Roy Bell (rugby league)

Roy Bell (born 30 August 1984) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played as a winger for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL between 2004 and 2005.

For rugby league footballer of the 1950s, and 1960s for Featherstone Rovers, Wakefield Trinity, Hull FC, and Castleford, see Roy Bell (rugby league, born circa-1940).

Roy Bell
Personal information
Full nameRoy Bell
Born (1984-08-30) 30 August 1984
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Weight65 kg (10 st 3 lb)
PositionWing, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2004–05 South Sydney 9 7 1 0 30
Source: [1][2]

Background

Bell was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Career

Bell made his first grade debut for South Sydney in round 23 2004 against North Queensland at the Willows Sports Complex. Bell scored a try in a 22–36 loss.

Bell's final game in the top grade came during the 2005 NRL season against St. George Illawarra in round 15 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Despite scoring 7 tries in only 9 games, Bell departed South Sydney at the age of only 20. He was released from his South Sydney contract and returned to the North Coast of New South Wales in 2005 after not adjusting to life in Sydney and becoming homesick.[3]

In this time Bell developed a cult following among rugby league fans because of his tiny frame and his skinny (even relative to his body) legs. At 65 kg, Bell was even smaller than Preston Campbell (74 kg), another Aboriginal player famed for his slight frame.[4] His ability to tackle players twice his size was seen as a throwback to the days of Norm Provan and Arthur Summons.[5]

After departing from Souths, Bell continued to play rugby league in the local North Coast competition for Casino and Northern United. He then went on to play for South Grafton and won a group 2 premiership with them in 2015.[6][7][8]

Controversy

In 2005, Bell was stood down by South Sydney after being convicted of drink driving. South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson spoke to the media saying "Roy is a fine young player but he has made a grave mistake in this instance and we will speak with him and his manager over the weekend about this incident".[9]

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References
  1. Rugby League Project
  2. Yesterday's Hero
  3. "Souths release homesick Bell", ABC News 25 July 2005
  4. League's little masters
  5. "South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Player Report - Roy Bell". www.ssralmanac.com.
  6. "Tabulam's Roy Bell rings in premiership win with Rebels". Northern Star.
  7. "United's Roy Bell linked to Cougars". Warwick Daily News.
  8. "Good enough for NRL". Central Telegraph.
  9. "Bell stood down from drinking driving". SMH.
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