
  25. "Reece Walsh stars as Brisbane Broncos beat Cowboys 28-16 in Queensland NRL derby, Cronulla edges Parramatta 30-26 in thriller". www.abc.net.au.
  26. "Scott Drinkwater facing three-week ban for Corey Oates jaw-breaker, Peta Hiku also charged". wwos.nine.com.au.
  27. "NRL ScoreCentre: North Queensland Cowboys vs Penrith Panthers — live scores, stats and results". www.abc.net.au.
  28. "74-0! Records tumble in 88-year first as Cowboys exact revenge over Tigers: Big Hits". www.foxsports.com.au.
  29. "NRL 2023: North Queensland Cowboys season review". www.sportingnews.com.
  30. "Munster named Storm Player of the Year - Storm". Melbournestorm.com.au. 3 October 2018. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  31. "Scott Drinkwater - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". Rugby League Project.
  32. Roy Ward (2 September 2018). "Drinkwater brothers log up miles and success". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
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