Danny Buderus

Danny Buderus is an NRL legend, a former Australian NRL International and New South Wales State of Origin representative hooker for the Newcastle Knights. In fact, Danny set a new record for the most games with the club as well as most appearances as captain of the New South Wales State of Origin team.

Danny began his rugby league career in his hometown of Taree before being snapped up by Newcastle after trialling with both the Knights and St George. He made his first grade debut with Newcastle in 1997 and, by 2001, was playing for Country Origin, making his Test debut and touring with the Kangaroos.

Danny Buderus was a central figure in the Knights’ golden era alongside the eighth Immortal Andrew Johns, Paul Harragon and Matthew Johns.

He played one first-grade game as a 19-year-old in the club’s premiership year of 1997 and would go on to play a club record 257 matches for the Knights.

Between 1998 and 2003 the Knights played finals every year and savoured premiership glory in 2001 when they blew Parramatta away with a stunning first-half blitz.

Blessed with brilliant vision and speed out of dummy half, Buderus earned 24 Test caps for the Kangaroos and is one of only three Newcastle players to have captained Australia, along with Harragon and Johns.

He played 21 Origins for NSW and his electric work at hooker was a decisive factor in the Blues’ Origin three-peat in 2003-05.

At the peak of his powers in 2004, Buderus captained NSW to an Origin series win, took home the Dally M Medal and won the Tri-Nations series with the Kangaroos.

In 2008, Danny announced that he had signed with the Leeds Rhinos for two years. His stint in the UK proved to be a successful one. In 2011, he captained the winning Exiles team in an International Origin game and also played in the Super League Grand Final for the victorious Leeds Rhinos.

In 2012, Danny returned to the Knights to play under ‘super coach’ Wayne Bennett, much to the delight of NRL fans and all those involved in the game. After a successful career that saw him play 257 NRL games and earn the title of ‘the greatest hooker to play the game’, Danny announced that he would retire at the end of the 2013 season. He did so as the most-capped player in Knights’ history and was inducted into the Knights’ Hall of Fame in 2014.

Post rugby league, it was always on the cards that Danny was going to retain an active involvement with rugby league and, in early 2014, he was appointed assistant coach of the Country Origin squad.

In September 2014, he was appointed assistant coach of the Knights, and then in 2017 was appointed assistant coast of the NSW Origin Team.

Danny also holds ambassadorial roles with the NRL and Newcastle Knights and is a contributor to various media outlets and programs including League Live and the Sunday Footy Show.

Known and loved for his courage, leadership qualities and never-say-die attitude as a player, Danny Buderus is now equally popular as a guest speaker at business, sporting and charity events.