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| Born | (1978-02-06)6 February 1978 (age 47) Taree, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 96 kg (15 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Hooker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Danny Buderus (born 6 February 1978) is an Australianrugby league commentator, coach and former professional footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. AnAustralian international andNew South WalesState of Origin representativehooker, he played in theNational Rugby League for Australian club, theNewcastle Knights, with whom he won aDally M Medal, and the2001 NRL Premiership before setting a new record for most games with the club. Buderus also played in theSuper League for English club, theLeeds Rhinos, with whom he won 2011'sSuper League XVI. He set the record for most appearances as captain of theNew South WalesState of Origin team at 15 and for most consecutive appearances for the side at 21. Buderus also played representative football for theExiles andNew South Wales Country. In 2015, he took up an interim coaching role with the Knights and continued as an assistant coach in 2016.
Buderus was born inTaree, New South Wales, Australia.
He played his junior football for Taree Red Rovers and played 1 season for Taree United. In 1995, while attendingSt Francis Xavier's College, Hamilton, Buderus played for theAustralian Schoolboys team.[3] Other players to also come through this well-known rugby league nursery under the tutelage of Mark Wright includeOwen Craigie,Jarrod Mullen, Paul Dan andAnthony Tupou.
In Round 3 of the1997 ARL season Buderus made hisARL début for theNewcastle Knights against theSouth Queensland Crushers. Buderus scored his first try in first-grade in 1998 against theAuckland Warriors in Round 7 of the1998 NRL season. In 2001, Buderus was selected forCountry Origin in the annualCity vs Country Origin match. In 2001, Buderus made his international début forAustralia againstNew Zealand. Buderus playedhooker in the Knights'2001 NRL Grand Final win over theParramatta Eels, the Knights winning 30–24. Having won the2001 NRL Premiership, the Knights travelled to England to play the2002 World Club Challenge againstSuper League champions, theBradford Bulls. Buderus played athooker, and scored atry in Newcastle's loss. He made hisState of Origin début forNew South Wales in 2002. Buderus played his 100thNRL game in Round 14 of the2002 NRL season against theParramatta Eels. In 2002, Buderus was named theDally M Hooker of the Year andDally M Representative Player of the Year at theDally M Awards at the end of the regular season. Buderus played a pivotal role in Newcastle making the semi-finals again in 2003 and ended the season again named Hooker of the Year.
In 2004, Buderus was awarded the 2004Dally M Medal for the Player of the Year, only the secondhooker to be awarded the medal afterMal Cochrane as well as the 2004 Hooker of the Year. Buderus was selected in the Australian team to go and compete in the end of season2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final againstGreat Britain he played at hooker in the Kangaroos' 44–4 victory. In 2005 Buderus again won the Hooker of the Year award. On 13 March 2008, Buderus signed a 2-year contract with theLeeds Rhinos starting in 2009.[4] In August 2008, Buderus was named in thepreliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the2008 Rugby League World Cup despite comments by Kangaroos' coach,Ricky Stuart, that he would not select players leaving Australia to play in England in 2009. However Buderus wasn't selected to play in a game.[5][6]
Buderus commenced playing in theSuper League for English club theLeeds Rhinos in 2009. He re-signed with the Rhinos on a 2-year contract during 2010.
He played in the2010 Challenge Cup Final defeat by theWarrington Wolves atWembley Stadium.[7][8]
In 2011, Buderus playedhooker for the Leeds Rhinos in their2011 Challenge Cup Final defeat by theWigan Warriors atWembley Stadium.[9][10][11]
On 10 June 2011, Buderus was selected in theExiles squad for theRugby League International Origin Match againstEngland atHeadingley while playing for theLeeds Rhinos of theSuper League. He also captained the side to a victory.[12]
In 2011, Buderus playedhooker for Leeds in their2011 Super League Grand Final win overSt Helens, with Leeds winning 30–16 atOld Trafford, in which was his final game for the club.[13][14]
After newNewcastle Knights coachWayne Bennett requested Buderus' services, Buderus signed a 1-year contract on 1 October 2011 with theNewcastle Knights starting in 2012, returning to the club he had played 220 games for. He had been released from the final year of hisLeeds Rhinos contract to sign with Newcastle.
In 2012, 7 weeks into his return to theNational Rugby League, Buderus was again selected forCountry Origin at startinghooker,[15] however he withdrew due to injury. Later in the year there was speculation he would be named athooker forNew South Wales in Game 1 of the2012 State of Origin series but was injured and didn't get picked,Robbie Farah was instead picked and retained his spot for the rest of the series. On 12 June 2012, Buderus re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract, 14 rounds into the2012 season.[16]
In September 2013, Buderus announced his retirement at the end of the2013 NRL season. During the Knights vs Roosters Preliminary Final, Buderus entered a tackle and made contact with the elbow ofJared Waerea-Hargreaves, knocking him out. This saw Buderus stretchered from the field, ending his career. However, later scans in hospital cleared the retiring hooker of any serious head or neck injuries.[17]
Buderus stayed with the Knights as an assistant coach for 2014. In July 2015, Buderus was made interim head coach, following the sacking ofRick Stone.[18] After the 2016 season, he chose to leave his role as an assistant coach. He served as pathways coach in 2017. Buderus was also a selector[when?] for the NSW Blues helping select the series winning side along withGreg Alexander and former Knights teammate andRugby LeagueImmortalAndrew Johns. On 28 September 2023, Buderus was informed by the NSWRL board that his contract would not be renewed for the following season after New South Wales suffered another series loss.[19]
On 15 October 2025, the Knights confirmed Buderus had re-joined the Knights in an assistant coaching role.[20]
Buderus is founder and co-owner of Steel City Beer Company withAndrew Johns,Matthew Johns,Kurt Gidley andMatt Hoy.[21][22]
| Preceded by | Captain Australia 2004–2005 | Succeeded by |