Steve Edmonds
# Steve Edmonds

Steve Edmonds, nicknamed "Rock", is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played for Cronulla-Sutherland in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition.

## Playing career

Edmonds began his first-grade rugby league career with Cronulla in 1972. The following year, in 1973, he played in three of Cronulla's finals matches as the club advanced to their first-ever grand final. However, Edmonds suffered the misfortune of being unable to participate in the grand final due to an injury. Tragically, Cronulla went on to lose the grand final by a score of 10-7. Despite missing out on the opportunity to play in the decider, Edmonds' contributions throughout the season were significant in helping Cronulla reach the grand final.In 1978, Cronulla finished 2nd on the table and qualified for the finals. Cronulla defeated Manly in the opening week of the finals series 17-12. Cronulla then defeated minor premiers Western Suburbs to reach their second grand final against Manly.

In the Grand Final, Edmonds played on the wing as Cronulla went to a 9-4 lead in the second half as Edmonds scored a try in the corner before Manly came back to hit the front 11-9. A Steve Rogers penalty squared it at 11-all but he then missed a desperate late field-goal attempt and at full-time the scores remained locked in front of 51,000 fans. Just 3 days later, Cronulla and Manly were required to contest a grand final replay to declare a winner as the Australian team had been announced the same week and were heading to England. Both Manly and Cronulla went into the replay with tired players but it was Manly who prevailed in the replay 16-0 winning their fourth premiership in front of a low crowd of 33,552.

In 1979, Edmonds finished as top try scorer for Cronulla with 13 tries. Edmonds retired at the end of the 1981 season and at the time was one of the club's longest serving players.

## Post playing

Edmonds was nominated in the Cronulla "Team of the Half Century" acknowledging the club's best players from 1967 to 2016.

