Michael Hancock

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Tuesday, 21st October, 1969
Current Age
54 years and 159 days
Place Of Birth
Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Winger Of The Year
1989

Biography

Block-busting Stanthorpe winger joined Brisbane in the club’s initial season in the NSWRL after starring as a 17-year-old for Toowoomba in the State League. A member of the first Brisbane run-on team that thrashed defending premiers Manly in 1988, Hancock made his Test debut on the 1989 tour of NZ while still a teenager. After representing Queensland that year, and proving himself a top-class winger with pace, strength and elusiveness, he played in all matches on the NZ tour, including three Tests. In 1990 he missed the one-off Test against France with a hamstring injury but was chosen in the Test against NZ before touring with the Kangaroos. Unfortunately, an ankle injury suffered in Australia’s First Test loss ruled him out of the remainder of the tour. In 1991 he was unable to force his way back into the Test teams against NZ or gain a spot on the tour of Papua New Guinea. For several seasons Hancock battled to rectify a niggling part of his game (fighting against the tackler) but after regaining his Test spot against Great Britain in 1991 he was a member of the Broncos’ grand final teams that defeated St George in 1992-93. Travelling to England, he played in Australia's World Cup final win and scored two tries in Brisbane's World Club Championship victory over Wigan. Hancock made tours of NZ (1993), Great Britain and France (1994 Kangaroos) but his Test career was put on hold when he injured his shoulder in a training mishap on the 1994 Kangaroo Tour. Hancock was actually cut by the Broncos at the beginning of the 1996 season but asked to be allowed to train with the team in the off-season and regained his contract. His try in Brisbane’s 26-8 Super League grand final win over Cronulla took him past the century mark and although his representative career ended, he savoured another premiership title in 1998. The advent of the unlimited interchange rule prolonged Hancock’s career, with coach Wayne Bennett opting to use him as an impact player on the wing or in the second row. The last of the foundation players to leave the club, it was only fitting then, in his fourteenth season with the same club, that he left the Broncos after the 14-6 win against the Roosters in the 2000 grand final to play for Salford in England.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 274 120 2   - 484 192 74 8 70.07% List
National Panasonic Cup 2 1 -   - 4 1 1 0 50.00% List
State of Origin 14 5 -   - 20 7 7 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 27 13 -   - 52 24 3 0 88.89% List
Test Series 10 4 -   - 12 7 2 1 70.00% List
World Cup 4 - -   - - 4 0 0 100.00% List
UK Second Division 9 1 -   - 4 8 1 0 88.89% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 6 5 0   - 20 5 1 0 83.33% List
Lancashire Cup 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NRL Finals 24 6 -   - 24 15 9 0 62.50% List
The Ashes 4 1 -   - 8 2 2 0 50.00% List
UK Third Division 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
World Club Challenge 2 3 -   - 12 1 1 0 50.00% List
Challenge Cup 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Super League 36 7 -   - 28 8 28 0 22.22% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1989-90, 1992-94 14 5 -   - 20 11 2 1 78.57% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1989, 1992 4 - -   - - 4 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
QLD 1989, 1991-94, 1996 14 5 -   - 20 7 7 0 50.00% List
QLD (SL) 1997 2 1 -   - 4 1 1 0 50.00% List
Overall1989-1997 16 6 0   0 24 8 8 0 50.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Brisbane NSWRL 1988 21 10 0 / 1 0.00% - 40 14 7 0 66.67% List
Brisbane NSWRL 1989 18 9 2 / 4 50.00% - 40 13 5 0 72.22% List
Brisbane NSWRL 1990 18 5 -   - 20 12 5 1 66.67% List
Brisbane NSWRL 1991 19 11 0 / 1 0.00% - 44 13 6 0 68.42% List
Brisbane NSWRL 1992 17 10 -   - 40 14 3 0 82.35% List
Brisbane NSWRL 1993 23 12 -   - 48 19 4 0 82.61% List
Brisbane NSWRL 1994 22 11 -   - 44 13 8 1 59.09% List
Brisbane ARL 1995 24 15 -   - 60 17 7 0 70.83% List
Brisbane ARL 1996 22 13 -   - 52 16 6 0 72.73% List
Brisbane Super League 1997 14 5 -   - 20 10 3 1 71.43% List
Brisbane NRL 1998 26 10 -   - 40 19 6 1 73.08% List
Brisbane NRL 1999 23 8 -   - 32 13 8 2 56.52% List
Brisbane NRL 2000 27 1 -   - 4 19 6 2 70.37% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Brisbane 1988-00 274 120 2 / 6 33.33% - 484 192 74 8 70.07% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Swinton 1989/90 4 - -   - - 3 1 0 75.00% List
Swinton 1990/91 6 1 -   - 4 5 1 0 83.33% List
Highfield 1991/92 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Salford 2001 26 7 -   - 28 8 18 0 30.77% List
Salford 2002 11 - -   - - 0 11 0 0.00% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Swinton 1989-90 10 1 -   - 4 8 2 0 80.00% List
Runcorn 1991 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Salford 2001-02 37 7 -   - 28 8 29 0 21.62% List
Overall1989-2002 48 8 0   0 32 16 32 0 33.33% List

Your Say

  • Martin
    22/06/2012

    An absolute champion and such an exciting player to watch. My son and I met him in the change rooms after defeating the tigers at QE2 Stadium. Glad to see he is still influencing the next generation of champion players.

  • Dean
    25/02/2020

    Amazing and strong running winger. Changed games with his dash and pazang. Could play backs or forwards as well.

  • Greg
    29/02/2020

    One of the best wingers in his day hard and fast. I always remember in the SOO when Geyer dropped his knee in his back. Who knows how many more tries he may have scored if he wasn’t outside the Pearl.

  • Anonymous
    01/11/2022

    Brilliant runner of the ball and a strong defender

  • Cugel
    27/07/2023

    One of last players who genuinely resented the tackle, we don't have them anymore.

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, AJ Lucantonio, Paul Carter, Shawn Dollin, Alan Katzmann, Greg Fiveash, Max Turner, Steven Russo, Bill Bates

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1996, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2000, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2001, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, Match Video, Richard Bailey's Rugby League World, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1994, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1995, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93