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 Gene playing for PNG in 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | (1974-05-11)11 May 1974 (age 50) Goroka,Papua New Guinea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 87 kg (13 st 10 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Utility | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stanley Gene (born 11 May 1974) is aPapua New Guinean formerrugby league Kumul (№ 166) player and Assistant Coach of theHull F.C..[2] He previously coachedGateshead Thunder and assistant coach atHull Kingston Rovers[3] and served as thePapua New Guinea Kumuls head coach in 2010. Having moved to England following an impressive showing for PNG in the1995 Rugby League World Cup, Gene enjoyed a long career in the British game with spells atHull Kingston Rovers,Huddersfield Giants,Bradford Bulls,Hull FC andHalifax.
Gene was a versatile player with the ability to cover virtually any position on the pitch, though he spent most of his test career playing at stand off (off-half). He was a regular for the PNG Kumuls for 14 years between 1994 and 2008, and captained the side on at least three occasions, including being the PNG captain during the2008 Rugby League World Cup, before retiring from international rugby league following the 2008 tournament. Gene is considered a hero in his home country and almost universally regarded as a rugby league legend.
Gene was born inGoroka. After playing in the1995 Rugby League World Cup for Papua New Guinea, Gene was offered a contract to play forHull Kingston Rovers in the oldSecond Division. After moving to the United Kingdom, Gene played for Hull KR from 1996 to 2000. He scored 94 Tries in 111 matches during that period, and was a massively popular figure at the club. He moved to Gateshead and was then forced to play for rivalsHull F.C. when they merged. However, he had a frustrating time there, mainly featuring as a substitute. He was granted a release from his contract midway through 2001 and allowed to look for another club.
Gene signed withHuddersfield Giants midway through 2001, but was unable to save them from relegation. However, he was instrumental in the club's unbeaten run and promotion back into Super League the following year. He went on to establish himself as one of Huddersfield's most important players.
Gene moved to theBradford Bulls for the 2006 Season. Along with fellow Papua New Guinea nationalMarcus Bai, Gene's first match for the club was their win the2006 World Club Challenge against theWests Tigers.[4] He played from the interchange bench and scored atry in the Bradford Bulls' 30–10 victory. After only one season with the Bradford Bulls, he was allowed to rejoin Hull Kingston Rovers.
Gene returned to Hull Kingston Rovers, his first English club, following their promotion to Super League in 2007. He provided experience and a steadying influence as the club established itself in Super League, before being allowed to leave at the end of the 2009 season.
Following his release from Hull Kingston Rovers, Gene signed for Cooperative Championship sideHalifax for the 2010 season along with fellow countryman and close friendMakali Aizue.
Gene's representative career lasted over a decade. He made his test début for PNG againstFrance at theLloyd Robson Oval inPort Moresby during the France's tour of Oceania in 1994. Selected as a substitute for his first test, Gene contributed a field goal in PNG's 29–22 win.. He then went on to play for the Kumuls during the1995 Rugby League World Cup inEngland, and also played in the2000 and2008 World Cups. In addition, he represented his country in numerous test matches before announcing his intention to retire from international rugby league following the 2008 World Cup.
Following PNG's exit from the tournament, he was tearfully carried from the field by his teammates and given a standing ovation by the 16,239 strong crowd at theDairy Farmers Stadium inTownsville, Australia (his last game was a 46–6 defeat by theKangaroos).
In 2010,Adrian Lam stepped down as the coach of the PNG national team. Within a few days, it was announced that Gene would be installed as his replacement. The first game under Gene's leadership was the annual fixture between PNG and the Australian PM's XIII. Gene went on to coach the team for the2010 Four Nations in Australia and New Zealand, failing to register a victory over tournament winnerNew Zealand, runner up Australia, andEngland.
In September 2013 Gene was appointed head coach ofGateshead Thunder (now Newcastle Thunder) for the 2014 season.[5]
Gene lives in Yorkshire, Gene has three sons, Cameron, Elliott and Leo.[6] In 2006, he paid for the installation of electricity in his home village of Segu, located on the outskirts ofGoroka.[7] In 2012, he set up the Stanley Gene Foundation, aiming to supply donations to the deprived areas of Papua New Guinea.[8]
There has been confusion over the pronunciation of 'Gene'. "When I first arrived in England people called me Gene (Jean) and I thought it sounded quite posh, so I got used to it, but it is Gene (Gennay), that's how it is pronounced back home."[9]
Stanley Gene's age was a major talking point about the player for many years. Although his date of birth registered with theRugby Football League (RFL) was 11 May 1974,[10] many of his former teammates and coaches insisted he was considerably older than this.
In 2008, Gene himself stated that he was 34, and explained that some people believe that Papua New Guineans "look older in the face" than in other countries.[11] Despite this explanation, it was rumoured that he was unable to provide a birth certificate to prove his age,[11][12] and that he allegedly held several passports with different dates of birth.[13] FormerWigan playerBryan Fletcher predicted that Gene could be as old as 45.[11]
On 11 May 2013, Gene confirmed that it was his 39th birthday. He showed guests at his birthday dinner his birth certificate, which confirmed that his date of birth is 11 May 1974.[14]
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