Chris Hicks (rugby league)


Chris Hicks is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He played for the Parramatta Eels of the National Rugby League. A former New South Wales country origin representative or, he has previously played in the NRL for the Penrith Panthers and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles as well as playing for Warrington Wolves of the Super League.

Playing career

Early NRL career

Hicks made his NRL début for the Penrith Panthers in 1997. In six years with the Panthers, Hicks scored just under 300 points.
In 2004, Hicks made his return to the NRL, this time for the Manly Sea Eagles. Hicks spent four years with the Sea Eagles and played in their 2007 NRL grand final defeat by the Melbourne Storm.

Super League

Hicks signed for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League for the 2008 season. At 30 years old he joined Manly team-mate Michael Monaghan in moving to the Wolves for the 2008 season.
In his first season with Warrington, he scored in every single game after adopting kicking duties for the Wolves. The first time he failed to score in a Warrington game came in a 60–8 defeat away at Harlequins on Saturday 24 March 2009, 5 games into his second season with the Wolves.
In each of his three years at Warrington, Hicks was the team's top try-scorer. While he was with the Wolves the team won two Challenge Cups. Hicks scored a hat-trick in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium.

Retirement and return to NRL

On 3 December 2010, it was announced that Chris Hicks had retired with immediate effect to make room for the Wolves new signing, Joel Monaghan. However, the retirement was very short-lived. Within a fortnight, Hicks signed a one-year deal with the Parramatta Eels to help fill the gap left by the retiring Eric Grothe Jr. Hicks retired at the end the 2011 NRL season. In Rnd 25 V Roosters Hicks scored a try in his 200th Game.